LPGA Tour: A New Chapter with Craig Kessler at the Helm
The LPGA Tour commissioner, Craig Kessler, presented an ambitious plan for the future of the league, marking a roadmap to capitalize on the growing interest in women’s sports. Kessler, in his presentation, revealed the 2026 schedule and detailed his strategies to boost the growth of the LPGA. The LPGA’s 2026 schedule includes 31 official tournaments with a record prize fund exceeding $128.5 million. Notably, fourteen of these tournaments have increased their prize purses, with increments ranging from $100,000 to $2 million. In addition, the LPGA has co-sanctioned a Ladies European Tour event, funded by Golf Saudi. The Aramco Series at Shadow Creek, Las Vegas, replaces the Match Play, and its prize money increases from $2 million to $4 million. Kessler did not rule out the possibility of adding more Aramco series tournaments.Kessler, who took office just 120 days ago, has injected energy into the league, meeting with players and sponsors, and building a leadership team. His first major initiative was a partnership with the insurer FM to significantly improve the production of broadcasts, which will allow the live broadcast of all tournaments in North America for the first time, along with a 50% increase in cameras and shot tracking technology.It’s crucial to start an association strongly. If executed well, incredible possibilities open up. It’s no different in this case.
Craig Kessler, LPGA Tour Commissioner
This improvement in broadcasting is just the beginning of Kessler’s “flywheel,” which also includes a schedule with a better geographic distribution. The goal is to attract more fans, which in turn will boost media rights and marketing partnerships, generating a more solid cash flow that will be reinvested in the product. The long-term plan focuses on optimizing the schedule based on routes, golf courses, and cash prizes.It’s amazing that we finally have live television and that people are investing in our product. I’m excited to see where it takes us, but it all comes down to having great leadership, and that’s what we really have here at the LPGA.
Nelly Korda, LPGA Player
Kessler’s “Venn diagram”, composed of three interconnected circles, considers performance, personality, and marketing, as well as the players’ willingness to promote themselves and the tour. Kessler has held two meetings with the players, emphasizing the importance of their active participation. According to Kessler, the response was overwhelmingly positive, with almost all the players expressing their commitment. The LPGA is finishing an unusual season, where only two players, Jeeno Thitikul and Miyuu Yamashita, have achieved multiple victories. Despite a standout season, even for Nelly Korda, greater traction for the LPGA has not been achieved. Kessler is aware that the road ahead is long, but the energy and optimism are palpable.I hope the LPGA is quickly perceived as one of the best partners in all sports. We deliver on what we promise, and we will need to take that into account when bringing to life what we believe is the optimal schedule.
Craig Kessler, LPGA Tour Commissioner
We compete in the attention economy. It’s not just against other sports. We compete against anything that has the potential to capture a fan’s attention. Therefore, it’s our job to differentiate ourselves, be interesting, and capture the attention of fans in every possible way.
Craig Kessler, LPGA Tour Commissioner
