Women qualifies for men's PGA Tour event

Washington Post ^ | Sept. 19, 2002 | Leonard Shapiro

[Phantom Lord]

I moved to another state. I would still be a member there if I still lived there. Its a great course and you can get to it from any point in town in under 10 minutes.

[jwalsh07]

This woman won that though, so she should go play.

I hate to disagree with you patent but this staement is incorrect. While she's a great golfer, much better than I am, she scored the lowest amongst those who played a course 6200 yards long.

Somebody else scored the lowest among those who played from 6800 yards.

In other words she finished first among the women. She did not compete with the men.

[Phantom Lord]

It would be interesting if a bus load of men showed up for Monday qualifying at some LPGA events.

And in the few specialty/exhibition events where men and women from the tours compete against each other the women still play from the ladies tees.

[RightWhale]

Odds are she won't finish high in the standings. But drive distance isn't everything. She might lose a few strokes because of that and if the rest is okay finish in the pack. Let her play, bet she is a great golfer.

[Phantom Lord]

Let her play, bet she is a great golfer.

Would you say "Let him play, be he is a great golfer" if it was a man trying to play in an LPGA event?

[jwalsh07]

But drive distance isn't everything

Then why do the men play from the tips, the seniors from the middle tees and the women from the red tees?

[oldvike]

No way can a woman be competitive from the back tees at a PGA event. Never. Sorry ladies.

[RightWhale]

if it was a man trying to play in an LPGA event

Can't imagine that would happen. It could, just can't imagine it.

[RightWhale]

In the full tournament, everyone uses the same tee area, so what's the problem?

[jwalsh07]

In the full tournament, everyone uses the same tee area, so what's the problem?

The problem is she didn't win the slot based on merit. She won it based on affirmative action, hitting from the short tees, because she is a woman. She's taking somebody else's hard earned position. Thats the problem in a nutshell.

[RightWhale]

Well, if she qualified by a fluke of the rules rather than by playing, then the rule should be in question.

[Phantom Lord]

I notice you didnt answer my question.

And as far as everyone playing from the same tees in the "Full tournament", that is another reason this women shouldnt play in the PGA event. She did NOT play from the same tees as everyone in the event she won. So, at best, its an illegitimate win and clearly not one worthy of gaining an exemption into a PGA Tour event.

[RightWhale]

Then fix the rule.

[Mr. Mojo]

Now let all the men who aren't quite good enough to qualify for the PGA start competing on the LPGA and snatching some of those prizes. Bet the ladies want this to work only one direction.

You got it. If the men who aren't good enough to make the PGA tour were allowed play on the women's tour, there wouldn't be one woman left on their own tour. Every last one of them - including the woman in the article - would be squeezed out mercilessly and effortlessly.

It's always a one-way street with these "gender equity" nutballs.

[mewzilla]

If I were a woman who could drive as far as the guys (someday there will be one), why should I be stuck playing in the LPGA for less money and with lesser competition? If she can compete with the guys, playing by the same rules, and with no special treatment, then I say let her go for it. And may the best player win.

[Mr. Mojo]

This hypothetical woman you speak of would make much, much more money on a tour (the LPGA) she absolutely dominates than on a tour (the PGA) where she's just "one of the guys." Perhaps 20 times as much money. That's reason enough to stay put, don't you think? Secondly, you're making a huge supposition -- that a woman can both drive as far and play as well. I'll believe it when I see it.

Do you also think that the Williams sisters should try their hand at the men's tennis tour? Their serves are clocked at higher speeds than at least half of the men on tour.

[patent]

So John Daly should play in any LPGA event. He'll qualify.

Ladies Professional Golf Association. I do believe Mr. Daly is a Professional, and he is a Golfer. Rumor has it he enjoys some association from time to time.

I do not understand him to be a lady, however, and accordingly must disagree with you that he qualifies.

I note that this lady does qualify for the PGA, however, as it does not seem to necessitate that its professional golfers be of a specific gender.

patent  +AMDG

[patent]

She also played from the ladies tees.

She should not be allowed to play from the ladies tees in a competitive situation. This I would agree with, she should compete just the same as everyone else.

That said, if she did compete from the men’s tees, and still won, would you still object to her participation on the PGA tournament? I would not. For some on this thread it seems to be her gender that is the problem, not where she teed off from. Please correct me if I'm wrong, Phantom Lord.

patent  +AMDG

[Phantom Lord]

If she had won her qualifying tournament against the men from the same tees as the men I would be inclined to let her play in the PGA event. I do not know if the PGA has a written rule against allowing females to compete. If they do, then under no circumstances should women be allowed to enter. If they do not, then if she qualifies under the same conditions and on the same course (meaning same tees) as the men, then fine.

But qualifying for a single event and being competitive on the PGA Tour are two totally different things.