Why US Open comes at crucial moment for women's golf

Britain's Charley Hull tees disconnected alongside world number 1 Nelly Korda for nan first 2 rounds of this week's US Open, nan biggest title successful women's golf.

Worth a record-equalling $12m, nan arena comes astatine a important moment. A caller LPGA Tour leader has conscionable been appointed pinch an contiguous privilege to halt a perceived play of damaging stagnation.

While different elite women's sports person boomed, play has drifted contempt attracting larger prize costs for its biggest events. Observers talk of nan female crippled now being "at a crossroads".

So Craig Kessler - a youthful, assured US executive - is moving from nan PGA of America to win Mollie Marcoux Samaan arsenic commissioner. He has a bulging in-tray of issues to address.

"We person to travel retired of nan blocks strong," Kessler told reporters erstwhile his assignment was announced past week. The 39-year-old officially starts successful mid-July, but is already talking to starring players and officials.

He has been dubbed "a young Mike Whan" by erstwhile US Solheim Cup skipper Stacy Lewis.

Whan successfully held nan commissioner position for much than a decade until 2021, a mostly aureate play erstwhile prize money connected nan LPGA almost doubled.

He near to return complaint of nan United States Golf Association, which runs this week's awesome championship. With Whan successful charge, it is nary astonishment that Korda will tee disconnected astatine 14:25 (20:25 BST) pinch Hull and Lexi Thompson astatine Erin Hills today.

It is simply a grouping made pinch TV ratings and world scope successful mind. It is simply a business move.

That Hull is down to 17th successful nan world and has not had a top-10 decorativeness since early March, and Thompson is semi-retired, are of secondary value because some golfers are among nan sport's astir recognisable players.

They person ample fanbases, they do societal media and do it well. Their entreaty goes beyond their play and this is why they are retired pinch nan world's starring subordinate astatine highest viewing times.

The ebullient Whan, amended than astir play executives, understands specified dynamics. He knows really to link and pass pinch players, sponsors and fans alike.

When he moved connected from nan LPGA, Samaan's authorities struggled to support momentum. There was an early setback erstwhile players grounded to move up for an important sponsor meal they were expected to attend.

The past commissioner "took afloat responsibility" while Terry Duffy, nan leader of nan backer successful question, CME, was furious. "The activity needs to activity pinch their players to make judge that everybody has a clear knowing of really we turn nan crippled together." he said.

It was 1 of a number of setbacks. A projected merger pinch nan Ladies European Tour looked definite to beryllium completed but came to nothing.

Instead, nan LET continued to fortify ties pinch Saudi Arabia and nan Aramco Series that underpins its schedule.

At past year's Solheim Cup, nan park-and-ride strategy was botched, leaving quiet seats successful first tee grandstands for nan commencement of nan astir important arena successful women's golf. Samaan needed to rumor a nationalist apology behalf of nan tour.

Players were precocious informed that nan LPGA's South Korean authorities partners person not paid their bills for 2024 aliases 2025. The main trading and communications officer, Matt Chmura, departed earlier this period aft only a twelvemonth successful nan job.

Amid each this upheaval came Samaan's resignation astatine nan extremity of past year. English seasoned Mel Reid, an LPGA committee member, told nan Golf Channel: "She was nether unit from a batch of players."

When asked what should beryllium Kessler's priorities erstwhile he takes over, a erstwhile awesome victor told me: "He will request to rebuild immoderate bridges and show that nan LPGA is simply a spot wherever corporations tin do business."

Another insider said that nan caller commissioner has to reconnect pinch players and sponsors and "get nan circuit backmost to wherever it was erstwhile Mike Whan near it".

Kessler speaks of pillars to underpin his caller regime, starting pinch "building trust; spot pinch our players, spot pinch our sponsors, spot pinch our fans, and spot pinch our team".

In erstwhile eras, stars specified arsenic Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie would beryllium alongside tennis greats specified arsenic nan Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova astatine nan very apical of nan women's sporting tree.

While starring tennis pros still bid immense attention, location is simply a cognition that golfers person been usurped by female footballers and hoops luminaries specified arsenic nan Indiana defender Caitlin Clark.

This astatine a clip erstwhile Korda has been a ascendant and perchance transcendent unit and Lydia Ko won Olympic golden and nan AIG Women's Open. They were glory days for players who respectively epitomise elegance and eloquence.

But did nan crippled afloat capitalise? Did capable group notice? "Make LPGA play a destination for media and fans to attend," said nan retired awesome winner, who retains adjacent interaction pinch nan tour.

Kessler seems to agree. "The 2nd awesome pillar is astir being visible," he said, "and making judge that nan unthinkable stars nan LPGA has, who time off it connected nan people week successful and week out, are really visible and that goes beyond conscionable nan broadcasts."

The caller commissioner's messaging is consecutive retired of nan Whan playbook. Kessler takes complete during nan LPGA's 75th day and speaks of nan request to create nan fanbase while rebuilding a unafraid financial future.

So location will beryllium plentifulness of chat successful nan inheritance while nan world's champion tackle what should beryllium a formidable trial astatine nan Wisconsin people that staged nan men's US Open successful 2017.

"Even if you deliberation you've deed it good, you tin [only] exhale erstwhile you spot it stop," Korda said. "I deliberation it's a awesome large hitter's play course, but it's conscionable demanding successful each aspect."

Hull is nan starring British contender but has missed 4 awesome cuts since sharing 2nd spot astatine nan 2023 US Open. She was besides runner-up astatine nan Women's Open astatine Walton Heath that year.

Japan's Yuka Saso is defending champion for an arena that carries genuine world entreaty and $2.4m for nan winner.

Kessler will beryllium watching closely, nary uncertainty hoping nan tour's astir recognisable stars tin make nan belief that was hoped for erstwhile nan opening information groupings were drawn up.