“This event is more than just a competition,” said Nelly Korda, kicking off the eponymous AJGA tournament, “It’s a platform to inspire the next generation of female golfers.” The two-time major champion started hosting an eponymous Nelly Invitational last year. Aphrodite Deng of Canada won the inaugural 54-hole stroke play event. This time, the winner will have an added perk – an exemption into next year’s Chevron Championship. 

This move will definitely put a smile on the faces of NCAA coaches, who were frustrated by the lack of opportunities for female collegiate golfers. “It’s very frustrating how far behind the PGA Tour we are,” lamented USC women’s golf head coach Justin Silverstein not too long ago. Nelly Korda’s move will be a shot in the arm for Silverstein & co.

Last year’s tournament featured 66 of the top girls at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida. But Korda, the winner of AJGA Invitational titles at the 2015 Yani Tseng Invitational and the 2015 PING Invitational, felt she could do more for the young golfers. Fortunately, Chevron, the sponsor of the first LPGA Tour major of the year, felt the same. They teamed up this year with the Nelly Invitational, making this possible.

Notably, this year’s field will be strengthened by the addition of international players. Golfweek reported that top-ten players who are not AJGA members will also be added to the field. Chevron, in fact, is paying $2000 in stipend for travel, accommodation, and entry fee. It’s the highest for any AJGA tournament. The international players will receive $500 on top of that. 

This will definitely be a fillip to the junior golfers and their coaches. Recently, Justin Silverstein, the head coach of the Trojans for the past seven seasons, voiced his frustration. According to him, the female golfers don’t get nearly enough chances to showcase their talent on a bigger stage. 

Is LPGA lagging in promoting young talents?

Silverstein pointed out that it’s far more difficult for a female college golfer to tee up at the LPGA Tour or Epson Tour than it is for a male golfer to tee off at the PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour. “The pathway and the opportunity that the men’s college players are getting with the Korn Ferry starts and PGA Tour starts is giving them a bigger advantage than the women’s players,” said the veteran coach. 

Last year, amateurs like Luke Clanton, Miles Russells, Blades Brown, Neal Shipley, Calum Scott, and others turned heads in the PGA Tour. In fact, per a Golfweek report, 15 amateurs made a total of 22 cuts last year. Some of them have now turned pro. However, the same opportunity is not available for collegiate female golfers. “It’s not happening yet on the women’s side, but it needs to. We’ve been very vociferous about that to the LPGA,” Silverstein added.

Notably, the LPGA Tour recently introduced the Elite Amateur Pathway, a model similar to the PGA Tour University, where top college golfers, based on points, automatically earn a Tour card. On the male side, Ludvig Aberg, Davis Thompson, and Austin Eckroat are all PGA Tour U graduates. 

No doubt, the LPGA Tour has a long way to go before achieving parity, but it has taken the first step in the right direction. Amid this, Nelly Korda’s care for the amateurs will be an added boost for the up-and-coming female golfers of the USA. This year’s tournament will tee off on May 1.