“What I’m most proud of in my career is that I’ve built brands; I’ve built them globally, and I’ve left them significantly larger than when I joined them"

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Beth Ann Baldry files this profile of new LPGA Commish Mike Whan (family man, Midwest values, looks you in the eye, yada, yada, yada). 

You know, I've read four or five stories on the hockey stick dude and I still couldn't tell you the name of this glorious brand he built.

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L.A. Loses LPGA Event It Never Hosted To San Diego

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Oh I know, it's all Southern California in some eyes, but the J Golf event was clearly announced by the Brand Lady as an LA tournament until event operators IMG apparently wised up and realized that their only option at Industry Hills would be a disaster. Obviously, they didn't take my advice about some other nice venue options.

Jon Show reports that the first J Golf Classic will be played at La Costa, and if you can't see behind the pay window like most of us, Tod Leonard shares some of the details.

"Until such time as the composition of the the LPGA Board changes, they'll keep hiring Marketing people ala the 'Brand Lady.'"

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Jim McCabe writes about the strong marketing background of new LPGA Commissioner Whan:

“These are difficult times, but he will bring a lot of skills to the job,” Rugge said. “He is a solid marketing guy,” adding that Whan is "full of energy” and "has plenty of ideas.”

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WHEW! New LPGA Commish Unleashes All Of The Essential Business Jargon In First Press Release!

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I was worried we might get some straight shooter but judging by his first press release quote, new LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan is going to pick up right where the Brand Lady left off, at least in the B-speak department. More on that momentarily.

Ron Sirak's story about the Oct. 28 announcement appeared first and he calls the naming a "bit of a surprise." Golfweek was first to post on Twitter, linking Beth Ann Baldry's story noting Whan's bio.

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Pete, Sure You Want The Job? "I don't know of any other year when so many LPGA members were seeking dual membership on the JLPGA."

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The Constructivist at the MostlyHarmless blog notes some oddball issues with the LPGA of Japan's qualifying procedures and concludes that a tour war is breaking out, and the LPGA of America might be on the losing end.

But a few patterns emerge: the JLPGA is heavily recruiting American and European players (or at least players from the LPGA and LET), while forcing Korean golfers to go through 3 or 4 stages of qualifying. It appears that winning on the JLPGA as a non-member doesn't give you immediate membership any more, as it did for Ji-Yai Shin last season. And the Full Metal Archivist confirmed that you need a certain level of fluency in either Japanese or English to become a JLPGA member in 2010. She also found a 9 October article from Golf Digest Online that publicized a JLPGA press release identifying LPGA players exempt into the 3rd stage (Meena Lee, Young Kim, Teresa Lu, and Shanshan Feng) and into the final qualifying tournament (Na Yeon Choi, Candie Kung, Eun-Hee Ji, Seon Hwa Lee, Inbee Park, and Amy Yang). Barring absolute meltdowns, then, these players, along with Na Ri Kim and Onnarin Sattayabanphot (who should sail through the next 3 stages of Q-School) and any other LPGAers who have signed up for the 2nd stage the 1st week of November, will be JLPGA members in 2010. I don't know of any other year when so many LPGA members were seeking dual membership on the JLPGA.

Maybe pay isn't the only reason the LPGA Commish search candidates keep dropping out?

Cristie Kerr: "The guys are just used to shooting nothing at a golf course and that’s not how the Firemans and Liberty wanted it to play."

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Stephanie Wei caught up with Kerr, who is a Liberty National member and not a fan of the criticism issued by players. I can't wait until she plays an LPGA event at Industry Hills here in So Cal (at least it's rumored to be hosting the new tournament in 2010).  It makes Liberty National look like the Old Course.
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