"I think the good news about golf is that there isn't a lot of data that suggests that somebody's career peaks at 14 to 16."

I know I should care about the Lexi Thompson controversy but I just can't get excited about her plight. Which consists of only getting a limited number of sponsor exemptions because she's under 18. I do like Commissioner Mike Whan's stance, which isn't very consistent with commissioners in other sports who welcome athletes, no matter how young. Steve Elling on Whan's split decision of sorts.

"I really didn't want to create a new paradigm, which is after your eighth-grade year, you have the challenge of, 'Do I go pro or to high school?'" he said. "I really didn't want to create a new membership approach that makes you critique that challenge at a much earlier stage.

"It doesn't bother me that Lexi has gone pro with sponsors and everything else, I think that's fine, but I didn't know if I wanted to create that new path to the LPGA. Not at that age."

It's within his purview as commissioner, actually. He wants no part of trying to plumb the potentials or pitfalls a kid might face at that age.

"I know, through the LPGA's regulations, that I can make that judgment for under-18 players, but I also don't want to, every year in my life, be sitting back trying to assess the maturity level and playability of every 14-year-old from around the world.

"Because, A) I'm not qualified to do that. And B) I'm not sure there needs to be such a rush."