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New LPGA/PGA Deal Leaves Rochester Out in the Cold

by Jeff Skinner

The news that the LPGA has partnered with The PGA of America and KMPG is by every measure a great move for women’s golf. The increased money, status and exposure of the new KMPG Women’s PGA Championship will benefit all the LPGA players and serve to grow the women’s game.

Commissioner Mike Whan has done an amazing job in transforming an LPGA Tour he took over that was struggling into a living, breathing viable product that sponsors are anxious to partner with. That’s Whan’s job: he is charged with doing what is best for the LPGA.

Put an enthusiastic commissioner like Whan in a room with an aggressive CEO like the PGA’s Pete Bevacqua and watch the sparks fly. This is the result of their efforts a new high profile, deeply funded Women’s PGA Championship.

They now have a partner to go with their PGA Championship and another vehicle to use for the growth of the PGA and the LPGA. A partner like KPMG with deep, very deep pockets who already has a very visible presence in the game (Phil Mickelson and Stacy Lewis are sponsored by KPMG) is to be cherished in the world of golf sponsorship and Whan has given them just what they wanted.wegman's Logo

For all the parties concerned it is a win-win. The LPGA gets a ton of cash. The PGA has a new tournament to add to its schedule and further enhances its presence in the women’s game. And KPMG comes on board with a premier event that will certainly make a splash as it moves around in the major market of the metropolitan area.

Whan has to be applauded for this collaboration but he does acknowledge a bit of collateral damage: The community of Rochester, New York.

Rochester has hosted the LPGA for 38 years and when the LPGA was struggling for sponsors the Wegman’s Corporation stepped in and came up the sponsorship money. When the LPGA needed another “major” sponsor Wegman’s went deeper and came up with more cash to keep the LPGA Championship alive.

But with an international sponsor like KPMG, a regional grocery chain like Wegman’s can’t compete. So the LPGA will pull up its tents after the final Wegman’s LPGA Championship in August and move downstate to Westchester Country Club for 2015.

That leaves Rochester high and dry when it comes to professional golf. And that’s a shame.

Rochester has a long and significant history in the game of golf. Walter Hagen hailed from Rochester and became one of the greatest professionals in the game.

PGAChampionshiplogoRochester is home to so many fine courses, both public and private. New York State has many well respected courses and some may assume they all reside on Long Island or in Westchester County but Rochester has three courses of its own that make it into the top twenty of Golf Digest’s Best in State List. Oak Hill Country Club alone has a history that any club in the land would trade for.

But the one factor that can’t be quantified is the soul of the Rochester golf community. Or maybe it can. Rochester has supported golf at every turn and dozens of tournaments, both amateur and professional were welcomed and well supported by its citizens.

Rochester is a very passionate golf community. I have spent a few days there the past year at the PGA Championship and the Wegman’s and although it is a small sample size, I found the fans there to be enthusiastic, knowledgeable and gracious.

Certainly, Rochester isn’t the only city that is passionate for its golf but this is a community that has a golf season that lasts about six months before snow closes out the golfers.

Rochester loves its golf and while I do understand the economics behind the LPGA/PGA/KPMG deal it doesn’t make it any less palatable that golf has lost a wonderful partner in Rochester.

Mike Whan realizes that as do the players and many of them expressed hope that they will return to Rochester some day. And I can’t help but think the fine people of Rochester would hold no grudge, but instead welcome them back with open arms.

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