The LPGA Tour’s 75th anniversary year started with an unexpected twist. Instead of celebrating its rich history, the tour finds itself without a permanent leader at the helm. The situation became even more intriguing when LPGA insider Tom Abbott shared insights about the leadership situation during a recent Golf Channel interview.

“I think it’s still the beginning of the search process,” Abbott explained, hinting at a potentially lengthy wait for a permanent commissioner. He added that the tour “may not have a commissioner in place until May, perhaps even later, depending on that person’s circumstance in their current position.”

Uncertainty looms as the search continues

Liz Moore, who stepped in as interim commissioner following Mollie Marcoux Samaan’s departure, has already made her presence felt through decisive action on player demands. “She’s been with the LPGA Tour for a long time she’s the chief legal counsel, and she seems to be doing a very good job,” Abbott noted. The insider even shared a personal experience, saying, “We met with her a few weeks ago. She came to our meeting in the television compound that we have every week; uh, we had a good discussion with her.”

Yet, despite Moore’s proactive approach to addressing players’ concerns—particularly the implementation of stricter pace-of-play rules that top players like Nelly Korda demanded — Abbott dropped a bombshell about her future. “We don’t know whether she is a strong candidate to take the role full-time; we’ll have to see,” he revealed. “At the moment, it’s a case of looking at candidates all around the world,” Abbott explained.

The search committee, which includes player directors Ashleigh Buhai, Stephanie Meadow, and Stacy Lewis, alongside board members like Chairman John Veihmeyer, faces a complex task. They must find someone who can build on Marcoux Samaan’s achievements while addressing her tenure’s shortcomings. Despite overseeing a 90% increase in prize money to a record $131 million in 2025, Marcoux Samaan faced backlash over lost tournament sponsors, unclear gender policies, and communication issues. Her unexpected departure in January 2025, nearly two years before her contract’s end, has left the committee with big shoes to fill.

To understand Moore’s position’s complexity, one need look no further than her handling of the tour’s most criticized issue. While the search committee continues its worldwide hunt, Moore has taken bold steps to address one of the players’ biggest frustrations—the notorious slow play that has plagued the LPGA Tour for years.

Nelly Korda’s demands met as interim boss tackles slow play concerns

Interestingly, while the search continues, Moore hasn’t shied away from tackling major issues. The LPGA has introduced its strictest pace-of-play policy to date, implementing a tiered penalty system that hits slow players where it hurts—both in their wallets and on their scorecards. Starting March 27, 2025, at the Ford Championship, players face fines for delays of +1-5 seconds, a one-stroke penalty for +6-15 seconds over the limit, and a hefty two-stroke penalty for delays exceeding 16 seconds. Moreover, the policy removes the traditional 10-second allowance for first players hitting on par 4s and par 5s, now limiting this extra time to par 3s only.

Nelly Korda, vocal about her frustration with slow play, enthusiastically backed these changes. “Finally. I’m very excited about it… If we’re taking really long out there, that’s not entertaining,” she stated, emphasizing how the stricter rules could enhance fan engagement. LPGA Player President Vicki Goetze-Ackerman reinforced this sentiment, describing the initiative as “data-backed” and “player-led.” The goal is ambitious yet clear—to slash times from the current five-and-a-half hours to under five hours.

The situation presents a curious paradox. Despite Moore’s willingness to address player concerns through decisive action, her future as permanent commissioner remains uncertain. As the LPGA navigates this transitional period, one question remains: Will tackling long-standing issues be enough to secure Moore’s position, or is the tour looking for something more in its next leader?

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