Alexis Thompson, LGU and women's British Open

[gxer]

Here's some more, I'll just lump them together, you can read or ignore them.

PS: Lojo, do you think Beth Ann Baldry is correct when she says this: (Only LPGA members are eligible for the Jamie Farr qualifier.)
http://www.golfweek.com/news/2010/ju...-british-open/
------------------
Matthew in rare company as a mother: Golf Digest Woman: Golf Digest

Alexis Thompson | Discount Golf Clubs Online Blog

[sag]

Originally Posted by gxer

PS: Lojo, do you think Beth Ann Baldry is correct when she says this: (Only LPGA members are eligible for the Jamie Farr qualifier.)
Does ?Lexi? belong at Women?s British Open?

The link to the 2010 entry form is no longer listed, so I looked back to 2008. Here is the exact verbiage from that time:

n. The leading 5 finishers (as determined by the LPGA) in the 2008 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic presented by Kroger, who have entered the Championship and who are not otherwise exempt.

Baldry may well be correct, depending on the meaning of the somewhat ambiguous "as determined by the LPGA." Analogously, the exemption "Leading 3 finishers in the 2010 Tenerife Ladies' Open" may be only for LET members.

This raises the question of how Lexi could get into the tournament next year without being a member of a tour. In 2008 there were exemptions for all major winners in the last five years, but those exemptions have been removed. If the LGU won't give her a special exemption, then local qualifying may be the only way. We'll have to wait and see whether next year's qualifier is again scheduled the day after the US Women's Open. If so, then gxer can have more ammunition for his IMG conspiracy theory.

[Blue]

Originally Posted by gxer

...do you think Beth Ann Baldry is correct when she says this: (Only LPGA members are eligible for the Jamie Farr qualifier.)

I think we discussed this in 2008 when there was the issue of Michelle Wie choosing not to play in the WBO qualifier and playing in the Reno Tahoe Open instead and people were wondering if she could have qualified out of the Jamie Farr. She ended up finishing well back at the Jamie Farr, as I recall, so it became a non-issue. Can anyone remember this better or dig up the discussion link?

[Blue]

Originally Posted by gxer

Today is probably the last day writers will take time to give their versions of Lexi and the LGU, so here is one of the last. IMO, Catriona Matthew doesn't know enough about Lexi's educational situation to make the comment she made.
----------------------------------
It is a debate that divides opinion among Thompson's fellow pros. Laura Davies said yesterday: "She's one of the better golfers in the world right now. I really don't know why she's not here. If she wants to play, she should be allowed to play. If you're good enough, you're good enough. That's the way it is in tennis and other sports.

"The fact that you're so young is probably a little bit of a bonus because it creates so much excitement for the tour. Let her come and play. What a waste not to have her. Maybe she can win the British Open at 15 if she were here this week. How good would that be? She nearly won last week. I don't think links golf would faze her at all."

Matthew said: "I think probably she'd be better off at school. She's certainly proved she's a good enough player, but 15 is maybe just a little to young to come out on Tour. She's still really only a child.
"She should be enjoying herself more. It's not like other sports where you're maybe done by 25 to 30. Golf you can keep playing until you're 40. There's no great rush to grow up."


Alexis Thompson, 15, causes stir over Women's British Open 'ban' - Telegraph

I have no idea what Laura Davies is talking about. Is she saying there should be no qualifying at all and everyone who wants to play should be allowed to play or that just because Lexi wants to play she should be allowed to skip over local qualifying? It sounds like she has not really familiarized herself with the facts of the case.

Nor for that matter has Mark Reason in the Telegraph article who seems to think that Lexi is somehow being prohibited from playing because of her age. Her age has nothing to do with it. The LGU is simply dead set against giving exemptions into qualifying for any pros other than those who meet their stringent standards.

I still wish Lexi Thompson or her representatives would take the high road on this and speak out to say they accept the decision and wish everyone well. They really are setting the state to establish her as a Diva looking for entitlements which is not a reputation she wants to get this early in her career.

[gxer]

Originally Posted by sag

The link to the 2010 entry form is no longer listed, so I looked back to 2008. Here is the exact verbiage from that time:

n. The leading 5 finishers (as determined by the LPGA) in the 2008 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic presented by Kroger, who have entered the Championship and who are not otherwise exempt.

Baldry may well be correct, depending on the meaning of the somewhat ambiguous "as determined by the LPGA." Analogously, the exemption "Leading 3 finishers in the 2010 Tenerife Ladies' Open" may be only for LET members.

This raises the question of how Lexi could get into the tournament next year without being a member of a tour. In 2008 there were exemptions for all major winners in the last five years, but those exemptions have been removed. If the LGU won't give her a special exemption, then local qualifying may be the only way. We'll have to wait and see whether next year's qualifier is again scheduled the day after the US Women's Open. If so, then gxer can have more ammunition for his IMG conspiracy theory.

My theory doesn't have anything to do with scheduling, it is all about the influence that IMG has over the LGU regarding the WBO.

If you think for one millisecond that if Lexi had been represented by IMG that she still would have been denied an exemption to final qualifying, then, IMO, you are a hopeless Pollyanna.

[LoJo]

Originally Posted by gxer

Here's some more, I'll just lump them together, you can read or ignore them.

PS: Lojo, do you think Beth Ann Baldry is correct when she says this: (Only LPGA members are eligible for the Jamie Farr qualifier.)
Does ?Lexi? belong at Women?s British Open?

Yes, I think Beth Ann is correct. As I recall, Wie was not eligible in 2008 for the Farr Qualifier. Neither was Stacy Lewis. Both were given sponsor's exemptions into the Farr, but neither were LPGA Tour members and couldn't have qualified for the WBO by that route. Anyhow, neither of them came in the top 5, so ...whatever.

Both were playing in tourneys in '08 to try earning enough $$ so they wouldn't have to go to Q school. Both ended up going to Q school (though Lewis wouldn't have had her USWO $$ counted.)

Also, the WBO Pre-qualifier was in the UK on the day (Monday) after the Farr, so obviously neither Wie nor Lewis played in the PQ. Therefore, both were OUT of the WBO that year. The thought at the time w/ Wie was if she'd MC at the Farr, she may have gone over to play in the Monday PQ in England. Anyway...more info than you asked.... short answer is that the Farr qualifier is for LPGA members.

[LoJo]

Originally Posted by Blue

I think we discussed this in 2008 when there was the issue of Michelle Wie choosing not to play in the WBO qualifier and playing in the Reno Tahoe Open instead and people were wondering if she could have qualified out of the Jamie Farr. She ended up finishing well back at the Jamie Farr, as I recall, so it became a non-issue. Can anyone remember this better or dig up the discussion link?

I think this discussion is on here, but maybe the archives don't go back that far....or Farr...haha.

What happened is that Wie had entered to play in the WBO prequalifier, but after she made the cut at the Farr, she WD from the PQ which was being held the next day (Monday) after the Farr. Once she was out of the PQ...she was OUT of the WBO, so she then accepted the invitation to play in the Reno PGA event which was the same wk at the WBO.

There was a lot of controversy surrounding this (imagine that!!), but...fact is...she was out of the WBO and had no way to qualify once she missed the PreQualifying date the day after the Farr.

As I said in another post...she was NOT eligible for the exemptions given to Farr qualifiers (must be LPGA members), even if she'd come in the top 5. Same w/ Stacy Lewis.

Actually, this issue is similar to the Lexi issue. Both Lewis and Wie had the choice to miss the Jamie Farr tourney and fly to the UK to play in the pre-qualifier. They both chose not to do that, therefore, they were both OUT. Lexi chose to turn pro and miss out on her exemption into final Qualifying, therefore, she was OUT.

It's particularly similar to Lewis' situation because she had a stellar Curtis Cup (5-0) before turning pro, and then had a fabulous finish in the 08 USWO (T2 or 3). No one cut her any deals or made "extraordinary" exemptions.

[gxer]

Originally Posted by LoJo

Yes, I think Beth Ann is correct. As I recall, Wie was not eligible in 2008 for the Farr Qualifier. Neither was Stacy Lewis. Both were given sponsor's exemptions into the Farr, but neither were LPGA Tour members and couldn't have qualified for the WBO by that route. Anyhow, neither of them came in the top 5, so ...whatever.

Both were playing in tourneys in '08 to try earning enough $$ so they wouldn't have to go to Q school. Both ended up going to Q school (though Lewis wouldn't have had her USWO $$ counted.)

Also, the WBO Pre-qualifier was in the UK on the day (Monday) after the Farr, so obviously neither Wie nor Lewis played in the PQ. Therefore, both were OUT of the WBO that year. The thought at the time w/ Wie was if she'd MC at the Farr, she may have gone over to play in the Monday PQ in England. Anyway...more info than you asked.... short answer is that the Farr qualifier is for LPGA members.

OK, thanks, I guess Lexi is going to have to win an event this year or early next if she wants to skip the 2011 WBO pre-qualifier and be in the field of the WBO at Car-nasty.

[gxer]

Originally Posted by xman5

But a 15 year old did qualify. Why doesn't anyone talk about that?

Sorry xman,

Julie Yang missed the cut. +8, 74 78