Style To A Tee: Wilhelmina Modeling Representing LPGA’s “W7″

Wilhelmina, the famed and fabled New York-based modeling and talent agency, has signed seven LPGA professionals to represent them in off course endeavors. Wilhelmina intends to market them as the W7.

That’s a bold play for Wilhelmina and may auger a more exciting era for the LPGA, whose non superstars rarely break through the clutter and establish themselves as marketable personalities beyond the golf course. Stunningly, even Sorenstam, who has been the dominant personality in her sport for the last decade, has hardly managed to transcend her sport.

Wilhelmina’s cachet in corporate marketing offices as diverse as Estee Lauder and Pirelli, Calvin Klein and Target means any number of marketing doors — particularly in the fashion, beauty and retail sectors — may suddenly be open to the players.

The seven are Sandra Gal, Anna Grzebien, Johanna Head, Stacy Prammanasudh, Minea Blomqvist, Mikaela Parmlid and Kim Hall. And while golf is clearly an individual sport, a representative close to the players, says the seven have already developed an uncommon esprit de corps. “I get text messages from some of them rooting on the others,” said Bob Aube of Wilhelmina Golf. “And when they finish their rounds, they’ll head out on the course to see how the others are playing.”

Prammanasudh is a two-time winner; Blomqvist competes on both the LPGA as well as the Ladies European Tour (LET). The group includes two former NCAA champions, Parmlid and Grzebien. While Head is an eight-year veteran, most of the others might reasonably be labeled up-and-coming.

The appeal to marketers will be in the women’s inherent appeal and the team approach, according to Wilhelmina chairman Dieter Esch. Esch said there’s simply too much risk — whether it be injury or non-performance — for a marketer to invest in a single player who might not be around to play on the weekend. Further, it could be a lift for the LPGA, to have a New York-based agency (other than IMG) representing some of its freshest faces. (The LPGA is based in Daytona Beach.)

“With only initial conversations to the corporate world, the reception is already tremendous for potential partnerships,” Esch said.

A clothing and/or on-course and off-course sportswear deal would seem to be among Wilhelmina’s first reachable targets on behalf of the golfers. The idea that a single brand could dress an entire “team” would hold unique appeal. Posing seven LPGA professionals in photo shoots for one brand, and having them wear different outfits on the course would place a different imprimataur on a sportswear label. LIJA by Linda Hipp dresses a number of players, but they’re hardly refered as the LIJA team by anyone other than Linda Hipp.

While a modeling company moving into manage LPGA golfers is a first, sponsors have touted stables of players in the past, but more in a way of hedging TV and media exposure on the course in a game that is notoriously fickle.