Craig Kessler is the new LPGA Commissioner. What’s his #1 priority?

Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.

Last week, the LPGA appointed Craig Kessler as Commissioner. His background includes senior positions with the PGA of America and TopGolf. There are a lot of issues facing the new Commissioner as he puts together his plan to move the LPGA forward. What’s his number one priority?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): His number one priority is one he can’t possibly control or affect… and that is, increasing the number of good American players on LPGA leaderboards.  With the exception of Nelly Korda, American women have gone AWOL in the last 5-10 years, and that’s obviously having a major negative effect on the popularity of the Tour and the amount of television coverage it’s getting.  I couldn’t believe how few spectators were watching the final group on the final four holes of the last LPGA MAJOR a couple of weeks ago… as five foreign players tied and ended up in a playoff.  It looked like roughly 40 people were watching, not counting the other 40 having a cocktail party and not watching in the hospitality suites.  I have nothing against foreign players, they’re terrific, but without Americans in the mix, they might as well be playing in Kuala Lumpur or Kyoto.  As I said, Kessler really can’t control this, but it’s gotta be addressed, or they WILL be playing all their events in Asia in a few years.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): The LPGA Tour has an identity problem. They have many excellent top athletes, but the Tour is lacking a multitude of characters/personalities. Charlie Hull is absolutely the exception (I think it’s also why she’s so popular), she’s different and appeals to a large fan base. Beyond her, who sticks out, who has a “personality”? There are no John Daly’s, Lee Trevino’s, etc., where are the big personalities that match with world class game? Name five? You can’t. And if they exist, then the Tour has done a terrible job marketing it. I don’t think they need to go as far as the WWE, but they do need something to help create a bigger following/interest in the Tour going beyond just excellent play.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: The LPGA has a long history of ‘ole girl cronyism’ that has dissipated over the past few years. Beginning about that time was the criticism from the players that the Asian girls were their own ‘group’. In fairness, there is a considerable language barrier. However, top-level women’s golf has superseded everything in the most recent history. Kessler’s job will be to continue attracting the best players and ensure the purses continue growing. What he doesn’t need is a Ladies’ LIV.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: As mentioned a few times around this table, it’s all about eyeballs and eyeballs on commercials. Don’t know anyone who watches golf live (except the men’s Majors). Recording and fast forwarding through all the ads and players you’ve no interest in is the current way to watch golf — and sport, for that matter. Title sponsors and potential advertisers are well aware of the new viewing reality. Kessler has signed on for a tough gig. By TV standards, the LPGA Tour is a niche sport in a niche game. No matter his priorities, one guy isn’t going to change any of that.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: Relevance. If the LPGA disappeared tomorrow, I don’t know too many people – male or female – that would care a lot. And it’s not just the LPGA, it’s all sports. There’s just too much of everything and most of it’s not relevant outside a small circle of people. With all the noise, how do you get attention, build audience engagement or showcase your product? I think Kessler needs to challenge everything and be prepared to make huge changes. Like a much shorter season, 54-hole events from Monday to Wednesday on Golf Channel and adding an International Team to the Solheim Cup. Right now, the LPGA is lost in the clutter.

During the final round of the Senior PGA Championship on Sunday, the leaderboard included former major champions Angel Cabrera, Retief Goosen, Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington, Thomas Bjorn, Vijay Singh and Justin Leonard while the leaderboard on the PGA Tour featured Ben Griffin, Matti Schmid and Bud Cauley. The average age for people watching golf on TV is in the 60’s and with Tiger Woods likely playing some Senior events next year, it’s possible the Senior circuit could become a bigger draw for television audiences that the regular Tour. Is this something the PGA Tour needs to worry about?

Deeks: I can’t see the Senior Tour posing any threat to the regular Tour.  It’ll be good for the Seniors if Tiger starts playing, but that Tour has never generated a lot of interest, and I don’t think anyone but old fans like me will care whether Tiger, Ernie, and Vijay are on a leaderboard or not.  Most of the guys winning on the Senior Tour are names you’ve never heard of or cared about in their prime.  The regular Tour may have degenerated into a smash-and-gouge bore-fest, but as long as it continues to produce front-line stars like Scottie and Rory, and ten-year “eras”, it’ll always attract way more fans.

Loughry: If the Champions/Senior Tour outdraws the regular Tour for viewership, the PGA Tour should absolutely be concerned should that happen. Sport is based on next generation of talent, and if that talent isn’t replenished to inspire the next generation, that spells big trouble for the future of the sport.  Could you imagine an over 50 Hockey League getting more viewers than the current NHL? NFL? NBA or MLB? Really? It would be embarrassing.

Schurman: The PGA Tour survived Jack, Arnie, Gary, Lee, Tom and Hale Irwin. The Senior Tour (as it was then) became more attractive to audiences with these players, but it couldn’t replace the Tour. A far bigger problem for the PGA Tour happened through LIV. The PGA Tour had established itself by investing in multiple developmental tours worldwide, acting as a built-in feeder system. They also made inroads into a pathway for direct access for college players. Everything was glorious; young players developing, a strong top 75 to 125, excellent stars, Tiger Woods and then LIV. LIV scraped some of the ‘cream,’ which interrupted the PGA Tour’s system of evolution. Now we have fewer ‘stars’, weaker fields for the PGA and LIV and a lot more money for the ‘down the list’ players. This breeds complacency. So far, LIV hasn’t realized they don’t have a feeder system, and many PGA Tour stars don’t want to travel beyond the continent. It reminds me of the NHL 1967 expansion, which took nearly 20 years, and Gretzky before quality returned. The PGA TOUR is yet to recover from the free ride of Tiger. Rome disappeared in less than 5 years, and they too thought they were invincible.

Quinn: A convicted serial woman beater winning back-to-back anywhere ain’t a good look. Certainly, doesn’t help the Seniors’ Tour (they aren’t all champs), but even if Paddy had controlled himself and won the Championship, who would have jumped off their seat and cheered? Certainly not the denizens of the TV golf demographic. Jumping was then. To stave off naps during the closing holes, the Seniors have to entertain the seniors. That’s not happening. The PGA Tour has enough to worry about without caring what the old guys are trying to get up to.

Mumford: The TV thing has to be a concern for the PGA Tour but not because of the Seniors. My kids and their friends all play golf and none of them watch much golf on TV, although TGL captured a few eyeballs last winter. It’s nice that the Senior circuit has a bunch of recognizable names but they’re not likely to supplant the bombers on the regular tour in terms of eyeballs. The bigger issue is the existing eyeballs watching any golf are getting dimmer and fewer.

At Colonial last week, Scottie Scheffler was asked about LIV players and the possibility of re-unification. His response suggested he wasn’t the least bit interested in doing anything to help. “They left. It’s on them to bring golf back together.” What do you think of Scheffler’s position, and do you agree?

Deeks: I agree wholeheartedly.  They left, boo hoo.  As I’ve said many times, if they want to come back, let them go through the whole qualifying process once again, but give them no special consideration of any kind.

Loughry: I don’t think Scheffler is all that wrong, those players could end their contract with LIV (or not renew) and work/earn their way back onto the PGA Tour if they want(ed) to. I’m not sure the PGA Tour or their members need to gift those LIV Tour players a way back though.

Schurman: There’s an excellent reason teams line up and shake hands after the series is over. The example for kids and adults is worthwhile. In fact, every sporting contest, including regular season, should end that way, from Pee Wee to the NHL or whatever other sport. It would be difficult for golf to adhere to this, but the message is the same. It’s a game! Grow up and set the example we all yearn for from our leaders.

Quinn: Scheffler is finally echoing a position long held here and by more outspoken Tour players since day one of the Saudi cash gusher. The Tour was created by players for players, and the majority — now joined publicly by Scheffler — know that without the work and sacrifices of the guys who went before them, they wouldn’t be living mortgage-free let alone flying private. Let them eat cake and play 54. Enough already.

Mumford: The PGA Tour is sitting on a $1.5 billion investment from the Strategic Sports Group that they haven’t touched yet, LIV Golf has stopped poaching players, nobody and I mean nobody is interested in LIV’s version of team golf and outside of a handful of players, LIV Golf doesn’t have anything the PGA Tour wants or needs. Scheffler and a large percentage of the players are just doing their thing and making lots of money. Why would they worry about LIV Golf, reunification or anything to do with departed players? It’s a distraction they don’t need.