The ebullient Whan, better than most golf executives, understands such dynamics. He knows how to connect and communicate with players, sponsors and fans alike.
When he moved on from the LPGA, Samaan’s regime struggled to maintain momentum. There was an early setback when players failed to turn up for an important sponsor dinner they were expected to attend.
The then commissioner “took full responsibility” while Terry Duffy, the boss of the backer in question, CME, was furious. “The leadership needs to work with their players to make sure that everybody has a clear understanding of how we grow the game together.” he said.
It was one of a number of setbacks. A proposed merger with the Ladies European Tour looked certain to be completed but came to nothing.
Instead, the LET continued to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia and the Aramco Series that underpins its schedule.
At last year’s Solheim Cup, the park-and-ride system was botched, leaving empty seats in first tee grandstands for the start of the most important event in women’s golf. Samaan needed to issue a public apology behalf of the tour.
Players were recently informed that the LPGA’s South Korean rights partners have not paid their bills for 2024 or 2025. The chief marketing and communications officer, Matt Chmura, departed earlier this month after only a year in the job.
Amid all this upheaval came Samaan’s resignation at the end of last year. English veteran Mel Reid, an LPGA board member, told the Golf Channel: “She was under pressure from a lot of players.”
When asked what should be Kessler’s priorities when he takes over, a former major winner told me: “He will need to rebuild some bridges and show that the LPGA is a place where corporations can do business.”
Another insider said that the new commissioner has to reconnect with players and sponsors and “get the tour back to where it was when Mike Whan left it”.
Kessler speaks of pillars to underpin his new regime, starting with “building trust; trust with our players, trust with our sponsors, trust with our fans, and trust with our team”.
