There are four events remaining on the 2005 PGA Tour calendar and a full schedule awaiting in 2006. However, much of the golf world is focused on 2007, when a new schedule goes into effect after the tour signs a new television contract, which could come early next month. The International, which has long been lobbying the tour for a schedule change, could be one of the benefactors.
“Generally speaking, we’ve talked with all of our tournaments and sponsors at length,” said Bob Combs, a senior vice president with the tour. “There has been talk about the placement and timing of possible changes in the schedule and about player playing patterns. Some of those discussions have been with The International, and I’m sure that whatever schedule is ultimately announced will meet with their approval.”
Citing weather issues and an inability to get many of the world’s top players to Castle Pines Golf Club – most notably world No. 1 Tiger Woods – The International has sought a new date and a move that would make the tournament a limited-field event, increasing the likelihood of attracting Woods.
There has been speculation The International could become a fifth World Golf Championship (WGC) event. Recently, Golf World Magazine reported the local tournament might replace the American Express Championship, which Woods won two weeks ago in San Francisco. WGC tournaments are limited-field events that attract the top players in the world.
The tour is known to be exploring a variety of scheduling possibilities for 2007, including reducing the number of events, and creating an end-of-the-season championship chase, similar to NASCAR.
“Every day there’s been a different inkling as to what might happen, and what may be the case today won’t be the case tomorrow,” said Larry Thiel, The International’s executive director. “We’ve indicated what we want in terms of the weather and the calendar and having a limited-field event in which the premier players in the world will participate.
“There are a lot of things up in the air, but we’re only interested in solving our problems. We have to continue to believe that the tour thinks highly of us. They’ve already told us that, and we think they’ll take care of us.”
As for the heightened interest in the 2007 schedule, Combs joked that the tour “takes it as a good sign, it says that as a sport we have a lot of momentum.”
Other entities would like to ride that wave. The LPGA, whose telecasts are currently spread over a number of networks, would like to find a more permanent home for its broadcasts. If The Golf Channel, for example, became a bigger player in the PGA Tour’s new deal, the women might want to hook up with it so viewers can more readily find their tournaments.
“As all these pieces fall, we’re going to try to pick our way through this,” LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens said. “We would like to get a little more consistency.”
Officials at The International feel the same. While Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh have been consistent participants, the tournament wants Woods to join the party. He has played in the tournament twice.
“We feel we deserve more than we’ve been subjected to,” Thiel said.
No International Wie
The International has given invitations to many up and coming golfers, including Els, but according to Thiel, Michelle Wie won’t be one of them.
“We’re not going to jump on that bandwagon,” Thiel said.
Wie, the 16-year-old Hawaiian phenom, made her professional debut last week at the LPGA’s Samsung World Championship. Rather than petitioning for an early-age exemption into the LPGA, Wie plans on using sponsor’s invitations to play in men’s and women’s events. Between the two, Wie could play in at least 13 tournaments combined next year. As an amateur this season, Wie played in eight LPGA events, as well as the Sony Open and John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour.
Wherever she played, Wie drew increased fans, one reason Nike and Sony signed her to endorsement contracts estimated at $10 million. The curiosity factor figures to be even greater next season, but Thiel isn’t interested in having Wie be a part of The International.
“I wouldn’t want to pull her into that environment and make it a carnival, or be one of those people who say, ‘Think of the people who would come out if we invited her.’ That’s not what we’re about,” Thiel said. “She’s a great talent and she deserves to compete and establish herself, but I wouldn’t use our tournament as a way of trying to get in front of Michelle Wie.”
Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-820-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com.
