I feel the same way...

[Rockford35]

SOTOGRANDE, Spain (AP) -- French golfer Jean Van de Velde will attempt to enter next year's Women's British Open because he is upset women may qualify for the 2006 British Open.

``I'll even wear a kilt and shave my legs,'' said Van de Velde, who six years ago botched a chance for a British Open title in one of the great collapses in a major.

Recent policy set by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club will allow women to qualify for next year's British Open.


``My whole point is where do we draw the line?'' Van de Velde asked after shooting a 7-over-par 78 Thursday in the first round of the Volvo Masters. ``If we accept that women can enter our tournaments, then it applies that men can play with women.''

The 39-year-old Frenchman said he would get an application and attempt to qualify. Next year's Women's British Open is Aug. 3-6 at Royal Lytham.

The event is run by the Ladies' Golf Union, which established a gender policy this year that says: ``It shall be a condition of any competition organized by the Ladies' Golf Union that players must be of the female gender.''

Andy Salmon, chief executive officer of the LGU, said Thursday there was no plan to change the rule.

The LGU this season established a formal gender policy sanctioning players who had sex-change operations to become females. The best known example was Danish-born Australian Mianne Bagger, who played some LGU events in 2005.

'I just don't understand it, and if my application is not accepted I will definitely get advice and see how far it will go,'' Van de Velde said. ``I am making a point. I'm not trying to take a sexist stance.''

``I think there are much more important matters,'' he added. ``I think our governing body should concentrate on the long putter, checking clubs. Things like that, not this.''

Former Ryder Cup player Barry Lane suggested a change in the rules could end women's golf.

``Do they want 100 men trying to qualify?'' he asked. ``If they do there won't be any spots left for them.''

At the 1999 British Open, Van de Velde led by three strokes going to the 72nd hole, then wound up losing the tournament in a playoff.



The fact that this guy blew the Open once makes this somewhat comical, but what if Ernie or Tiger stepped up and wanted in? (It would never happen because of the 1500 dollar first prize money).

Anyone else have a say on this?

I still maintain that they should have a "Professional Golfers Tour". If you qualify, you play. Man or Woman.

Just don't expect any top 10's from any women.

R35

 

[Augster]

I just read this on Cnnsi.com and was coming over to post about it.

I used to be adamantly against men playing the ladies tours. I mean, they are for ladies.

If say the PGA or the USGA decided to add a clause into their stipulations that their events are ONLY for males, I'm sure a clause such as that would be stricken down in any court of law. But why? Equal opportunity I suppose or some shit.

I have always said the big tours SHOULD allow ladies to play if they are good enough. The PGA should be about the best golfers in the world, regardless of sex or species. If someone could train a monkey to play to a plus 8 and think he could have it make money for him on tour, I wouldn't be against it. If he's that good, he's that good.

But does the PGA/USGA HAVE to allow ladies? I really don't see why they wouldn't be able to be exclusive to male humans, besides losing a sponsor or two maybe. But legally, they should be able to make their own rules.

I think I just answered my own question, the LPGA should ALSO be allowed to make it's own rules I guess. Legally, I doubt a male will be allowed to play as long as they have a policy of no males allowed in place.

Granted, the PGA got gigged in the Casey Martin ruling, but that was about keeping a guy with a DISABILITY out of the game. Being a female isn't a disability inherently. Or maybe it is.

I doubt VDV will succeed. Is the LPGA going to lose ANY sponsors because they are league EXCLUSIVELY for women? Not a chance. He's trying to qualify for the Women's British which is run by the R&A. Are they going to receive any bad press for keeping a MALE out of a WOMEN's event? I doubt it.

The PGA tour and USGA have no such provision that their tourneys are only for males. Thus, females are allowed to qualify, or get exemptions.

I'm no lawyer, so I'd like to read the opinions of folks who are more in the know of the legality of it. Can you stop a person's "right to work" and try for ungodly sums of money based on their gender alone? Just because a company, or a league, decides to descriminate vs. a creed, sex or color, are they allowed to?

I'm pretty sure they are allowed to do what they want rules-wise. If the PGA wanted to, I'm pretty sure they could just say, "We will not allow blacks to play anymore." And that would be that. They could do it, but I'm sure they'd lose just about EVERY SPONSOR. Maybe they could pick up some local KKK chapters as sponsors in some southern events, but that's about it.

All these EOE companies, Ford, Buick, AMEX, etc. etc. are absolutely NOT going to sponsor an event run by a company (pga tour) that has a non-EOE clause in it such as "No Blacks". Funding will dry up. No more PGA. Checks and balances.

The LPGA DOES have a policy of "no males", yet they still have sponsors. They will allow you to play if you are Black, Asian, Jewish, you just have to be a female. There is no public outrage/lashback because it is a league set up for FEMALES.

I can't imagine VDV or any of these other goofballs have a legal leg to stand on.

If males end up being able to play the LPGA the LPGA will no longer exist as every Nationwide player will just qualify each week and TEAR UP those short courses for the bigger paychecks. I'm sure only a few would go at first, but over time, the LPGA would eventually go under.

 

[Youngun5]

when i read this i think of only two things

1) he actually gets in
2) he wins and the reprocussions it would cause

 

[Rockford35]

I read this and I think:

1) He gets in.

2) He shits the bed like he did in the Open....lol

R35

 

[dave.]

The R&A have screwed up.No one wanted a rule change apart from a few totally mad feminists,who don't even play golf,oh and Michelle Wie because her stock will go up trying.

 

[Kilted Arab]

I'm not so sure that the R&A have screwed up.

Is there anything in the rules concerning The Open that says only men are allowed to enter? If so, then they must have changed the rules.

If not, then all they have done is clarified that qualification - a long and difficult route, is indeed "Open".

If there was nothing in the rules saying "men only" then they've maybe saved themselves from expensive litigation from, as you say, a mad feminist.

 

[DaveE]

It doesn't really matter what the rules are, there's just no upside for a man to beat the women at golf. Nobody's gonna be impressed if VDV gets in and wins but he'd be laughed off the tour if he got in and choked.

The men should all take pride in the fact that the women want to play and compete with them. It's a compliment really.

 

[Bama Duffer]

I think other than a few upset male golfers, no one is going to do anything on this. The PGA & R&A wouldn't want to change their rules because it brings more attention to the events where women attempt to qualify, and raises ratings. And opens the door to more marketing revenue because more women will be watching these events.

It does have the potential of reducing the LPGA's status even further, though. If women can compete in PGA events and earn a better living than in the LPGA, the pool of quality golfers in the LOGA will fall off.

I tend to agree with DaveE (Lord help me). Suppose VDV gets in and finishes well down in the pack. He helps the ladies events by showing that they are competitive. On the other hand, if he wins, he's just a bully beating up on women.