The LPGA Tour still has a lot of room for improvement. After the latest development in the prize purses, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is set to feature a record-breaking $12 million purse, matching the U.S. Women’s Open for the highest prize fund on tour. This marks a significant increase from just four years ago, when the purse was $4.5 million. Yet, the golfers aren’t satisfied.
Nelly Korda, for one, has been outspoken about the need for better TV coverage and support from networks. “We need a stage. We need to be on primetime TV, and we need to showcase the talent we have out here, which is a lot,” she said. “We need the support from not just the crowds but the television networks.” And it is not only Korda who believes that the LPGA is lagging in the broadcast department. Speaking on the latest episode of 5 Clubs on YouTube, LPGA Tour pro Mel Reid reflected on the same matter.
According to Reid, despite the increased prize money, there’s a noticeable gap in exposure for women’s golf. “I feel like we’re still not getting the exposure, you know, the correct TV time, the TV coverage. People fans at home don’t really know the players outside of golf,” she said. She also highlighted the importance of having fans attend tournaments and watch women’s golf, stating, “We still need fans through the door, we still need people watching women’s golf, and that to me is the biggest gap right now that we need to close.”
And well, it seems the authorities have taken care of that as well. The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship’s broadcast coverage is also getting a boost, with nearly 100 hours of live, streaming, and ancillary coverage across NBC, Golf Channel, and Peacock. For the first time, Featured Groups presented by KPMG and T-Mobile for Business will be available on Peacock, with LPGA Hall of Famer Judy Rankin and Grant Boone providing commentary.
KPMG has been driving innovation in women’s golf through its Performance Insights and Champcast, which utilize ShotLink Pro technology and AI-enhanced features to provide players with valuable insights. According to Paul Knopp, KPMG U.S. Chair and CEO, “KPMG’s commitment to excellence extends to women’s golf,” and the company is equipping LPGA players with new AI capabilities to take their game to new heights. “The high purse, top courses, comprehensive broadcast coverage, and technology are all ways we are setting the standard.”
Apr 21, 2024; The Woodlands, Texas, USA; Nelly Korda (USA) waits to putt on the ninth green during the final round of The Chevron Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
And this has only been possible because of their new leader. Reid praised the new commissioner, Craig Kessler, saying he seems aware of the issue and has received positive feedback. She believes that with time, the gap can be bridged, and women’s golf can gain more exposure. “Let’s see, give it another five years, and I think that gap will be bridged, there’ll be a lot more exposure in the women’s game,” Reid stated. Well, players like Michelle Wie West surely hope it will.
Retired pro Michelle Wie West knows what the LPGA Tour needs
The LPGA Tour is on the brink of a new era, with Craig Kessler potentially trading in his briefcase for a commissioner’s badge. With 33 events on the global schedule, he’s got his work cut out for him – and then some. LPGA players like Nelly Korda and Michelle Wie West are vocal about the tour’s needs. Wie West weighed in on growing the women’s game on the Subpar podcast in 2022, and her advice was refreshingly straightforward: “Support us.”
She pointed out that promoting equality and diversity in golf is a bit like trying to figure out which came first – the chicken or the egg. “Money makes money,” she said, emphasizing that without serious investment from broadcasters, the LPGA Tour will keep playing catch-up. Wie West thinks the women’s tour has all the makings of great entertainment – talented players, compelling stories, and a diverse lineup – but it’s struggling to get the spotlight. “We have great entertainment value, but a lot of times that doesn’t get shown because we have less cameras, less technology, and less stats to showcase these talents,” she noted.
Still, Wie West was optimistic about the future, saying the tour is “trending in the right direction” with new tournaments and bigger purses. And it is. With recent changes and investments in the tour, like the enhanced coverage of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, will the LPGA Tour finally get the exposure it deserves and showcase its talented players to a wider audience? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
The post As Nelly Korda & Co Face ‘Biggest Gap,’ Golf Veteran Issues Urgent Message for LPGA Commissioner appeared first on EssentiallySports.
