Fred Ridley says that Augusta National wants to focus more on the amateur game as oppose to the professional
Augusta Chairman Plays Down Prospect Of Women's Masters
The inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur came to a conclusion last weekend, with Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi giving fans a treat on the final day as World No.1 Kupcho played the final six holes in five under for victory.
The tournament was a glowing success, and even sparked us to write why we believe that there should be a Women's Masters.
Related: Should there be a Women's Masters?
Augusta National is in every golf fan's top two or three courses and there really is nothing quite like watching the world's best tackle the famous holes including Amen Corner.
Men? Women? Professionals? Amateurs? We'll watch it.
However, after some may have raised hopes of a Women's Masters coming sometime in the near future, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley dashed them this week.
Why? Because ANGC is focused more on growing the amateur game, which is evident in their work with the Drive, Chip and Putt, the Latin America Amateur Championship, Asia Pacific Amateur and the new Augusta National Women's Amateur.
“Augusta National was co-founded by the greatest amateur of all time [Bobby Jones],” Ridley said in a press conference this week.
“To date, all of our grow-the-game initiatives have been focused on amateur golf and amateur golfers.
“We elected to conduct a women’s amateur tournament for really that same reason.
"I do think that what has happened is going to translate and be a real benefit for professional golf and for the LPGA.
“The LPGA is clearly the strongest women’s sports organisation in the world.
"They now have a group of women who were spotlighted for three hours on Saturday who will be joining the LPGA Tour after the collegiate season.
"I have to think they will be well received there. Our focus throughout our history, as far as our efforts to promote the game outside of the Masters, has always been on amateur golf.”
These quotes will disappoint 2010 US Women's Open champion Paula Creamer, who said a few years ago: “They’ve only got one tournament a year. I understand that a lot goes into it, that one week and planning. The golf course is shut down.
"But I think it can handle two weeks at a time, whether it’s a week apart or back to back.”
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