"We are and want to be a global tour, because golf is a global game, " Whan said.

WSJ: The Comeback of the LPGA and Women's Golf | Golf Journal by John Paul Newport

For Commissioner Michael Whan, now starting his third year, the Founders Cup is a way to remind players of the LPGA's historic personality.

WSJ: The Comeback of the LPGA and Women's Golf | Golf Journal by John Paul Newport

This year only the U.S. Women's Open is on a major network, but Whan said he hopes that NBC, Golf Channel's corporate sibling, will air four or five tournaments in 2013.

WSJ: The Comeback of the LPGA and Women's Golf | Golf Journal by John Paul Newport

Before each tournament, the Tour staff distributes cheat sheets detailing which companies are writing the checks that week, what those sponsors hope to achieve through their relationship with the LPGA (each event is unique, Whan says), and to whom the players can write thank-you notes.

WSJ: The Comeback of the LPGA and Women's Golf | Golf Journal by John Paul Newport