The LPGA tour will open its 2010 season at the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand on Feb. 18, the first of 23 events under contract, the tour announced Wednesday in a news conference at the Sugar Land City Hall. The tour said it hopes to announce details in the coming weeks for a 24th event, called the LPGA Korea, which currently doesn't have an official date, site, purse or sponsor.

There were 34 events in 2008 and 27 this year.

"We have made great strides in our long-term goal of building a sustainable schedule," said acting commissioner Marty Evans, who took over in July after a player revolt ousted Carolyn Bivens. At the time, nine tournaments were under contract. "We have a solid platform to move forward. We're not done with our work. We are working hard on 2011 and beyond."

As for 2010, there are 17 open weeks between the first event in Thailand and the final event, the LPGA Tour Championship presented by Rolex in November (next year's Tour Championship does not have a site yet).

The 2010 schedule has 13 events in the USA, five in Asia, three in Mexico, two in Europe and one in Canada. The first event in the USA is the LPGA Classic presented by J Golf, which begins March 25 at La Costa Resort and Spa. The event had been in Phoenix.

The tour's first major championship, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, will be the week following the J Golf Classic. The second major of the season — the LPGA Championship at Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford, N.Y., outside Rochester — will be sponsored by Wegmans for just the 2010 season. The tour is actively seeking a long-term sponsor and site for the event. Wegmans will return as title sponsor for a regular tour stop in Rochester in 2011 and 2012.

"As a fan and viewer of the LPGA tour, I had the concerns about the schedule. I look at the schedule now, and given the economics across the world, if these are our tough times, then the good times coming are going to be very exciting," said Michael Whan, who was named the new commissioner in October and will officially assume his duties in January. "I can tell you first-hand that corporate and fan response in just the few weeks I've been involved has been overwhelming."

Among Whan's biggest concerns are the 17 weeks off. Whan looks at those weeks as an opportunity for the LPGA tour in the future.

"When we talk to corporate sponsors today or we talk to other partners that want to get involved, we have windows of opportunity," Whan said. "As I look to 2011, 2012 and 2013, there are obviously places we can fill in. We will build a more robust schedule. There is a big upside there."

Whan looks at the world the same way. While some detractors deride the LPGA tour for having too few events in the USA, Whan sees potential the world over.

"There is definitely room for more domestic events. It is fair for people to be concerned about that. But I would say that I think people in general are struggling with the globalization of the LPGA tour," Whan said. "One of the things I'm going to try and do is help people to not only get over that trouble but to embrace globalization of the tour.

"This tour is global. Our players come from around the world, our sponsors come from around the world, our websites hits are coming from around the world. We don't need to fight that. There is a significant upside. There is potential in five or six years for the LPGA tour to be a whole different size and entity. Let's not forget that globalization is change, and change creates anxiety. I get all that. But we're not going to stop it. Why stop it?

"No matter where you are, a young girl can grow up to aspire to be on the LPGA tour and she will be able to find a role model close to home. You couldn't say that 20 years ago."

The 2010 LPGA schedule:

Feb. 18-21: Honda LPGA Championship (Thailand)

Feb. 25-28: HSBC Women's Champions (Singapore)

March 25-28: J Golf Classic (La Costa, Calif.)

April 1-4: Kraft Nabisco Championship

April 29-May 3: Corona Championship (Mexico)

May 10-16: Bell Micro LPGA Classic (Alabama)

June 10-13: State Farm Classic (Illinois)

June 17-20: ShopRite Classic (Atlantic City)

June 24-27: Wegman's LPGA Championship (Locust Hill, Pittsford, N.Y.)

July 1-4: Jamie Farr Owens Corning (Toledo)

July 8-11: U.S. Women's Open (Oakmont)

July 22-25: Evian Masters (France)

July 29-Aug. 1: Ricoh Women's British Open (Royal Birkdale)

Aug. 20-22: Safeway Classic (Pumpkin Ridge, Ore.)

Aug. 26-29: CN Canadian Women's Open

Sept. 10-12: P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship

Sept. 30-Oct. 3: Acapulco LPGA Classic (Mexico)

Oct. 7-10: Navistar LPGA Classic (Alabama)

Oct. 14-17: CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge (California)

Oct. 28-31: China

Nov. 4-7: Japan

Nov. 11-14: Lorena Ochoa Invitational (Mexico)

Nov. 18-21: LPGA Tour Championship

•The LPGA also plans to add a tournament in South Korea, but as yet has not secured a date, a sponsor or a golf course.

Enlarge By Scott Halleran, Getty Images of LPGA Incoming LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan poses atop a leaderboard at the Sugar Land Town Center in Texas to announce the LPGA's schedule for 2010. The tour's season finale, the LPGA Championship, begins Thursday.