BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The 64th U.S. Women's Open begins today at the Old Course at Saucon Valley Country Club, approximately 280 miles across the state from where it will be staged in 2010. But, by the time the tournament comes to Oakmont Country Club next year, there might be a better chance Lorena Ochoa or Paula Creamer will have their first U.S. Open title than Carolyn Bivens has of being the LPGA Tour's commissioner.

Since becoming the tour's first female commissioner in 2005, when she succeeded Ty Votaw, Bivens has been a lightning rod for the LPGA Tour's woes, of which there are many. They include, among other things, the loss of seven tournaments in the past two years and a severed relationship with fast-food giant McDonald's for its flagship event, the LPGA Championship, which, as of now, has no sponsor and no home in 2010.

Never mind that a struggling economy is partly, or even mostly, to blame. As the LPGA Tour prepares for its third major of the year at the same site where Larry Laoretti (1992) and Hale Irwin (2000) won U.S. Senior Open championships, Bivens has been thrust into the middle of another controversy in which her shelf life as the leader of the tour is being questioned at best, threatened at worst.

Last week, during the Jamie Farr Classic in Sylvania, Ohio, a group of prominent LPGA Tour players, headed by Ochoa, Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis, met with approximately 10 other players and sent a letter to the LPGA's Board of Directors, asking that Bivens resign, according to Golfweek magazine.

They are upset with the loss of tournaments, the general state of the LPGA, and, perhaps more important, the direction in which the tour is headed.

"Well, I think everybody has been talking about it and, you know, we as players, we want to be more involved in what is happening," said Ochoa, the No. 1 ranked women's player in the world. "We want to see the tour going in a different direction."

Unlike Creamer, who preferred to talk about her injured thumb rather than address the issue of Bivens' future, Ochoa did not back away from the controversy yesterday when asked why she was among the players who signed the letter asking for Bivens' resignation. Bivens has two years remaining on her contract.

"There's not much we can do," said Ochoa, a two-time major champion who has not won the U.S. Open. "I believe [the board] will do the best for us, and, hopefully, things will start, you know, moving in a good direction because we are worried that we are losing tournaments and we want to get back on a good track."

Asked if another commissioner could do that, Ochoa said: "I'm not sure what is the decision and what is going to happen. Like I said, I don't want to comment on that part. I just believe that the board is taking care of that and analyzing what will be the best thing for us, and then make a decision from there."

Bivens was scheduled to arrive last night at Saucon Valley, which is the host of the U.S. Women's Open for the first time. She is not expected to address the issue formally because she does not want the topic to detract from the tournament's importance.

In a statement released through David Higdon, the LPGA's chief communications officer, Bivens said: "This is an important week for the players and the LPGA, and we're focused first and foremost on the U.S. Women's Open. The LPGA, players, staff and Board all care deeply about our tour, and we're working hard to achieve the same long-term objective to grow our tour. It's not in the best interest of women's golf to openly discuss internal matters, but you can rest assured that the LPGA and its Board of Directors consider any topic raised by the players seriously since we are a players organization.

"There are always differences of opinion on business matters, and as they arise, we resolve them as best we can in order to further the business of the LPGA. The LPGA Tour is an exciting, vibrant tour, and that will be on display this week here at the U.S. Women's Open."

Bivens may not be the reason for the tour's ails, nor does she deserve all the blame. Not like her misguided 2008 edict that required all foreign players on the LPGA Tour to learn the English language or face possible suspension, a rule she later rescinded because of internal and public backlash.

Nonetheless, the alarming loss of longtime sponsors, coupled with an identity crisis that can be traced to the few number of quality American players, has the tour's membership seeking answers, if not change. And Bivens is in the crosshairs.

"The players have done a good job of expressing the way they feel," said Angela Stanford, who was not at the meeting last week and did not sign the letter asking for Bivens' resignation. "It's unfortunate there had to be a letter."

Then she added: "I want what's best for this tour. This is my ninth year [out here]. But who am I to say what's best? At the same time, losing tournaments is tough on players. Whether you're 22nd or 122nd. It's tough for everyone. All of us want what's best."

Bivens has tried to go global with the LPGA Tour, as much by necessity as design. Of the 29 events this year, 11 will be played outside the United States. After the U.S. Open, the LPGA Tour will not play again in this country until the last week of August. What's more, more than half the current title sponsors are in the final year of their contracts, though Higdon stressed at the LPGA Championship last month that the organization is confident many, if not most, will be renewed.

"As a player, I have been concerned more about our events that we've had," said Creamer, who has been bothered by a thumb injury on her left hand0 that has required two cortisone shots and prohibits her from practicing after a round. "We'll see what happens. I can't really comment on what's happening because it's out of my control."