The LPGA has a new face—Craig Kessler. And with that role comes a lot of expectations. You know what they say. “With great power comes great responsibility.” Kessler has great power now. And even greater responsibilities. To carry those out, Kessler will need help from the top guns. People know that. “I hope that the new commissioner, Craig Kessler, is able to establish a rapport with her. So that if the Tour needs something, he can pick up the phone and call Nelly Korda,” Senior Golf Writer Beth Ann Nichols expressed her thoughts while discussing the new appointment on the 5 Clubs podcast.
Nelly Korda, meanwhile, had given her stamp of approval for Kessler, having talked to him briefly before the US Women’s Open. “I’ve briefly talked to Craig. I’m excited for the role that he’s going to play and for the future of the LPGA. I think he’s a great person from the interactions that I’ve had with him. He has so much energy, so much positivity, that I think it’s going to be really good for the LPGA,” the #1 explained. Korda will likely work closely with Kessler to push the LPGA to new heights and continue its growth in all aspects. After all, now is the most exciting time for the LPGA.
And Craig Kessler already has a few thoughts about how to keep improving the Tour and push it further in the right direction. The key is to get more people involved. “I think there are two ways to get folks involved. One is to guilt them into it, and the other is to create something that’s so exciting and so inspiring that everyone else around looks and goes, Something magical is happening there. I have to be a part of it. We are going to take the second approach.” Kessler explained candidly. He is echoing Beth Ann Nichols’s thoughts here in saying that the golfers have to step up and establish themselves as role models.
This is where the likes of Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko will have to step in. “The players are a key ingredient to that. Our boys had a chance to meet a handful of players. The feeling that they walk away after they get to meet someone like Nelly, Lydia, or Brittany. They fall in love instantly. I can’t do that. Players are the only ones who can create that type of reaction,” the incumbent LPGA commissioner further stated.
Lydia Ko and Korda are the biggest names in female golf right now. Yes, their 2025 showing hasn’t been that great so far, but the legacy they built last year is going to remain unmatched for the years to come. The golf fans will be closely watching whatever Ko and Korda are involved in. Even Korda had felt the same regarding her growing influence.
Craig Kessler explains his top priorities as the incoming commissioner of the LPGA. pic.twitter.com/g8lF3bPZlD
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) June 18, 2025
Speaking to Amanda Balionis as part of the anniversary celebrations of the LPGA, Korda had candidly explained a few positive changes on the tour: “The respect that we get from people. To see how much the women’s game has grown from inside the ropes. Seeing the kids that come out now and tell us that we inspire them to pick up the game and seeing all the parents and all the dads that bring out their little girls and even boys.” This is exactly what the new LPGA commissioner was talking about.
Kessler will be succeeding Mollie Marcoux-Samaan as the 10th LPGA Commissioner, with Liz Moore, the interim commissioner, likely taking him around to get familiar with the setting. Craig Kessler comes into the LPGA role with a brilliant resume, one that screams top-level experience.
Craig Kessler’s impressive resume
Kessler worked as COO at Topgolf from 2016 to 2021, where he was a key factor in the organization’s growth. From there, he moved to Buff City Soap, where he became the CEO and oversaw its expansion from 100 to 260 stores. He then joined the PGA of America as the Chief Operating Officer, which proved to be a life-changing appointment.
Kessler managed all operations for the 30,000-member organization, including its non-profit foundation. As per Sports Business Journal, he became a candidate for the CEO position in 2024. However, the organization decided to go a different route, choosing to hire a PGA member, with Derek Sprague finally getting the nod. But the fact that he was considered shows a significant belief in Kessler’s ability and talent, which would be what the LPGA will look to tap into in the coming days.
Do you think Craig Kessler can be a force of positive change for the LPGA Tour?
The post LPGA’s New Boss Urges Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko to Step Out of Bubble for Tour’s Growth: ‘I Can’t Do That’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.
