[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I don't mean to disparage the LPGA in any way. They are a great tour and a great organization. But they are restricted to female players just as the Champions Tour is restricted to those over the age of 55.

The PGA Tour on the other hand is open to anyone that can play well enough to qualify. The Korn Ferry tour is also open to anyone that can qualify but is made up mostly of people that couldn't qualify for the PGA Tour. It is a sort of minor league.

Any time that a sports league is restricted it is basically in the same category as a minor league.

The reason that the PGA Tour plays for so much more money is that their players are the best of the best. They are not the best men, or best women or best seniors or best juniors. The PGA Tour is open to anyone and everyone who can compete.

Because of this, The PGA Tour generates much more fan interest. More people are interested in watching the best players is the world as opposed to the best female or senior or junior players int he world.

Because there is so much more fan interest advertisers and sponsors are willing to put up a lot more money. When you can say that you have 7 million people watching, you can charge more for advertising than a tour that has 2 million viewers. That is where the purse money comes from. And 35% of PGA Tour fans and viewers are women.

Look at the television ratings and (when there is no pandemic) the crowds at the tournaments.

This has nothing to do with gender bias or any other kind of discrimination. It's simply about money. If you are an advertiser or a sponsor, your goal is to get your message to as many people as possible.

Sorry, but the LPGA Tour, The Champions Tour and all of the other restricted tours are the same as minor league baseball. You're not watching the best players in the world. Far more people are interested in watching the best in the world in any endeavor than the best (place a restriction here) in the world compete.

The LPGA Tour is not in trouble. It has always been basically a minor league tour and always will be. They will never play for the same purses that the PGA Tour plays for. When women can compete on the PGA Tour, they will get the same recognition as men.

Minor leagues in all sports are very successful. But people are not going to pay the same to watch the Pawtucket Red Sox or Providence Bruins as they are willing to pay to watch the Boston teams. Consequently, those players are not going to be paid as much.