US PGA Tour and LPGA announce

 "strategic alliance agreement"


Hard on the heels of the announcement that the R and A and the Ladies Golf Union are to merge, comes surprising news from America.

The US PGA Tour and Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) have announced a "strategic alliance agreement" which could lead to the organisations staging joint events.
Stressing that both parties remain separate and independent, the tours said they would be "exploring the potential development of joint events" and that the written agreement would help with co-ordinating schedules, joint marketing, domestic television and digital media strategies.
The European Tour and Ladies European Tour will stage simultaneous events at the same venue in May, with the men playing the Hassan Trophy on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Morocco and the women contesting the Lalla Meryem Cup on the Blue Course.
Sweden's Anders Forsbrand and Helen Alfredsson were the last winners of the Benson and Hedges Trophy, a mixed team event staged from 1988-91.
"We believe the PGA Tour has significant expertise in the areas that we will focus on together and working more closely with them carries with it the very real potential of positively impacting our members, our tournaments and our ability to grow our sport around the world," LPGA commissioner Mike Whan said in a statement.
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said: "From our collaboration in bringing golf back as an Olympic sport as joint members of the International Golf Federation to our co-operation in helping to grow the game of golf as part of the World Golf Foundation, our two organisations have had a long history of working together for the common good of our sport.
"Extending our relationship with the LPGA into these new areas is a natural extension of this work and collaboration."