LPGA Weighs Its Augusta National (Women's Invitational) Options

On the surface, Augusta National's creation of a women's amateur tournament beginning in 2019 turned heads and seems an aggressive reach into the LPGA's territory.

But in reading Beth Ann Nichols' Golfweek look at the LPGA dilemma in how to schedule their first major of the year going forward and now up against the new Augusta event, I wonder if there is a danger in overthinking this one. 

After all, the Augusta event will only be televised on Saturday and the field only play Augusta National that morning. Given that the members will want to play their course, I suspect play will start early and can occupy a similar time frame as Sunday's Drive, Chip and Putt. That leaves the afternoon to the PGA Tour and LPGA.

“They’re an amateur tournament, we’re a professional major,” Cristie Kerr said. “I don’t think we should have to move our professional major because there’s a one-round event at Augusta National for amateurs.”

I agree! But should the ANA move because the pre-Masters week means it gets lost in some of the attention devoted to The Masters? Yes, say many. But there are scheduling issues with that scenario as well, Nichols notes.

What seemed an obvious fix, at least for one year – to flip-flop the Kia Classic and the ANA – has a significant consequence for TV.

Right now the ANA Inspiration offers 20 hours of live television coverage. Moving one week back puts the women’s major up against the PGA Tour’s Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin. That could mean tape-delayed coverage for early rounds of the ANA and a significant drop in the live window on the weekend. Tape-delayed coverage for an LPGA major would be a controversy in itself.

“The major experience is priority No. 1,” Whan said.