What does Nelly Korda think of the mixed-gender event? Is it going to push the LPGA Tour forward? It’s a question that has been asked of every player at the Grant Thornton Invitational in the last few days. But Nelly Korda, characteristically, struck a different note. While most of the players on the field were readily nodding in favor of more such events, the eight-time LPGA Tour winner said, “I think it’s fun, but again, that’s what makes this event so special, because it’s just one of one.”

It’s ‘one-of-one’ indeed. For the first time in 24 years, the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour are jointly hosting a tournament. Undoubtedly, this is a step in the right direction. But it can also prove to be a double-edged sword as the limelight invariably shifts to the PGA Tour when both the male and female circuits are involved.

The Grant Thornton Invitational offers a reality check for LPGA pros

The field of the Grant Thornton Invitational is tilted overwhelmingly in favor of the LPGA Tour. Top names in the female circuit, such as Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko, and Charley Hull, are in the lineup, who all rank within ten in the Rolex World Ranking.

On the other hand, the highest-ranked player from the PGA Tour in the field is OWGR 19 Jason Day. Only five out of sixteen PGA Tour pros rank within the top 25 in the OWGR rankings. Whereas, nine female golfers in the field enjoy a rank of 25 or above at the Rolex World Ranking, including World No. 1 Lilia Vu, No. 2 Ruoning Yin, and No. 3 Celine Boutier.

The 16-team lineup features 11 major winners but only three from the PGA Tour. Incidentally, every LPGA Major winner this year has featured in the dynamic lineup. Contrarily, among the three PGA Major winners, the most recent is Jason Day’s 2015 PGA Championship victory.

However, despite not having the best PGA Tour pros in the field, the media has poured in to the Tiburon Golf Club. While the rarity of the event can’t be denied as a driving force behind its immense popularity, the PGAT players’ involvement has drawn a lot of eyeballs as well.

Naturally, if more such events happen, golf fans can expect top male golfers in the lineup. However, as recent TV coverage has shown, the male’s circuit has a ‘tendency’ to knock the LPGA off its perch. While the LPGA Tour is trying to carve out its own identity in the mostly male-dominated sport, playing second fiddle to the men’s circuit will only blunt the chisel. Nelly Korda, once again, becomes relevant here.

Nelly Korda’s wise words ring true

This is not the first time World No. 5 is teeing up at a mixed-gender event. In last year’s QBE Shootout, a precursor to the Grant Thornton Invitational, the LPGA pro shook hands with Denny McCarthy. The 25-year-old did her fair share of impressing the men on the field as well.

Max Homa and his playing mate, Kevin Kisner, waxed lyrical about the one-time Major winner. A good part of their post-match media interaction was a snapshot of Korda’s game spoken through two starstruck linksmen. Kisner even dubbed her the Tiger Woods of the LPGA Tour and couldn’t believe that she didn’t win every tournament on her circuit.

Perhaps tongue-in-cheek! Nonetheless, it is very telling. The fact that a majority of PGA Tour pros are quite oblivious to what’s going on on the female circuit speaks volumes about the disparity—we’re not talking about the wage gap here, mind you—between the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour. There is a gulf in the limelight and exposure reserved for male golfers and female golfers. Getting a primetime slot for an unofficial PGA Tour event is much easier than for an official LPGA Tour event.

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If anything, it vindicates what Korda said in a podcast two years earlier: higher pay doesn’t always translate to wider respect and acceptability. If one needed more evidence of that, Lexi Thompson’s debut at the PGA Tour’s Shriners Children’s Open didn’t elicit a warm welcome across the board.

Nevertheless, 2023 was significant for female golfers for a number of reasons. Aside from Lexi Thompson’s history-making feat and the platform that the Grant Thornton Invitational has offered, Nelly Korda also ranked tenth in the list of highest-paid female athletes.

Grant Thornton Invitational, by virtue of being a “one-of-one” event, aims to bridge the gap. While there is no denying the impact of this on the golf world, it can be measured in tangible terms when next year’s viewership data for the LPGA Tour is available. A month after winning over her male peers, Nelly Korda was asked what she made of those high praises. “They should watch more women’s golf,” the LPGA Pro was quick in her response.

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