Uncertainty Besets Women's Open

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The LPGA Tour does not host this week's U.S. Women's Open, nor does it exert direct authority over the event. But with the tour's top golfers convening for the U.S. Golf Association's tournament, speculation that LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens' days as the sport's top executive could be numbered remained a dominant topic in an already ambiguous period for women's golf.

Golfweek reported Monday that a meeting was conducted at last week's Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, at which key players signed a letter calling for a new leader. Citing a player who received a copy of the letter, the report stated that several of the tour's most prominent golfers signed the letter, including Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis. The letter also said that the poor economy could not be blamed for the sport's troubles. No change has been made thus far, but what started as whispers has now led to unavoidable speculation.

"I think everybody has been talking about it, and we as players, we want to be more involved in what is happening and we want to see the Tour going in a better direction," said Ochoa, the world's top-ranked player. "There's not much we can do. I believe (the LPGA's board of directors) will do the best for us, and hopefully things will start moving in a good direction, because we are worried that we're losing tournaments and we want to get back on a good track."

The players have deferred to the board, which is composed of seven players and six non-players, Bivens and one other LPGA executive. A report by Golf World indicated that five players on the board would vote in favor of Bivens's ousting.

Bivens, who was scheduled to be here Thursday, will no longer be attending the tournament, an LPGA spokesman said in a statement.

The speculation surrounding Bivens has dominated the conversation at the premier event in women's golf, which starts Thursday at Saucon Valley Country Club.

Kerr, the 2007 Open champion, addressed the issue when she met with reporters Tuesday. She did not want to comment on matters pertaining to LPGA operations - particularly during a USGA event - but she did say the players are "actively working with our executive board of management to create the best product for our partners and fans."

That has been the standard response from the top golfers, including Creamer, who said she has been concerned about events but would not comment on concerns about Bivens because they are outside her control.

However it is done, women's golf needs a jolt. The LPGA has lost seven tournaments since 2007. Next year's LPGA Championship has neither a sponsor nor a location. And the U.S. Open field does not include Michelle Wie, the sport's most marketable player, and Gulbis, who is among its most popular.

Rigid exemption policies kept both players outside of the field, although each had a chance to qualify and failed. Mike Davis, the USGA's senior director of rules and competitions, said golf's governing body did not seriously consider extending a special exemption to Wie.

"Whether you like our exemption criteria or not, it is a very democratic process," Davis said. "I think that in this case we just felt that, she hadn't played her way in, and there was a lot of players that hadn't played their way in. So it was really never seriously considered, even though we got some arrows and darts shot our way from the marketing people."

This is also the first U.S. Open in 14 years without Annika Sorenstam, one of the most storied players in golf history. The game continues searching for a star who can succeed Sorenstam as a dominant figure. Wie was once hailed as possibly the next great player, but she has struggled since joining the LPGA.

Ochoa is the world's top player with the most extensive resme, though she arrives here still searching for her first U.S. Open championship. Sorenstam's fellow Swede Anna Nordqvist won the LPGA Championship in just her fifth start, but she needs to develop a track record of success. The same is true of Creamer, who has not won a major despite her celebrated talent.