Craig Kessler is the LPGA Tour commissioner for only 120 days. His leadership is bringing in a promising new era for the league. His deep expertise, which includes serving as former chief operating officer at the PGA of America, honed his skills with a laser-like focus. Now, he’s looking to expand that profile and financial support for women’s golf. Under his leadership, Kessler aims to capitalize on the growing interest in women’s sports while introducing significant changes to the LPGA Tour’s structure and broadcast capabilities.
Kessler’s introduction of the 2026 LPGA Tour schedule will serve as another key tipping point for the organization. The schedule is about the same as last year. Yet to help clarify the league’s vision and operations, he introduced creative ideas such as a “flywheel” and a “Venn diagram.” He stated, “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.”
Undoubtedly one of Kessler’s most visible early initiatives was creating a branding partnership with FM to restore event broadcast production to a high level. This collaboration resulted in every North American tournament being shown live for the first time, a major advancement for the league. The upgrades increased the system’s capacity by 50% with additional, larger cameras and investment in sophisticated shot tracing technology. This greatly increases viewer engagement and enhances overall production value.
Further, Kessler has highlighted the critical role of player engagement in marketing the tour. He conducted two player meetings, during which he expressed the necessity for players to actively contribute to the league’s success. “And at the end I asked, ‘Who is in?’ And virtually every hand in the room went up,” he remarked, reflecting on the positive reception from players regarding their roles.
And the LPGA Tour is getting a huge financial shot in the arm too. The purse for next week’s Aramco Series event at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas has DOUBLED to $3 million! It has skyrocketed from $2 million to an incredible $4 million, giving winners life-changing cash prizes. Furthermore, fourteen LPGA Tour events have increased their purses between $100,000 and $2 million. Kessler’s work to help financially stabilize these events is an encouraging sign that players are headed toward a more fruitful future.
Kessler’s bold approach has brought high octane energy to gatherings with stars of the game that matter – players, potential big ticket sponsors, etc. He’s still smartly focusing on creating an all-star leadership staff to work under him that will continue to catalyze the league’s dreams. His forward-leaning approach is an indication of the LPGA’s desire to become the industry’s most attractive collaborator in the sports ecosystem. “I hope the LPGA is quickly perceived as one of the best partners in all of sports,” he stated.
These recent changes aren’t just about the money. Kessler has already indicated an appetite for additional tournaments to be added to the Aramco Series. This truly broadens the horizons for further innovation and partnership. His strategic vision aligns with his belief that “we’re still — say it how you want, a growth stock or a discounted stock — if I were an investor thinking of coming in as a partner of the LPGA, now is the time to do it.”
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