Report: Players want LPGA chief out

ORLANDO, Fla., July 8 (UPI) -- Marquee names on the women's tour want LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens to resign, Golfweek Magazine said.

A report said key players recently sent a letter to the LPGA Tour's boards, saying Bivens is hurting the tour, not the poor economy, and new leadership is needed to rebuild relationships with longtime sponsors.

Some of the world's top women's golfers, including No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, No. 4 Paula Creamer and No. 13 Morgan Pressel, met in Orlando last week and discussed the tour's loss of a longtime sponsor in Corning, N.Y. (Corning Classic) and the uncertainty of stops in Williamsburg, Va. (Michelob Ultra Championship) and the Kapalua Classic (Maui, Hawaii).

The LPGA Tour has lost seven tournaments since 2007, three in Hawaii.

"We are actively working with our executive board of management to create the best product for our partners and fans," Christie Kerr told CBS Sportsline.

Tour spokesman David Higdon told the magazine that Bivens would not be available for comment.