What was the best golf story we followed in 2024?

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, Mollie Marcoux Samaan announced that she will be stepping down as LPGA Commissioner in January after just 3 ½ years in the job. While apparently not related, the LPGA also announced that it will lose $2 million this year. What’s your take on Marcoux Samaan’s record and what should she or could she have done differently? 

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): I don’t follow the inner workings of the LPGA Tour, so I really can’t comment on her tenure.  But I will say it seems odd to me that the Women’s Tour could have been losing money while it would appear that the business has been doing well… more tournaments than a decade ago, bigger purses, more appealing players playing outstanding golf, led by a very telegenic young star in Nelly Korda.  Maybe the losses came from marketing expenses, or salaries, who knows?  It certainly appears that the announced losses and Mollie’s departure are cause and effect.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada:  It isn’t fair to discuss the coincidence (if there is one) in the same breath. Either step up with your evidence or give her the benefit of the doubt. Don’t judge by innuendo. Samaan started off poorly with a transportation disaster at the Solheim Cup, and even though her accomplishments are incredible, some groups can’t accept success as a product. Commissioner of the LPGA is one of the most difficult jobs in the world because of the wide range of personal skills required. Samaan’s biggest failure was in not being able to gain the confidence of a large percentage of the players.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (GolfAwayTJ): I think one of the main goals of the LPGA is to raise the purses and she has successfully done that.  It would seem that $2M is a pretty minor deficit to overcome in the grand scheme of things.  The Tour seems to be in a decent spot but just needs more eyeballs.  We’ve discussed that in this forum previously and I don’t know the answer, but that will be her successor’s main objective.  It was a short stint for Marcoux Samaan, I for one was surprised at the announcement.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: No matter what your business — governments aren’t businesses, are they? — it’s hard to run up such a massive debt while breaking revenue records. From reports, her vision of the Tour included hiring huge staffs and creating departments far beyond her needs or budgets. But there must have been red flags all along the way to $2 M. The LPGA Tour is never going to be what the PGA Tour used to be, and likely never will be again. Knowing the limits and working within them is the key to that thankless LPGA Tour job.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): Marcoux Samaan was not a great communicator and either didn’t have or failed to share a vision for the LPGA. Sure, she increased purses but never really increased fan engagement and a few stumbles on the PR front were probably the tipping point. She came in without a lot of pro sports experience, so this was a situation where she was going to have to learn fast to keep ahead of the curve. Building a huge marketing department at great expense didn’t pay dividends fast enough.

After a season trying out various analysts, NBC Sports has designated Kevin Kisner to fill the shoes formerly worn by Johnny Miller and more recently Paul Azinger. Kisner will also play on Tour part time. What’s your take on Kisner as the main NBC golf analyst and if you’re not a fan, who should have got the job? 

Deeks: I’m ambivalent.  And frankly not aware of Kisner’s personality or suitability for the job.  I wish him luck with it.  As a broadcaster, I can tell you it wouldn’t be an easy gig.  I can’t think of any other player who would be a more obvious choice.

Schurman: Jay Haas, Henrick Stenson or Ian Poulter. The ‘shortlist’ for this job is excruciatingly short. It takes playing credibility and knowledge, a brilliant mind, steadfastness, confidence, a good voice and a mature age but not past the ‘best before date.’

Rule: Kisner is ok in my mind.  He speaks his mind and is obviously still very connected with the game, which is great.  So, I’m sure he’ll do a good job and may even settle into the role for the long term, following in Miller’s footsteps.  I don’t have a better suggestion at this time, the role needs someone with a good sense of humour and a bit of personality.  Something like a Peter Jacobson or David Feherty.  I don’t know what current or former player fits that mold, I’m sure someone will come along though if Kiz doesn’t end up being the right fit.  I don’t watch golf for the commentators anyway, so it really doesn’t affect my watching habits.

Quinn: Since the golden age of eloquence led by Peter Aliss, there has not been a TV talking head worth listening to — the list of mute button champs led by Koch, Miller, and Azinger. No one is listening anymore, and those behind the mics have an impossible task anyway. Good luck to a part-time player. If there has to be someone in the booth, Geoff Ogilvy would be good, but he’s too smart to get involved.

Mumford: In my mind, Kisner didn’t distinguish himself during the trial period. None of the contenders really did. NBC is going out on a limb here – Kisner will be the first primary golf analyst on PGA Tour broadcasts that doesn’t have a major championship on the resume. So, no real pedigree, but apparently he has a sense of humour. We’ll see. Does Phil Mickelson’s ban preclude him from being an analyst?

What was the best golf story we followed this past year?

Deeks: Similar to last week’s discussion of player of the year, I can’t think of anything more compelling than Scottie Scheffler’s remarkable season, capped off this past weekend with a final round 63 and six-stroke victory in the Bahamas.  Even though winning almost $65 million for playing golf is grossly obscene in the scheme of things, one certainly can’t help but marvel at the skill and mental ability that he has.

Schurman: Newsworthy golf in 2024 is like most of life in 2024: chaotic! Xander Shauffele had a Player of the Year record, but Scottie Scheffler is head and shoulders above him. Nelly Korda was the best LPGA player, who only played about half the events due to an injury. The PGA TOUR suddenly discovered a huge cachet of money buried in an unknown location to compete with the L1V Tour, and the PGA Tour Board is going to reduce the fields in 2025 so the top 25 players can increase their winnings again. And the LPGA Commissioner quit her job after nearly doubling the purses, among several other incredible accomplishments, because certain people don’t like her. Sometimes, I think an old canvas lawn chair, a glass of wine, and a seat at the top of Caledon Mountain looking down across Toronto from 25 miles away sounds attractive.

Rule: I think the most compelling story in golf is the dominance of a player on both the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour. The sport needs superstars and although nobody is going to be as impactful to the sport as Tiger was, watching Scottie and Nelly dominate the way they did was fun to watch.  It will be interesting to see if they can continue that dominance or if the others will catch up.  I’m looking forward to a fun 2025!

Quinn: There were some great stories, but all dimmed under the LIV cloud and the almost constant references to purses and salaries and deals with more zeroes after the dollar signs than most fans could fathom. Cyndi Lauper sang it best: Money changes everything. It certainly has changed everything about the PGA Tour and especially how former fans can now only muster interest in the Majors, let alone the non-designated events.

Mumford: As good as Scottie and Nellie are, they don’t say or do much to garner attention outside the ropes. Apart from that minor skirmish with the Louisville Police, it’s a rather bland pair atop men’s and women’s golf. On the flip side is Rory McIlroy: winning tournaments, losing them in spectacular fashion, putting his foot in his mouth with regularity – he even filed for divorce from his wife and then retracted it days later – and being out there and accessible all the time. Through it all he wears his heart on his sleeve and is the most engaging of personalities. In my mind, he’s the most interesting person in golf and the best story we followed all year.