Report: LPGA chief to step down

Any exit is likely to happen next week out of respect to the U.S. Golf Association, which is conducting this week's U.S. Women's Open, although the daily drama involving Bivens has stolen some luster from the championship. She was scheduled to arrive here Wednesday night but changed her plans.

The reported development came just days after the LPGA board of directors received a letter signed by 15 top players, including Lorena Ochoa, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, and Se Ri Pak, demanding that Bivens resign.

Bivens made a reported $500,000 per year. Golf World said a "general agreement" on financial terms had been reached with her for the final 18 months of a three-year contract she signed at the start of 2008.

The LPGA said it would not comment on the report.

With the contracts of 18 tour events expiring this year, the LPGA has struggled to bring most of them back. Bivens had planned to increase the cost of staging tournaments to help the LPGA's financial situation, but the timing of the move amid the recession and declining sponsorships had angered tournament owners.

Officials of the ShopRite LPGA Classic were not happy when Bivens took the ShopRite dates and gave them to real estate developer Bobby Ginn starting in 2007. Tournament executives Ruth and Larry Harrison could not find suitable new dates, so the ShopRite ended after 2006. The Ginn tournament lasted two years.

Once Bivens leaves, the LPGA is expected to bring in an interim chief to soothe the irritated owners and work on renewing contracts, but the economic situation will make that difficult.

First out. In the first group to start off No. 1 at Saucon Valley, Meghan Stasi overcame early struggles to begin her second Women's Open with a 5-over-par 76.

The former Voorhees resident, who competed as Meghan Bolger until her marriage last February, said some problems off the tee and a pair of early three-putt greens got her off to a rocky start. But after five bogeys on her first eight holes, she played 1-over-par golf the rest of the way.

"I managed to stay in there," said Stasi, a two-time U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion and 2008 U.S. Curtis Cup player. "I was prepared for it, so I knew what type of shots I was going to have, and I played pretty smart out there when I needed to."

It was a fun day for Stasi. Her husband, Danny, caddied for her. Her parents, brothers, sisters, and friends - from South Jersey and Florida - were in the gallery. And she played with former Open champion Laura Davies.

"You couldn't ask for anything better," Stasi said. "She's a sweetheart."

A young Open veteran. At 14, and entering her freshman year of home-schooling, Alexis Thompson already is playing in her third Women's Open, which she opened with an even-par 71.

But after missing the cut her first two years, she is set to continue into the weekend.

"I expect to do a lot better," she said. "Every year I put my goals a lot higher, so I just wanted to do well this year."

One of 11 players who shot par or better, Thompson said that once she got past her first tee shot, which she described as "pretty nerve-racking," she settled in. Although she wasn't that impressed with her ball-striking, she carded four birdies - and four bogeys.

"I'm a lot more comfortable," she said. "The first two years, I was still a little bit nervous, but this year I wasn't as nervous and really determined to do well."

Contact staff writer Joe Juliano at 215-854-4494 or jjuliano@phillynews.com.