"Asians are killing our tour"
Where's the "outrage"? Why a free pass for her and not for Rush?
*******
usatoday.com
Stephenson to play with seniors, says Asians hurt LPGA
By Harry Blauvelt, USA TODAY
KAHUKU, Hawaii — The LPGA's Jan Stephenson is playing in a men's tournament this weekend, but she might get more attention for teeing off on some of her pet peeves in a candid magazine interview due out next week.
"This is probably going to get me in trouble, but the Asians are killing our tour," she says in the November issue of Golf Magazine, which hits newsstands Tuesday. "Their lack of emotion, their refusal to speak English when they can speak English. They rarely speak."
Four of this week's top six in money are Asian.
"We have two-day pro-ams where people are paying a lot of money to play with us, and they (Asians) say hello and goodbye," she tells interviewer Peter Kessler. "Our tour is predominantly international, and the majority are Asian. They've taken it over."
Commissioner Ty Votaw disagrees, citing diversity as one of the LPGA's greatest strengths. The LPGA's credo: Anyone who can play great golf is welcome.
"Attendance, TV viewership, Web site traffic and purses are up," Votaw says. "That does not suggest a tour that is being damaged by any one group."
Stephenson, 51, an Australian who lives in Windermere, Fla., has 16 LPGA wins, including three majors. She's earned just more than $3 million. In what she says is a "publicity stunt" to promote senior women's golf, she will compete in the Turtle Bay Championship on the Champions Tour starting Friday in Hawaii.
Stephenson follows Annika Sorenstam, club pro Suzy Whaley and 13-year-old amateur Michelle Wie into the men's arena this year. Sorenstam played the PGA Tour's Bank of America Colonial, Whaley competed in the Tour's Greater Hartford Open and Wie played one tournament each on the Canadian and Nationwide tours. They all missed the cut.
England's Laura Davies is playing against men in this week's Korean Open on the Asian PGA Tour. She shot 6-over-par 78 Thursday, 11 strokes behind the leader.
Stephenson's goal is the top 30 at this week's event on the Palmer Course at Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku, Oahu. Regardless of how she plays, her outspoken interview might be remembered longer.
• "The women are not the best players — the men are. The women are not the best athletes — the men are. Whether we like it or not, we have to promote sex, because sex sells. I think you have to shock."
• "I used to get teased by the girls that I didn't need a woman problem because I always had a man problem. They never really bothered me, because they knew I was straight. Society is more open now about gay relationships, but it does hurt the tour. It hurts with sponsors. But if you had two gorgeous girls who were gay, I don't think that would hurt."
Votaw hasn't yet spoken with Stephenson about the interview. He wants to, because he'd like to know if her comments are "full quotes."
"I've always considered Jan a great ambassador for women's golf," he says. "While I may not agree with some of the things in this interview, one magazine article is not going to change my opinion of Jan." |
