"They will say it was a major turning point for us."

Craig Dolch talks to Carolyn Bivens about her eventful year and she offers a few keepers...

"We can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and be certain it's not an oncoming train," Bivens said during a phone conversation last week. "A few months ago, we weren't so sure."

Nice metaphor usage, I give it 6 on the Finchem scale. No, make it an 8 for the first show of humility by the Commissioner.

"The way we operated before isn't going to get us where we want to go," Bivens said. "A lot of major, successful companies are finding out their business models are no longer working. The LPGA was in the same situation the PGA Tour was 20 years ago and the NBA was 10 years ago - we have a good slate of stars, and we have a chance to maximize our product and turn it into a business. That's never easy."

Eh, not very fresh, make that a 5.

"Some of the media and our partners tried to make this year about me, but it really wasn't about me," Bivens said. "I hope our partners, supporters and detractors understand we're not being capricious or arrogant or cocky in what we do. What we are is confident.

"I hope when people look back on this year, they will say it was a major turning point for us."

Capricious gives that a 7.

Meanwhile Adam Shupak at Golfweek analyzes the 2007 schedule, which produces this discussion of Bivens' uh, confidence.

 "We agree with what she's trying to do to change the business model of the LPGA," says TOA chairman Jack Benjamin. "It's the tactics that we are concerned about."

 Counters Bivens: "We're trying to operate more as a 2006 business, which means we operate with signed contracts. That's the way title sponsors like to operate. Frankly, that's the way most businesses operate."