Beth Ann Nichols and Amy Rogers join a Golf Today roundtable to discuss Nelly Korda’s playoff win over the weekend, Lydia Ko’s pursuit of the LPGA Hall of Fame, Golf Saudi blocking an LPGA-LET merger last year and more. #GolfChannel #GolfToday #NellyKorda #LydiaKo
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Roundtable: Nelly Korda’s resilience, Lydia Ko’s HOF chase, LPGA-LET | Golf Today | Golf Channel
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THOSE SHOTS THAT MAYBE, LIKE, IF I DID THAT A LITTLE BETTER, THEN IT’S JUST ENDLESS. GOOD TO BE ABLE TO FINISH, WIN LAST WEEK AND FINISH SECOND THIS WEEK. >> WOULDN’T WE ALL LIKE TO THIN OUR WAY TO A STRES-FREE EAGLE? FOR A LITTLE MORE WE’LL BE
JOINED BY MY “GOLFWEEK” COLLEAGUE BETH ANN NICHOLS ALONGSIDE AMY ROGERS. AMY, I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH YOU. I’M CURIOUS WHAT YOU THINK THIS DOES FOR NELLY KORDA’S CONFIDENCE. IT’S NOT YOUR RUN OF THE MILL WIN. SHE’S GOING UP AGAINST SOMEBODY
WHO WON LAST WEEK, AN ALL-TIME GREAT, AND SHE DOES IT WITH AN EAGLE-BIRDIE TO MAKE THE PLAYOFF AND TRIUMPHS IN THE PLAYOFF. THIS HAS TO BE AN ENORMOUS BOOST FOR NELLY KORDA. >> IF WE DIDN’T KNOW ALREADY, WE CERTAINLY LEARNED IT ON SUNDAY, DO NOT COUNT OUT NELLY KORDA.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME SHE’S CREATED DRAMA FOR HERSELF DOWN THE CLOSING STRETCH. IN 2021 AT THE ANNIKA EVENT, SHE CAME INTO THE FINAL STRETCH AS WELL. THEY TRIPLE BOGEYED ON THE 71st HOLE BUT RALLIED WITH A BIRDIE ON THE 72nd TO FORCE A
FOUR-PERSON PLAYOFF THAT SHE WENT ON TO WIN. WE SAW THAT SAME SORT OF RESILIENCE FROM KORDA HERE YESTERDAY AS WELL AS SHE RALLIED FROM THAT BOGEY, DOUBLE BOGEY, BOGEY STRETCH WITH AN EAGLE-BIRDIE TO FORCE THE PLAYOFF FROM NELLY KO. AS SHE SAID IN HER PRESS
CONFERENCE, I THINK SHE LEARNED A LOT OF VALUABLE LESSONS. AND TO LEARN THEM SO EARLY WILL BE A SPRINGBOARD FOR HER HOPEFULLY GOING FORWARD TO MAKE THE NEXT FEW VICTORIES A LOT MORE DRAMA FREE, AT LEAST ON HER END. FOR THE REST OF US, IT WAS GREAT.
IT WAS MUST-SEE TV. >> BETH ANN, I’M THINKING OF HANK AARON’S HOME RUN OR TIGER WOODS’ NO CUT STREAK OR HIS FOUR STRAIGHT MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS. IS THERE A WORLD WHERE LYDIA KO’S PURSUIT OF THE LPGA BECOMES A STORYLINE THAT WE FOLLOW THROUGHOUT THE NEXT COUPLE OF
WEEKS OR MONTHS AND THAT IT’S GOOD FOR THE LPGA? >> I DEFINITELY THINK SO. AS MUCH AS I WANTED TO SEE LYDIA WIN YESTERDAY, THERE’S A BIG PART OF ME. WAIT. I’M NOT READY FOR THIS. I’M NOT READY TO SAY GOOD-BYE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE DON’T KNOW
WHAT LYDIA WILL DO. LYDIA PROBABLY DOESN’T KNOW WHAT SHE’S GOING TO DO. BUT I THINK MOST OF US WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO THINK SHE’LL BE PLAYING MUCH LONGER AFTER SHE GETS INTO THE LPGA HALL OF FAME. FOR THE LPGA THIS IS A GREAT
THING TO BE ABLE TO STRETCH IT OUT, YOU KNOW, GET SOME MEDIA ATTENTION, HOPEFULLY SOME FOLKS WHO NORMALLY DON’T SPEND THE RESOURCES TO GET OUT AND COVER THE LPGA, THAT THEY WILL WHEN THEY KNOW THAT THERE’S THIS EXCITING STORYLINE TO FOLLOW
WITH LYDIA KO, BECAUSE SHE’S JUST SO GOSH DARN LIKEABLE. >> AMY, IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LPGA TOUR THAT BETH ANN HAS JUST TOUCHED ON WHEN THERE’S SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY AND LACK OF CLARITY AROUND THE MEN’S GAME AND SPONSORS WONDERING IF THEY
REALLY WANT TO SUSTAIN THE KIND OF PURSE INCREASES THAT ARE OUT THERE NOW? IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LPGA TOUR TO SAY, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT WE’VE GOT AND IT’S PRETTY DARNED GOOD? >> ABSOLUTELY. IT’S FUNNY YOU MENTIONED THAT. BETH ANN AND I WERE HAVING THIS
EXACT DISCUSSION. WE HAD JUST HEARD ABOUT THE WELLS FARGO SPONSORSHIP GOING BY THE WAYSIDE AFTER THIS 2024 SEASON, AND NOW WE’RE SEEING THE FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN, THAT TITLE SPONSORSHIP ALSO GOING AWAY IN 2026 AS WELL. I THINK THERE’S A POSSIBILITY HERE FOR SOME OF THESE
COMPANIES, IF THEY WANT TO STAY IN THE GOLF SPACE, TO MAKE A TRANSITION POTENTIALLY TO THE LPGA. WE’VE SEEN THE TITLE SPONSORSHIPS ON THE PGA TOUR SIDE INCREASE FROM $13 MILLION, MORE THAN THE TOTAL PURSES ON THE LPGA TOUR. I THINK THERE’S AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR THESE COMPANIES TO REMAIN INVESTED, TO STAY IN THE GOLF SPACE, AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF A SMALLER INVESTMENT. >> BETH ANN, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE STAR POWER THAT WE SAW REALLY THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS ON THE LPGA, IS IT A DIFFERENT
VIBE, A DIFFERENT FEEL, A SELLING POINT FOR THIS TOUR? >> WELL, IT WAS CERTAINLY MUCH NEEDED. AS WE ALL KNOW, NEITHER LYDIA NOR NELLY KORDA WON LAST YEAR ON THE LPGA. YOU THROW IN A LEXI THOMPSON, AND THE TOUR IS DESPERATE FOR IT.
I THINK THE LPGA WAS SMART BECAUSE LAST WEEK DURING THE DRIVE ON EARLY IN THE WEEK THEY HAD A MEDIA TRAINING FOR THEIR PLAYERS. AND THESE PLAYERS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN’T TELL THEIR STORY ENOUGH. THAT’S THE MESSAGE THEY HEARD THAT ANYTIME THEY HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE LPGA, TO TALK ABOUT THEIR ROAD TO WHERE THEY ARE, THAT THEY SHOULD DO IT BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE KNOW THE WORLD NUMBER ONE LILIA VU’S STORY AND IT’S A REMARKABLE ONE. THE LPGA NEEDS ITS STARS TO SAY YES TO THESE MORE THAN THEY SAY
NO. >> BETH ANN, YOU KNOW THAT WE NEVER REALLY JUST GET TO TALK INSIDE THE ROPES STUFF ANYMORE. THERE’S BEEN A RUMBLING ABOUT THE MERGER BETWEEN THE LPGA TOUR AND THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR. IT WAS SPUPPOSED TO BE VOTED ON. AND REPORTS GOLF SAUDI STYMIED
IT SINCE ARAMCO FINANCES 25% OF THE PURSES ON THE L.E.T. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE LATEST STATE OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS? >> YES, SO THE LPGA COMMISSIONER SENT A LETTER TO THE PLAYERS EARLIER THIS MONTH THAT SHED A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT ON WHY THERE
WAS SUCH AN ABRUPT REVERSAL. THESE PLAYERS WALKED INTO THE SEASON ENDING EVENT IN SPAIN AND EXPECTED TO VOTE AND THEN WERE TOLD AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE, NEVER MIND, AND ESSENTIALLY AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE GOLF SAUDI REQUESTED MORE INFORMATION WAS THE OFFICIAL LINE THAT THEY
WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE INS AND OUTS OF HOW THIS WOULD IMPACT ON THIS POTENTIAL MERGER. BUT WE ALL KNOW THIS WASN’T A LAST-MINUTE THING. AS YOU SAID THIS WAS POSTPONED AT THE END OF 2022. THESE TWO TOURS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE MERGER AND THE
DETAILS FOR A LONG TIME. GOLF SAUDI SAID BEFORE WE FINALIZE OUR EVENTS FOR THE 2024 SCHEDULE, WE NEED TO TAKE A PAUSE ON THIS VOTE. THE PAUSE IS AN INDEFINITE ONE. THE PLAYERS HAVE NO IDEA, I DON’T EVEN THINK THE TOUR HAS ANY IDEA WHEN THEY MIGHT VOTE
AGAIN. PERHAPS IT MIGHT COME AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, BUT THE REALITY IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR POWER MOVE THAT WE’VE SEEN GOLF SAUDI MAKE IN THE WOMEN’S SPACE IN TERMS OF CALLING SOMETHING OFF IN A BIG WAY AND ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW,
THREATENING TO NOT HOLD THEIR EVENTS, AND SO THE LETTER WENT ON TO SAY YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP IS STILL IN A GOOD PLACE AS EVIDENCED BY THE SCHEDULE, ALL THOSE EVENTS ARE ON THE 2024 SCHEDULE FOR THE L.E.T., SO A LOT OF QUESTION
MARKS. >> BETH ANN, TENNIS IS HAVING A SIMILAR DISCUSSION. YOU HAVE CHRIS EVERT AND MARTINA NAVRATILOVA SAYING DON’T ENGAGE BECAUSE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES AND BILLIE JEAN KING IS SAYING YOU HAVE TO ENGAGE TO OPEN MINDS AND HAVE CHANGE HAPPEN. DO YOU THINK THE CONVERSATIONS
ARE SIMILAR INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM OF THE LPGA, MORE AMENABLE TO THOSE DISCUSSIONS, OR ARE THERE MORE CONCERNS ABOUT WOMEN’S RIGHTS? >> YOU KNOW, I DON’T HEAR AS MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WOMEN’S RIGHTS AS YOU WOULD THINK. IT’S MORE ABOUT MONEY AND OPPORTUNITY AND WHAT DOES THIS
MEAN FOR LONG-TERM SPONSORS FOR THE TOUR. IT’S LESS OF AN ETHICAL CONVERSATION, I THINK, FOR MANY PLAYERS AND MORE OF A PRACTICAL ONE. AND I THINK THERE’S SOME CONCERN THAT IF WE DO PUT ALL OF OUR EGGS IN THE SAUDI BASKET, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN GOING FORWARD?
IF THE SAUDIS COME IN AND HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL ON THE LPGA, WHAT ARE OTHER TITLE SPONSORS GOING TO THINK ABOUT THAT? HOW MANY MIGHT DROP OUT FROM AN APPEARANCE SAKE EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT DO BUSINESS IN SAUDI ARABIA? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO HAVE
THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION? SO, YOU KNOW, IT’S REALLY MURKY AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S NO DIFFERENT THAN THE MEN’S GAME IN MANY WAYS IN THAT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO MONEY. WHAT IS DIFFERENT, THOUGH, IS THAT I DON’T KNOW THAT THESE
TOURS COULD SURVIVE, SHOULD THEY GO FULL IN WITH THE SAUDIS AND THE SAUDIS CHANGE THEIR MINDS IN FIVE YEARS, THREE YEARS, WHAT’S LEFT? >> EVEN IF THEY DON’T CHANGE THEIR MIND THERE’S THE REPUTATIONAL QUESTION AS WELL. AMY, ON THIS IDEA OF THE
SCHEDULE, WE JUST HAD A COUPLE OF HOT WEEKS ON THE LPGA TOUR SCHEDULE WITH LYDIA WINNING, NELLY IN THE PLAYOFF YESTERDAY. NOW THEY’RE TAKING A FEW WEEKS OFF, A FTHREE-WEEK SWING IN ASI THAT SOME STAY AWAY FROM BECAUSE OF TRAVEL REASONS. IT’S ALMOST TWO MONTHS, END OF
MARCH, BEFORE WE GET BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION LAST YEAR. IS IT AN ISSUE AND IS IT FIXABLE? THEY HAVE A HUGE MARKET IN ASIA AS WELL. DOES IT HALT THE PRODUCT MOMENTUM IN ANY WAY IN YOUR MIND?
>> I THINK THE LPGA KNOWS IT’S A PROBLEM. WE HEARD MOLLIE MARCOUX SAMAAN THAT IT WAS A PRIORITY. THEY’VE TRIED TO DO THAT WITH ADDING THE SECOND STOP IN FLORIDA AFTER THE SEASON OPENER. BUT, TO YOUR POINT, GETTING GOING WITH THE TWO AMAZING WEEKS, THEY COULDN’T HAVE GOTTEN
OFF TO A BETTER START AND NOW A HALT IN MOMENTUM AS WE’RE GOING TO WAIT ANOTHER FOUR WEEKS BEFORE THE LPGA GETS GOING AGAIN, AND ONCE IT DOES, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WILL BE PLAYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH THE TIME DIFFERENCE.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES THE ACTION GETS LOST IN THE SHUFFLE FOR FANS AS WELL. THAT’S ALSO COMING OFF THE HEELS OF A VERY SHORT OFF-SEASON. THEY’VE ADDED THAT GRANT THORNTON INVITATIONAL IN LATE DECEMBER. I SPOKE TO LILIA VU AND OTHERS REMARKING JUST HOW SHORT THAT
TIME OFF WAS. LILIA VU SAYING SHE DIDN’T FEEL SHE HAD A LOT OF TIME TO REGROUP COMING INTO THE SEASON OPENER, SHE FELT STRESSED. WE’VE SEEN THAT IN HER RESULTS THROUGH THE FIRST TWO EVENTS OF THE YEAR. THE TOP-RANKED PLAYER HAS BEEN A NONFACTOR, HASN’T BEEN ABLE TO
BREAK 70 THROUGH THE FIRST TWO EVENTS OF THE YEAR. I THINK HAVING THAT EXTRA TIME, FINDING THAT RIGHT SORT OF BALANCE AND CADENCE WITH HAVING TIME OFF AND THEN GETTING THE SCHEDULE GOING ON A MORE REGULAR
