Nelly Korda, Charley Hull & More Take Matter Into Own Hands as LPGA’s Search for Commissioner Drags On

The LPGA is officially busy with its first major of the year at The Club at Carlton Woods. The Chevron Championship, boasting a solid purse of $8 million, will feature a star-studded roster, including Charley Hull and Nelly Korda. However, according to the LPGA’s interim commissioner, Liz Moore, women’s golf has even more to celebrate in the 2025 season, including the involvement of LPGA stars in major decisions and a new LPGA commissioner.

Back in the early 1970s, the LPGA was a player-run operation—until Jane Blalock changed everything. After being suspended by fellow pros, she took the LPGA to federal court and won. The ruling made it clear: players couldn’t govern themselves. That landmark decision led to the hiring of the LPGA’s first commissioner in 1975.

This time, the search for a new commissioner began in late 2024 when Mollie Marcoux Samaan announced her resignation, effective January. Recent reports indicate that the months-long search has narrowed down to two key figures in the sport: Craig Kessler and Alex Baldwin. Once the LPGA announces a new commissioner, Moore will step down from her position. During an exclusive interview ahead of the Chevron Championship, the interviewer asked Moore about her career at the LPGA.

Discussing her time in LPGA, Moore said, “The past several months have given me a great opportunity to experience the tour in a different way, and I’m very excited about the future of the LPGA. It was validating to experience just how much momentum there is around women’s sports, the LPGA in particular. I feel it from our athletes, partners, and fans. Players are very engaged and provide thoughtful feedback and ideas. For example, they shaped the new pace of play policy to enhance the competition and improve the fan experience.”

Moore’s observations are correct. In February, the LPGA announced a new pace-of-play policy that took effect during the 2025 Ford Championship. This policy introduced lower timing thresholds for fines and penalties, including a new one-stroke penalty for golfers who exceed their allotted time by 6 to 15 seconds, among other measures. Golfers like Hull and Korda have been vocal about the issue. At the 2024 Annika Sörenstam event, Hull stated, “It’s ridiculous. I feel sorry for the fans, how slow it is out there.” Undeniably, the slow pace of play affects faster golfers more than it does the fans.

Moore continued her statement, “Sponsor support is higher than ever with athletes competing for nearly $130 million in purses this year, a nearly 90% increase since 2021. Our fan base is strong with record consumption of our content last season.” For the LPGA, the good news began with the 2024 CME Group Tour Championship. With its $11 million purse, the event set a record for the largest payout in women’s golf, awarding the winner a groundbreaking $4 million. This trend has continued into the 2025 season, thanks to the efforts of Moore and her team.

LPGA 2025 schedule features record-breaking purse size

Mollie Marcoux Samaan didn’t hold back when asked about the LPGA’s future: “Should it be more? Should our women be earning what the men do? Absolutely. And we’re not stopping until we get there. Growth is in our DNA.”

The visionary LPGA stars then rolled with the ex-LPGA commissioner’s announcement during a 2024 press conference. “The 2024 season was another year of historic growth for the LPGA Tour, and with this 2025 schedule, we will continue to improve on that growth.”  The LPGA announced a record-breaking purse for its 2025 season, coinciding with the celebration of its 75th anniversary. LPGA golfers will compete for over $131 million across a 33-tournament schedule, marking a remarkable $62 million increase since 2021 and a 90% rise in the total prize pool. This increase is notable compared to previous years, with purses of $118 million in 2024, $101.3 million in 2023, and $86 million in 2022.

The 2025 LPGA schedule will introduce two new events. The LPGA aims to expand its audience by visiting 14 states and 11 countries outside the U.S. Notably, 24 events will offer travel stipends, free accommodations, or guaranteed payouts to support lower-ranked players or those who miss the cut.

Among the new events are the Black Desert Championship in Utah and the LPGA’s first return to Mexico since 2017, both scheduled to take place in May. Additionally, the International Crown, a bi-annual team event, will return and be held in Korea in October. The Black Desert Championship will stand out by providing private charters to tournament participants, the only domestic event to do so. Undeniably, the LPGA is seeking ways to celebrate its talented women’s golfers!