Tour chief says women playing in men’s events is a gimmick

By Norman Dabell

SOTOGRANDE, Spain (Reuters) – European Tour chief George
O’Grady described the concept of women playing in men’s golf
events as a gimmick on Sunday.

But executive director O’Grady said the Tour would not try
to dissuade sponsors from handing invitations to women players
and called the matter a non-issue.

“We are not totally against ladies playing by invitation,
we don’t see much point in it,” O’Grady said at his
end-of-season news conference during the last day of the Volvo
Masters at Valderrama.

“It’s just a gimmick. It’s not something we are actively
promoting.

“We rule nothing out and have an open mind on women playing
men’s tour events, and if sponsors can convince us that it’s in
the interests of the game by including women, then fine,”
O’Grady added.

“But no-one is knocking down our door to get women into our
tournaments and as far as (teenage U.S. golfer) Michelle Wie is
concerned, we won’t be actively going out and recruiting her.”

O’Grady played down tournament committee member Jean Van de
Velde’s intention to apply for entry to next year’s women’s
British Open.

Van de Velde is unhappy at the Royal and Ancient Golf
Club’s decision to allow women to qualify for the men’s British
Open.

“Jean has spoken to me but not one other pro, so it’s just
not an issue for us,” he said.

However, O’Grady did not discount the prospect of New
Zealand’s Michael Campbell playing in the Ryder Cup for Europe.

“If I think it’s serious, I’ll think about it and might
bring it to our board of directors,” he said.

Campbell was made a life member of the European Tour on
Saturday and said he would love to play in the Ryder Cup.

The U.S. Open champion, who has Scottish ancestry and has
lived in Britain for 12 years, is considering applying for dual
British/New Zealand citizenship.

O’Grady also said the European Tour was preparing plans to
combat the loss of leading golfers in its tournaments in 2007,
when the U.S. Player’s Championship moves to a May date.

With the European Tour now co-sanctioned with events in
Asia, Africa and Australasia, there could be a move to change
its name to a more international title.