What was the biggest event of 2009?

[Blue]

Originally Posted by JJfan

Oh....and on the down side of 2009...

The lose of the skunk beer event at Kingsmill,Virginia..... and the McD's LPGA at BulleRock, Maryland......

Would that come under the category of "Tour struggles financially, cuts tournaments and purses for 2009 and 201O?"

[greentee]

.
For me it was players in general.... though kicking the boss out by the employees was a close second, and the Nordqvist rocket was a very special fireworks, apparently filling the Great Annika's shoes.

Yet I like a lot of players, and seeing them, (a lot of them), on the move up into the new golf levels, was fantastic to watch and read about.

Monkeys falling off backs of Ai and Na Yeon, and boy how they played after that, you can still hear the Monks crashing to the green.

The comeback of Lorena to number one.... what a fighter those Mex are.

The initiation of Jiyai to the LPGA world full time, and the warm character many are getting to know she truly is. As Jiyai goes me thinks, (only my opinion), the world of womens golf well have to follow.

Cristie Kerr a defiant little bulldog in almost every event, shooting for the top spot everytime.... maybe one of the best players in that legend class, super whirlwind girl, focus, focus, climbing that ladder rung by rung.

The Soleheim girls.... a team of individuals putting the power of the LPGA together.

From that S Cup, the blossom child Michelle comes of out to play, and likes the lead. And she finally breaks through at the end of the year to win, and make so many many dreams come true.

Angela Stanford coming into her own super game, and now becoming one of the greats. Lost in a playoff years back at the US Womens Open, but like fine wine was not ready until her refined time. Wonderful to watch.

Juli the original Inky, still playing well in her final full year. No more winner winner chicken dinner this year. But on the S Cup team she came back to win big time, and show who's the best on this golf block.

So many stories, good and great stories of many players this year, an amazing year.

Yet nobody mentions little Mickey Mouse, little miss Ji who improved almost every event at the beginning of this year, and takes down the biggest and richest event of the year. She may not be playing as well as the first half of the year, but she is still out there swimming well with the sharks. Its not how tall you are in golf, its how good you are, and we have not heard the last from this little one... not long but a straight shooter.... no matter what gxer may think.

Players are my focus.... events, wins, come and go.... in players those happenings stay. You can often see it in their faces. And when its good, its great to see. The LPGA's management past-present sucks, but with out the players there would be no LPGA... as this year showed us all just where the real backbone of this womens sport industry is.

Not all was great and super though.... other players had opposite things happen as well.

One of them is a long time favorite of many, Dorothy Delasin. No matter what she tried this year her driver when south fast, even though the rest of her game is good to great, and she has no noticeable injuries. Very strange to see such a talented skilled player afflicted like this. Yet through it all she smiles, some spirit this lady even when she is looking from the bottom up. My own hunch is she may have an inner ear infection, that throes her tee shots off.... or something like that. Something that may be simple to fix, if found. She was at the bottom many times in many events, and never giving up. Thats true golf grit. Keep at it Dorthy, find that fix, you belong out here, ok.

Ya, I like the players, for me that is where the 'real' story is. Yet maybe I like too many.... as its always so darn hard to pull for just one. :-)

Have a merry end of the year everyone, and hang on to your socks for 2010, the players are really going to green shock you come number ten. :-)

[JJfan]

Originally Posted by Blue

Would that come under the category of "Tour struggles financially, cuts tournaments and purses for 2009 and 201O?"

Yes it would Blue, The poll only allows for one vote so I voted for the Ji Yai Shin selection.

I thought the loss of the 2 tournaments that I attened every year pretty much sucks, so I added the 2nd post....

I can delete the 2nd post if you like.

[Blue]

Originally Posted by JJfan

Yes it would Blue, The poll only allows for one vote so I voted for the Ji Yai Shin selection.

I thought the loss of the 2 tournaments that I attened every year pretty much sucks, so I added the 2nd post....

I can delete the 2nd post if you like.

No I was just just wondering.

[paddyman]

I'd say Shin ROY & money list was not a big story, because I expected her to win ROY easily and be at least top 2 in the other awards, so no surprises there.
The tour's financial struggles were a big thing, but that is happening in many sports, so I'd say a player story would be bigger.
Ochoa, again not a huge surprise, she still won some events, POY and did fairly well in most stats.
Wie's first win was certainly a big event, and I would say a bigger event than Ai Miyazato winning her first title. However, I think Nordqvist winning both a major and the tour championship is my answer to the poll question.
I won't vote just yet though, maybe someone has a clever counter-argument.

[Blue]

That was the criteria I used so you won't get a clever counter-argument from me. Shin ROY was expected. Wie winning was expected (a long time ago actually). Same with Miyazato. Ochoa POY was expected. What was not expected? Bivens ouster and Nordqvist coming in from nowhere to win two big tournaments.

The only logical counter argument is that the future of the LPGA is hanging its recovery from the financial tumble it took this year so purses and tournaments cut in 2009 could prove to be the biggest story not just in 2009 but ever in the history of the LPGA.

[LoJo]

Perhaps the question wasn't phrased properly.

What was the biggest event of 2009?

Does that mean what was the biggest news event? The event that made the most impact on the LPGA? The event that drew the most 'fans' to the LPGA?

In terms of "news" it would have to be a toss up between Bivens getting the hook and Wie finally winning.

Nordqvist's wins...while unexpected...were not the "biggest" event in terms of LPGA news.

I'm a big fan of Anna, but her winning the two big events barely made a blip on the LPGA radar as far as being the "biggest event." Most casual fans would be hard pressed to identify Anna in a lineup. And...sadly....Shin falls further down the list of "big" news outside avid fans.

[Blue]

Originally Posted by LoJo

Perhaps the question wasn't phrased properly.

What was the biggest event of 2009?

Does that mean what was the biggest news event? The event that made the most impact on the LPGA? The event that drew the most 'fans' to the LPGA?

In terms of "news" it would have to be a toss up between Bivens getting the hook and Wie finally winning.

Nordqvist's wins...while unexpected...were not the "biggest" event in terms of LPGA news.

I'm a big fan of Anna, but her winning the two big events barely made a blip on the LPGA radar as far as being the "biggest event." Most casual fans would be hard pressed to identify Anna in a lineup. And...sadly....Shin falls further down the list of "big" news outside avid fans.

As I said at the top of the discussion thread accompanying this poll, it is not what was the biggest story in the media or on discussion boards, but what you think was most important. I might have included Christina Kim's behavior at the Solheim Cup if it were defined by headlines or discussion board traffic or Wie and Gulbis not qualifying for the US Open. We all know what made the headlines. The poll is about what you think was the biggest event.

[PW]

I voted for the Solheim. Not that a US win was unexpected, but I've seen lots of comments about how impressed people were by the level of play and the attitude of both sides. Christina Kim was pretty controversial, but even her antics seemed to attract fans. I gotta believe that's why she got an invite to Dubai this week.

A great showcase for the LPGA and LET.

[Balabill]

Sorry I missed this post but I have been out shoveling snow for the past week.
I picked Michelle Wie first win. I think the whole golfing community breathed a sigh of relief when she won. Great Stuff;
BLUE: How about a contest for the BEST SHOT of the YEAR, A few come to mind but I will wait and see...