LPGA Tour: No Five-Year Exemption for Open Champion Sophia Popov

[Dogfish Head]

A message from @LPGACommish Mike Whan pic.twitter.com/dthJSzq0jX
— LPGA (@LPGA) August 28, 2020​

FIRST, A MAJOR WIN. THEN A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT.

Mini-tour player Sophia Popov won't get a five-year exemption on the LPGA Tour for winning the AIG Women's Open at Royal Troon. Judging from media reports, seemingly everyone assumed the five-year tour exemption was one of the many rewards for her surprising victory.

But no.

LPGA Tour Commisioner Mike Whan explained the Popov situation in the above statement.

Nor will Popov be in the field for the next two majors: the ANA Inspiration in September and the U.S. Women's Open in December. Those fields were already set.

However, Popov does receive a five-year exemption into the majors. Her first major will be the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in October. It's confusing. I know.

Popov said, "I definitely got a little bit frustrated about the whole thing."

(That might be an understatement.)

Popov added that she felt deserving of the five-year LPGA Tour exemption but understands the rule and that it can't be changed for her.

Meanwhile, Whan said he will think about the rule in the offseason and whether an update makes sense.

(H/T Golfweek)


Source: LPGA Tour: No Five-Year Exemption for Open Champion Sophia Popov

 

[TheTrueReview]

So she gets a 5 year exemption for the majors but has to keep playing the Symetra Tour. Amazing.

 

[bdcrowe]

So she gets a 5 year exemption for the majors but has to keep playing the Symetra Tour. Amazing.

Didn't he say she gets a two year LPGA exemption? Just not a 5 year?

 

[TEA Time]

Isn't that kind of the beauty of an Open? Anyone can win and it doesn't mean you automatically become a pro and reap all the benefits.

 

[ualtim]

From what I read earlier, does not get 5 year exemption as she was not a tour member, but she is now eligible for tour events the rest of this year and next year. Kind of a rip off, but she will have a brief period of tour eligibility.

 

[TheTrueReview]

Didn't he say she gets a two year LPGA exemption? Just not a 5 year?

It may well be the case. My comment was based on the "news" statement as the original post.

From what I read earlier, does not get 5 year exemption as she was not a tour member, but she is now eligible for tour events the rest of this year and next year. Kind of a rip off, but she will have a brief period of tour eligibility.

Her story is inspirational. One year ago she considered walking away from the game. Qualified for the Open by virtue of a top 10 Symetra Tour finish or qualifier finish (?). Led the Open all 4 days to win. Boyfriend caddied for her. Pure joy following the final putt.

 

[ualtim]

Her story is inspirational. One year ago she considered walking away from the game. Qualified for the Open by virtue of a top 10 Symetra Tour finish or qualifier finish (?). Led the Open all 4 days to win. Boyfriend caddied for her. Pure joy following the final putt.

She Qualified for the Open via the qualifying process. The kicker is that the only reason she got in the qualifier was that they could not fill all the slots due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Quite literally an out of no where winner.