After striking a five-year agreement, the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA will now be called the Epson Tour. And this new sponsor is bringing more to the table than just money. Don�t get me wrong, money is great. And Epson is bringing it with larger purses and lower entry fees. They also plan to implement an Epson Tour Ambassador Program that awards the top 10 players on the money list at the end of the year an extra $10,000. These top 10 players automatically qualify for next year�s LPGA Tour and the prize money will help offset expenses as they embark on their rookie season.
But again, Epson�s contributions supersede money. Players are being shown that their value is recognized. The impact of this goes farther and deeper than one might initially realize. When hard work is recognized through monetary investment and an overall interest in the wellbeing of all players, these women see a clear-cut value placed on them and it can be extremely inspiring.
When consulting with a psychologist about the mental impact a move like this might have on players, it was pointed out that a person�s productivity goes up exponentially when they feel valued. And, winning or not, these women are working hard every day to improve their play on the course, provide as much interest and entertainment as possible to fans and pave the way for younger girls to walk in their footsteps.
To add support for this, Epson is reaching out to the LPGA Tour and asking them to come back with three main ideas that would help make a positive impact on the overall lives of the players. In other words, �we are not only bringing more money to the Tour, but we also want to elevate their wellbeing because they genuinely matter to us.� Yeah, I�m paraphrasing but that is what I hear as I read the reports that discuss the many improvements Epson is hoping to bring to the Tour.
Epson�s efforts are clearly paying off. The level of play is improving and the fan base of women�s golf is steadily growing. Example? Sure. According to the Golf Channel, viewership of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions was up 32 percent compared to last year and 69 percent from 2020. And the final round broke Golf Channel�s own most-watched record by 14 percent.
Though this is just the start. With increased purses, financial assistance, greater viewership and overall value felt by players and the Tour in general, it�s only going to be onward and upward for the LPGA in 2022.