A man, Kontak, tries to enter LPGA

[Marc]

Kontak may attempt to enter U.S. Women's Open

ESPN.com news services

A player with conditional status on the Nationwide Tour may try to go where no man has gone before -- the U.S. Women's Open.

Former Canadian Tour Order of Merit winner Brian Kontak, 31, confirmed to the Golf Channel on Tuesday that he will attempt to qualify for the event, which is arguably the biggest on the women's golf calendar and will be played July 3-6 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore.

Kontak told the Golf Channel: "I'm exploring the possibility. That's all I can say. But I'm dead serious about it."

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/story?id=1511394

No comment.

[#47]

My first thought about this is, he's doing it because he thinks he possibly can earn a big paycheck.

What is he going to prove? Is it going to spite Annika? Does he just want to get his 15 minutes of fame?

Annika is doing it to test herself and her skills against the men, she is the best womens player in the world. I can fully understand her trying to see how she would fair against the men. She certainly isnt doing it for monetary reasons, being she is already rich beyond most anyones means and if she so chose, she could have played the womens event that week and certainly be virtually guarnteed a big paycheck, by virtue of the fact she is dominaing her tour.

But what is his point? Just to say Annika shouldnt be playing in a mens event?

He ought to worry more about becoming a regular tour player..................then again he probably cant, might be why at 31 he is on the Nationwide Tour.

Sounds to me like a guy who just wants to be talked about and maybe be able to pick up some cash.

[Heathen]

Some no name Pro trying to make a name for himself

LOSER

[Marc]

I totally agree with you guys. This guy is only doing it because Sorenstam is doing it with the men (on second thought, that sounds dirty, but you get the point ).

[Richard the Lionheart]

This is the kind of hypocricy that I knew would rear it's ugly head. When women start flooding the PGA tour and start taking away men's spots, then this kind of stuff will happen. More power to ya Kontak, this whole thing has got to stop but as long as Martha Burke and Co. are around it wont so get use to it ladies.

[#47]

I could totally respect this happening if it was a succesful mens player from the PGA tour doing this. If Fred Funk wanted to do this, I would be all for it. But its a guy who does not have the ability to make it on the regular tour, hes a nobody who is doing for 2 reasons:

1. hes not good enough to make a living on the regular tour so hes trying to make a fast buck, and......

2. he wants to see his name in the newspaper, he wants his 15 minutes of fame.

Annika isnt doing it for money or fame, she already has both, shes doing it to see if she can compete at the level the men are at.

Besides what REAL athlete wants to take on 'lesser' competition......................no real athlete does.

[MSantana]

The way I look at it, just keep both tours separate and you wouldn't have this going on. I don't think Kontak is doing it for either fame or money. He's doing it to make the point that mixing tours is a ridiculous concept. And I, for one, agree.

I'm not making a comment here on which is better or worse, etc. I am merely stating that you have rules for both tours. The thing that I heard that made me laugh is that the LPGA has a rule against men participating while the men's tour doesn't have a rule prohibiting women. I just thought it was funny. I think it is because the men's tour just took that rule as one of those "understood" rules. Apparently not.

[#47]

Well Santana, lets not forget, this has happened before. Some 50 years ago the best womens golfer on the planet at that time, Babe Zacharias(sp) played a mens event.

Another thing is this. The men play in the PGA, which stands for Professional Golfers Assosciation, knowhere does it say Mens. LPGA stands for Ladies Professional Golfers Association. Spells it out pretty clearly. If there is a Kangaroo out there good enough to qualify for the PGA tour, he can. Obviously Brian Kontak isnt good enough.

The idea that the PGA tour is strictly for men, is simply something that has been inbedded in our minds because thats just the way it has been for so long.

The fact remains, this is the Professional Golfers Association, not Mens Professional Golfers Association.

As for the exemptions that are given at these tournaments and there are dozens of tourneys that give them, they dont just go to the top players on the minor tours, they are given to all sorts of different people for all sorts of different reasons. Curtis Strange stopped playing the tour regularly a few years ago. But a couple of times each year, at different events, he takes a sponsors exemption an plays in that event. Other guys get exemptions because they are local pros, even if they arent doing well on one of the small tours, because there are several little tours out there.

But people dont make a stink about them, because they are men.

[buckeyefan78]

#47, doesn't the fact that it's called the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) actually IMPLY that the PGA is for men only? The LPGA came AFTER the PGA, so it is in fact a recognition by the LPGA that the PGA is for men. You can't have it both ways. Just like alot of boys play on girls teams in regards to title 9. It goes both ways. I have no problem with it. At that level, sports still should be " fun" in my book anyway.

Only Annika and Kontak know why they are doing what they are. We can only speculate. If Kontak is using the rules to benefit him in anyway ( money or otherwise) why can't he? Isn't that what Annika is doing no matter what her motive is. She claims she wants to bring attention to the women's game. Only problem is there is a LPGA event the weekend of the Colonial and it will get even less press then normal ( which is none) cause she is playing with the boys. Remember that.

Women want to be equal, but then people don't realize that equal goes both ways. Hell, it's the definition of equal !!!!! You can't go both ways if someone is not on the same level as another.

Do I think Annika should have the right to play?...YES...Should men and women be able to play everything EQUALLY as pro-Annika people would have to agree with cause it's across the boards?...YES...Let's see women play football and get carried out in body bags. Just because you have the right to do something, doesn't always mean you SHOULD OR HAVE TO do it. I have the right to vote, and have not always used it, but I am still an EQUAL to all those who did, because we all have the RIGHT too.

Equal goes both ways. How is it possible for only women wanting to be equal to men instead of men wanting to be equal to women at the same time? If we are all equal, which I say we are, then both ways make perfect sense.

[#47]

'78 you obviously didnt read my entire post. I clearly stated if it was an established professional, and I used Fred Funk as an example, I would be all for it.

But Brian Kontak is not. Is Kontak fearful that Annika will prove to be worthy of the best male golfers in the world, while Kontak clearly cannot compete with them? What other reason could he be doing this for other then trying to get some easy money or for his 15 minutes of fame?

You know as well as I do that is why he is doing this, otherwords where has he been when all the other golfers got exemptions for these tourneys? He saw the perfect opportunity to get himself some exposure and possibly and exemption or two down the road for himself, because he is now a name that people will always remember, at least for a bit anyway.

Annika is trying to get some exposure for the LPGA and test her skills against the best players in the world, far more worthy of a stance then a guy looking for a quick buck and his name in the paper.

REAL athletes want to compete against the best, Kontak is clearly not that. He knows he cant compete with the best so this is his way of getting his 15 minutes, backdooring it.

Maybe if he had taken this stance before, when many of the hundreds of exemptions to far less worthy golfers then Annika, were given out at the dozens of tourneys throghout the year.

But he didnt.

[Richard the Lionheart]

Well #47, no doubt he is a better golfer than you are. (I just had to say that because you keep digging into the guy's golfing game. He's better than 99% of male golfers on the planet, so lay off. But Buckeyefan is right, equal should be equal--meaning either that men and woman can play on each other's tours, or they stay on their own tour. What is happening now is unfair, and I totally understand Kontak's motivation here. It isn't money or fame. It's making a statement. Believe it or not, there are some people who are motivated by other things than the Mighty Green.

[buckeyefan78]

You're way off here #47...

Why would it be ok if Funk did it and not Kontak? Because he is an established golfer? What difference does that make? Maybe I'm missing something.

Is Kontak doing it for money, exposure, and to possilby drum up some exemptions down the road on the PGA Tour? ....Most likely, yes. Is it within the rules?...if they say yes...rock on Kontak.

You are judging their motives #47, which is unfair. Let me get Zen-like on you like Phil Jackson for a minute.... . Equal is like an " infinite" idea, and it goes across the board, because that is the definition of equal. YOU ARE APPLYING HUMAN MOTIVES TO THE IDEAL OF EQUAL, WHICH CANNOT BE DONE IF IT TARNISHES THE IDEA OF EQUAL...GET IT? Applying motives to something cannot tarnish the idea on which it is based, because it becomes obsolete. Hopefully that made sense...LOL...

Is Kontak doing it for exposure and what I said above?...sure...do I like it?...not really...do i think he should be able to?...absolutely.

Is Annika doing it to judge herself against the boys?...sure...is she doing it for exposure for the PGA?...hell no in my book...this is an ego trip for her. The PGA tourney that weekend will get NO exposure.

Consider this #47. Years ago we had MLB and the Negro Leagues. Okay, now we have just one league with the best in it. How about if we do that for not only golf but across the boards? One league of every sport, and the best get in. Sounds good to you? It does to me. Let them carry away women in the body bags for all I care. And no " different" rules either like it was for that tennis match( early 70s...Riggs vs. ?...can't remember...billed as Battle of the Sexes) where women suppossedly proved to be " equal" to men. Funny story with that. When my wife was younger and found out they cheated and let the woman have different rules she went crazy...saying it didn't count cause it was unfair...hmmm...maybe we should put her on the PGA Tour. She knows what fair is.

[#47]

Ricky, while he may be a better golfer then I am......................at a 3 handicap, I'm not too bad.

'78, I dont agree at all and I think you are way off..........especially with the Annika ego trip.................lol............thats almost funny. The idea as an athlete is to test your skills against the best possible at your respective sport. Shes attempting this.

But on the other side, Kontak his not and never will be a true athlete, because a true athlete never settles for anything but competing against the best..................he's looking for an easy out.

I also have no problem with any women in any area attempting to prove they can compete, no matter if they get carried off in body bags or not..............lol.............because that is not the point, useless to even bring that analogy into play, we are talking golf, you can fuzz any argument by bringing different variables into play.

If it is legal for Kontak to go and do this, then so be it, he will forever be known as the wuss who couldnt compete with the best, so he chose to try and give himself some cheap pub and money off of lesser competition.

Yup, that a real athlete for ya.

Wussy.

[buckeyefan78]

Hey #47, you're back ! I've been bashing your Trojans while you were away...LOL.

I guess we will have to disagree on this one. But, did you like my Phil Jackson Zen thing ? ...LOL

I'm a little crazy tonight, I have to stay up and drive my wife to the airport later, she's going to visit relatives out west. I'm ALL MESSED UP ON MOUNTAIN DEW ALREADY !!!!!

[#47]

Yeah I'm back, things have been busy around here as well.

You can keep bashing my Trojans................its cool!

Mountain Dew? Oh god................I cant touch that stuff!