Should Women’s Open Be A Major?

CN is expected to extend its title sponsorship of the Canadian Women’s Open with a press conference today. Keep an eye on GNN for the official word after the announcement is made.

Today’s announcement comes after months of concern that CN might pull its sponsorship of an event that it first put its name to officially in 2005. In four playings of Canada’s lone LPGA Tour event, CN has established itself as a solid sponsor and transformed the Women’s Open into one of the premier events on tour.

The fifth CN Canadian Women’s Open will take place Aug. 26-29 at Winnipeg’s St. Charles Country Club with the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba receiving charity benefits from the tournament, another positive side effect from CN’s involvement in the event.

The Canadian Women’s Tour, a development program for female professionals, and the Future Links junior program also benefit from CN’s sponsorship and that solid sponsorship has led many to voice the opinion that the Canadian LPGA Tour event should return to the major status it once held.

That major status ended in 2000 after federal anti-smoking legislation snuffed the title sponsor of the du Maurier Classic, which was also considered one of the prime events on tour under the guidance of Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Jocelyne Bourassa.

There are two ways to look at the major status, which will likely be downplayed at today’s announcement.

Does a solid sponsor such as CN deserve to have major status bestowed upon its event, which is refreshing change considering the shaky sponsorships and lack of events currently on the tour schedule.

Detractors of the idea believe that you can’t have more than four majors in one season, although I’m never quite sure why four is the magic number. My own belief is that many who follow this line of thinking are only satisfied when everything in golf is exactly the same as the PGA Tour.

So now it’s time to hear from you in this week’s GNN Poll.

Should the CN Canadian Women’s Open be a LPGA Tour major?

Drop over to the GNN Poll on the home page to cast your vote.

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Also check out CPGA Radio where Graham DeLaet, Glen Cundari, and Kevin Thistle were the guests in week 2.

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