Futures tour ?????

[NTB]

Gee I wonder what brought this on?

http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?pid=17028&mid=4

DAYTONABEACH, Fla., Aug. 20, 2008 – Following an amendment to the LPGA Constitution, the LPGA today announces the number of LPGA Tour cards awarded to Duramed FUTURES Tour members has expanded from five to 10. Duramed FUTURES Tour members who finish in positions one through 10 on the 2008 Duramed FUTURES Tour money list will earn LPGA membership, with varying priority status, on the 2009 LPGA Tour. Prior to this change, which required a membership vote, only players who finished in places one through five were eligible for LPGA Tour membership.

[MarinePaul]

NTB, I'm as confused as you are on this one.

[cougar]

There was a player meeting on Tuesday evening in Portland. I got a few bits and pieces from a couple of players and caddies, but not anything substantial. I understand a number of players were quite unhappy with some of the changes that were announced.

[NTB]

Maybe there is a player somewhere that couldn't make it thru q school
that they might want on the lpga

[MarinePaul]

The confusing thing to me is that it just doesn't make sense at this stage of the game. Then again, the LPGA's leadership hasn't been that impressive for the past few years.

[PW]

Makes sense to me, didn't the LPGA recently acquire the FT (or am I not remembering correctly). It follows that they would want to encourage up and coming players to go out on the FT. Seems like better training and a better test than q school. The PGA takes more players from the Nationwide and has been increasing it.

If you want to be paranoid, you could look at it as a way to make it harder for non-US players to get a card since it's easier for someone to come over and play 2 q-school touraments than a season on the FT. It looks like they are still taking the same number from q-school though, at least for now.

[xman5]

Actually I do not think that it has any effect on Q school, that opportunity does not change. If any effect the changes have it is on numbers 91-100.

[MarinePaul]

Originally Posted by xman5

Actually I do not think that it has any effect on Q school, that opportunity does not change. If any effect the changes have it is on numbers 91-100.

Exactly. Those fringe players will potentially be getting screwed. It just doesn't seem reasonable.

[heddwyn]

Haven't seen the article, but couldn't it also have a detrimental effect. At the moment those Future players who really want to play on the LPGA tour are fighting for those 5 places, learning how to win and to compete under pressure. With the numbers being expanded will some now not try quite as hard. One win and a several top 20's might get you in over someone consistently finishing in the around the top 10 but not winning.

I don't think being a long season over two Q-school sessions matters, there are plenty of non-US names currently in the Futures top 10 money list.

[PW]

Originally Posted by heddwyn

Haven't seen the article, but couldn't it also have a detrimental effect. At the moment those Future players who really want to play on the LPGA tour are fighting for those 5 places, learning how to win and to compete under pressure. With the numbers being expanded will some now not try quite as hard. One win and a several top 20's might get you in over someone consistently finishing in the around the top 10 but not winning.

I don't think being a long season over two Q-school sessions matters, there are plenty of non-US names currently in the Futures top 10 money list.

Read the article or the full priority list here . The top 5 have a much higher priority than 6-10. So much so that anyone placing 6-10 will probably end up going to Q-school to potentially improve her position.