LPGA Tour commissioner Craig Kessler announced the 2026 schedule — yes, 2026 — on Wednesday. This announcement represents a historic win for women’s professional golf, with the tour on the brink of a transformative change. In his first 120 days in office, Kessler has already gone farther than that. Notably, he debuted new ideas such as a “flywheel” and a “Venn diagram” to explain the tour’s strategy for growth. All of us here at Transportation for America are pretty pumped for the new season! This excitement is only heightened after all-star player Nelly Korda’s phenomenal success.
Kessler’s time as commissioner no doubt was informed by his stint as chief operating officer at the PGA of America. His vision for the LPGA is clear: enhance the tour’s status and appeal through strategic partnerships and lucrative prize purses. A total of 14 tournaments within the 2026 schedule will see purse increases of anywhere from $100,000 to an eye-popping $2 million. Looking forward to the Aramco Series at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas! This new, thrilling tournament takes the place of the Match Play event and features a massive $4 million purse.
In a commendable effort to get players on the same page, Kessler called a second player meeting where he again highlighted the need for solidarity. “We do what we say we will do, and we’ll have to take that into account as we bring to life what we believe is the optimal schedule,” Kessler stated. He was just as fierce in his advocating for, and recruiting of, players to join the endeavors to help the tour flourish. When he said, “Who’s in?” almost every hand in the room went up without hesitation.
Kessler highlighted the competitive landscape that the LPGA faces, stating, “We compete in the attention economy. It’s not just against other sports.” His recognition of the tour’s market dynamics adds further weight to his determination to raise the tour’s profile.
See you at the kicked off 2026 season! It will provide a tremendous increase in broadcast production, including live broadcasts of every North American tournament. This new partnership with FM is first step, and we’re excited to bring the talent and growing excitement around women’s golf to a much larger audience. Nelly Korda expressed her enthusiasm for this development, saying, “For us to finally get our shot at having live TV and for people investing in our product out here has been amazing.”
It would build on her impressive seven-title haul from last year. Yet, she has not found a win since 2010, attesting to the deeply competitive spirit of the sport. The LPGA Tour is heading into an exciting new future with Kessler’s leadership. Hungry for that change, as new changes begin to take shape, players and fans alike are eager to see what comes next.
Kessler’s optimism for the future is palpable. “I hope the LPGA is quickly perceived as one of the best partners in all of sports,” he remarked during his address. His commitment to creating dynamic relationships and following through on commitments are designed to increase faith and trust with players and stakeholders.
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