Jockeying for position

Adam Candee

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2004 | 9:44 a.m.

As a Las Vegas native, a Stanford sociology graduate and a professional golfer, Stephanie Louden comes from a uniquely passionate and thoughtful perspective when speaking about how help the latest incarnation of LPGA golf thrive in town.

She's only 25 years old and beginning her third year on the LPGA Tour, though, so give Louden a little time to soak in the facts before offering all the answers.

"We're trying to get some stuff going," Louden said Tuesday at a news conference promoting April's LPGA Takefuji Classic at Las Vegas Country Club. "I'm learning."

Her fervent interest in growing not only the Takefuji Classic, but also golf on the whole in Las Vegas, already makes Louden a great local ambassador. The tournament is entering the second year of a three-year commitment to Las Vegas and it can use such help in trying to carve a spot where 12 other versions of a female pro golf event have failed before. In fact, none have lasted more than five years.

Louden understands the fickle nature of the Las Vegas sports market, which is rich with entertainment options like shows and gambling. But Louden also sees the perfect storm of widespread publicity brought on by Annika Sorenstam's PGA Tour outing at The Colonial and by 14-year-old sensation Michelle Wie's blossoming success.

"In the last year, the tour has been elevated to the national spotlight," Louden said. "Women's golf is acceptable now."

Breaking stereotypes of female golfers, Louden said, is a major step toward gaining both a local and a national foothold for the tour. Louden appeared at the news conference with fellow Valley resident and tour pro Natalie Gulbis, along with defending tournament champion Candie Kung. All are energetic 20-somethings, hoping to put a fresh, welcoming face on the LPGA.

"People have an image of the LPGA player," Louden said. "That's not what we are. Natalie, Candie and myself are out there trying to transform everyone's image."

Louden and Gulbis will both appear at this weekend's Cadillac Golf Fest at Orleans Arena, the kind of little step that they hope can help the Takefuji Classic find a new local audience that it can at least draw in to give the tournament a chance. Gulbis, who lives at Lake Las Vegas and endorses for it as well, feels it can be done with some work.

"There's so much going on in Vegas," Gulbis said. "We really just need to market and pinpoint the sports fans here."

Of course, success is ultimately in the eye of the tournament sponsor. Takefuji, one of Japan's largest financial entities, moved the tournament from Hawaii to Las Vegas last year and gave it a cautious thumbs-up Tuesday.

"It is very difficult to put a tournament on in Las Vegas, but last year, this tournament was very successful," said Matsujiro Kawana, executive director of the Takefuji Classic.

Tournament director Jim Webb, a former longtime LPGA executive, is taking a patient approach to the event. However, Takefuji has already proved willing to take its event elsewhere if it is not getting what it needs from the location and Webb has two more turns to make sure Las Vegas does not become a former host.

"For a short period of time, I do not think we could have done any better," Webb said. "It's a building process. I know from the (local) LPGA events in the past, it takes time. You don't just come in and do it."

The LPGA season begins March 11 in Tucson.