The LPGA's Sacrificial Bivens

The LPGA won't have Carolyn Bivens, the tour's first woman commissioner, to kick around anymore. Of course, Bivens was foolish bordering on xenophobic with her learn English or face the wheel plan, but I fear that the LPGA's powers that be are simply showing how out of touch they are with current economic realities. Since Bivens' resignation, a number of high profile players have said that while they had nothing against her they were simply fearful that the tour would continue to lose sponsors.

"I believe 100 percent she had our best interests in hand," said Nicole Castrale, a 2007 Solheim Cup participant. "I believe that everyone involved just wants the best for our tour. ... I just think that it became alarming to the players that we were losing events so quickly."

No kidding...and a half million Americans went onto the unemployment rolls last month.

The primary synaptic breakdown of the LPGA power brokers comes from having too short a memory and knowing too little history. The LPGA, like every tour, has been a recipient of a unique trickle down effect driven by Tiger Woods. Today, even Tiger's portfolio has taken a big hit. LPGA tour purses average $1.78 million in 2009 but averaged only $1.31 million in 2004. How many Americans are financially better of this year than they were in 2004?

2009 was not the year for the LPGA players to force out their commissioner. It was the year for the tour to buckle down and weather the storm that the entire industry is facing. LPGA players could also use some time when there are no events on their schedule to read up on their tour's storied history.

For instance, they could read about Hall of Famer Judy Rankin's record setting year of 1976 when she became the first LPGA player to win more than $100,000 in an entire season.

A little perspective can be a very good thing, indeed.