The LPGA Tour is riding a wave of growth, but it’s not all smooth sailing. The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, for one, has been battered by brutal weather conditions — strong winds, partly cloudy skies, and sweltering heat. The temperature soared to a high of 82 degrees Fahrenheit (27.78 °C), making it a challenging day for the players. Stacy Lewis pointed out that the wind, combined with tricky hole locations, has led to slow play and frustrating conditions. “Not my favorite thing to see,” she said, highlighting the challenges players face on the course. And the problems do not end there.
The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is set to break records with a $12 million purse — a staggering jump from $4.5 million just four years ago — but as the purses grow, so do the expectations. For many golfers, including Nelly Korda, the real challenge lies in getting the spotlight right. “We need a stage. We need to be on prime-time TV, and we need to showcase the talent we have out here, which is a lot… We need the support from not just the crowds but the television networks.” It’s a sentiment that’s resonating with fans and players alike, and one that’s being echoed in other golfing circles.
This issue of TV coverage and support is a familiar one, and it’s not just the LPGA that’s feeling the pinch. A recent podcast discussion on No Laying Up on YouTube shed light on the frustrations faced by golfers. Golf analyst Todd Schuster’s blunt assessment of the situation sums it up nicely: “They just keep throwing money at the purse which is great… but the coverage has not been good… it’s insulting, it’s bull**t.”
But this time, the tournament did try to improve the viewership woes, with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship boasting nearly 100 hours of live, streaming, and ancillary coverage across NBC, Golf Channel, and Peacock. Featured Groups will be available on Peacock for the first time, with commentary from Judy Rankin and TV personalities Judy Rankin and Grant Boone. Yet, it didn’t help as the hosts were clearly fed up with the way the tournament was being run, and their criticisms went beyond just TV coverage.
One of the key issues highlighted was the lack of basic amenities for players. As Cody McBride pointed out, “There’s no gym on site for them, so when they start their actual warm-up routine, they’re starting it like a couple miles down the road at Lifetime Fitness or whatever the hell it is.” This lack of infrastructure is not just an inconvenience — it’s a symptom of a larger problem. McBride noted that it’s “weird for a campus that was built for this specific thing that there’s not… like these amenities that you need for a major championship naturally built in.”
Apr 18, 2024; The Woodlands, Texas, USA; Nelly Korda (USA) walks up to the 17th tee during the first round of The Chevron Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
The discussion also touched on the pace of play, with Big Randy admitting that he didn’t understand how the pace got so slow. For Cody McBride, the answer lay in the 9-minute intervals between groups. “I think that’s where they messed it up big time, is because literally it takes only takes one group at the very start to just create this nasty domino effect.” And it seems, the World No. 1 is there with McBride when it comes to frustrations because of slow play.
Nelly Korda says the slow pace of play at the KPMG Championship is ‘ridiculous’
Nelly Korda’s third round at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship was a test of endurance, but not exactly the kind you’re thinking of. The real challenge wasn’t the wind-whipped course or the tricky hole locations – it was the glacial pace of play. “I think we played a two-ball in like six hours,” Korda said, her frustration simmering just below the surface. “That’s just a little ridiculous, but what can you do?” It’s hard not to sympathize with Korda’s plight; playing a major championship should be about showcasing skill and strategy, not waiting for what feels like an eternity to take your shot.
Korda’s solution? Take a deep breath, be patient, and try to maintain some semblance of momentum. Easier said than done, of course. “You don’t want to be spending 20 minutes and getting up to the next tee, and then you’re [waiting] 15 minutes, and getting up to the next tee, and it’s another 15 minutes,” she said. It’s a vicious cycle, and one that’s all too familiar for golfers at this level. As Korda noted, “Everyone is going through it, everyone is dealing with it, everyone is playing the same golf course.” But is it too much to ask for a bit more pace and a bit less patience? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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