Writers’ roundtable: Top storylines for 2024 LPGA Tour season | Golf Today | Golf Channel

Karen Stupples and Paige Mackenzie join the Golf Today Writers’ Roundtable to discuss the biggest storylines to follow in the upcoming 2024 LPGA season, including Rose Zhang, Lilia Vu and Tour sponsorships. #GolfChannel #GolfToday #RoseZhang #LiliaVu
» Subscribe to Golf Channel: https://www.youtube.com/golfchannel?sub_confirmation=1
» For the latest news around golf: https://www.nbcsports.com/golf

Welcome to Golf Channel’s official YouTube channel. We are the #1 destination for everything golf – 24/7. Find golf instruction tips, sneak peeks to our original series, news and tournament coverage. We are part of the NBC Sports Group.

Discover what else Golf Channel has to offer:
Live Coverage on Peacock: https://peacocktv.smart.link/v82e9dl56
Live Scores: http://bit.ly/GCScores
TV Schedule: https://www.nbcsports.com/watch/schedule
Instructional Tips: https://www.golfpass.com/learn
Golf Course Reviews: http://bit.ly/GCCourseReviews

Writers’ roundtable: Top storylines for 2024 LPGA Tour season | Golf Today | Golf Channel
https://www.youtube.com/golfchannel?sub_confirmation=1

>> Announcer: “GOLF TODAY.” >>> ANOTHER HOUR OF “GOLF TODAY” ON A MONDAY, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY. DAMON HACK ALONGSIDE EAMON LYNCH, “GOLF WEEK” MAGAZINE. WE’VE GOT GOLF GOING ON ALL OVER THE WORLD, TOURS BACK IN ACTION. IT’S A FUN, FUN TIME OF THE YEAR

BUT RIGHT NOW I WANT TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON THE LPGA. I WANT TO LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE MARQUEE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE DURING LAST YEAR’S LPGA SEASON, 2023. IT WAS A LOT TO TAKE IN. HOW ABOUT LILIA VU? DO YOU REMEMBER HER FIRST MAJOR

IN THE CHEVRON? UCLA LILIA VU CAPTURED HER FIRST MAJOR TITLE, WOULD LATER WIN HER SECOND MAJOR AT THE AIG WOMEN’S OPEN. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT A COMMAND PERFORMANCE. >> TALK ABOUT COMMAND PERFORMANCES, ROSE ZHANG WON HER FIRST LPGA TITLE JUST ACROSS THE RIVER FROM MANHATTAN AT LIBERTY

NATIONAL GOLF CLUB. >> SHOT 82 AT LIBERTY. THE VERY NEXT MONTH AT PEBBLE BEACH ALISYN CORPUZ BROKE OUT IN A MAJOR WAY WINNING THE U.S. OPEN BY THREE SHOTS, ONE OF THE MOST HEFRKT GOLF COURSES IN THE WORLD. >> LATER THAT MONTH IT WAS A

PICTURE PERFECT HOMECOMING FOR CELINE BOUTIER AT THE EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP IN HER HOME COUNTRY OF FRANCE SHE WON BY SIX STROKES. >> HOW ABOUT THE FALL? PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING SOLHEIM CUPS IN COMPETITION? CELINE WAS THERE IN FRONT OF A RAUCOUS SPANISH CROWD.

TEAM USA AND TEAM EUROPE IN A 14-14 TIE. AFTER ALL WAS SAID AND DONE BECAUSE EUROPE HAD WON THE PREVIOUS CUP THE U.S. OFFICIALLY RETAINED THE CUP IN 2023. >> SEASON FINALE REFERENCE AMY YANG WINNING HER FIFTH LPGA TOUR TITLE AT THE GME CHAMPIONSHIP.

TOOK HOME A CHECK FOR $2 MILLION. >> VERY NICE. SOME OF THE 2024 SEASON KICKS OFF THIS WEEK IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA. FORMER HOME TILTON GRAND VACATIONS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS. FOR THIS EVENT TOUR WINNERS FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF SEASONS PAIR UP WITH BIG-TIME SPORTS OR

ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRITIES. FIRST-ROUND COVERAGE BEGINS 1:00 P.M. EASTERN ON THURSDAY. >> HERE IS AN OVERVIEW OF THAT SCHEDULE FOR 2024. 35 EVENTS. THE TOUR WILL MAKE A STOP IN 15 DIFFERENT STATES, 10 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. $118 MILLION, HIGHEST IN TOUR HISTORY. AND 16 OF THOSE TOURNAMENTS WILL

HAVE PURSES OF AT LEAST $3 MILLION. TO PREVIEW THE SEASON WE WANT TO BRING TOGETHER PEOPLE WHO SPEND MORE TIME COVERING THE LPGA TOUR PRETTY MUCH THAN ANYONE ELSE. OUR OWN PAIGE McKENZIE AND MAJOR CHAMPION KAREN STUPPLES. KAREN, I WANT TO START WITH YOU ON ROSE ZHANG.

SHE WAS SUCH A STORY FOR SO LONG IN 2023. THERE WAS SO MUCH ANTICIPATION OF WHAT SHE WOULD ACCOMPLISH, AND SHE WINS HER FIRST START. BUT SHE’S ONLY HAD ONE TOP TEN IN HER LAST TEN STARTS. IS THIS WHAT YOU EXPECTED, A KIND OF PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT AS

SHE REALIZES HOW TOUGH THE PRO LIFE ACTUALLY IS? >> I THINK SHE EVEN SAYS AS MUCH HERSELF. I’VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH HER ABOUT THAT VERY SAME THING. AND I THINK THE BIGGEST SHOCK TO HER SYSTEM WAS THE AMOUNT OF TRAVEL THAT THE LPGA TOUR HAD.

GETTING FROM POINT A TO POINT B, THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT, THERE’S NO HAVING A WEEK OFF, GOING BACK TO CLASS. YOU’RE LITERALLY MOVING ON TO THE NEXT TOURNAMENT SITE. THERE’S VERY LITTLE REST TIME. FOR HER SHE’S SUPER ACCOMMODATING TOO WHEN IT COMES

TO MEDIA, INTERVIEWS, WITH HER FANS AS WELL. SO SHE’S TAKING A LOT ON BOARD. IN A VERY SHORT SPACE OF TIME. THROWN INTO THE SOLHEIM CUP AS WELL. AND I THINK IT’S BEEN A VERY QUICK ADJUSTMENT FOR HER INTO THE LIFE OF A TOUR PRO.

I THINK SHE’S HAD A GOOD BIT OF TIME OFF NOW, AND I THINK SHE’LL KNOW THIS COMING YEAR WHAT’S AHEAD FOR HER. >> THE SOLHEIM CUP AND THROWN ON THE COVER OF GOLF DIGEST MAGAZINE IN THE OCTOBER-NOVEMBER ISSUE, A WONDERFUL ARTICLE ON THE POTENTIAL OF THIS PLAYER AND

THE TALENT SHE ALREADY HAS. PAIGE, CAN SHE BE THE FACE OF THIS TOUR IN TERMS OF HER MARKETABILITY? THE TOUR ALWAYS LOOKING ACROSS SPORTS, NAME YOUR SPORT, LOOKING FOR SUPERSTARS. >> I THINK SHE COULD BRING IN A MAINSTREAM AUDIENCE BECAUSE I THINK HER STORY’S COMPELLING.

SHE WAS A PRODIGY, PLAYED INCREDIBLE AMATEUR GOLF, IS A WELL-KNOWN NAME AMONGST THE GOLF COMMUNITY. SO CERTAINLY THERE’S A POTENTIAL THAT SHE COULD CONTINUE TO STRETCH THE CIRCLE GREATER FOR WOMEN’S GOLF. BUT I JUST WANT TO PIGGYBACK ALSO OFF WHAT KAREN WAS STAYING

ABOUT HER TRAVEL SCHEDULE AND BEING HARD ON MAYBE HER MOST RECENT RESULTS. BUT SHE PLAYED 14 LPGA EVENTS, 15 WORLDWIDE, AND OF THOSE 15 EVENTS IT TOOK PLACE IN EIGHT DIFFERENT COUNTRIES PLUS HONG KONG. SHE WASN’T JUST TRAVELING WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT.

SHE WAS TRAVELING ALL OVER THE WORLD IN THAT MAY TO NOVEMBER STRETCH. SO I’M LOOKING AT ROSE ZHANG FOR POTENTIALLY, YES, SHE GOT HER FEET WET, WILL BE UNDER HER GETTING READY FOR THIS 2024 SEASON. I DON’T KNOW IF SHE HAS THE KIND

OF APPEAL IN HER GOLF GAME WITH — SHE DOESN’T HAVE THAT OVERWHELMING STRENGTH AND POWER WHICH YOU TYPICALLY LOOK AT FOR A DOMINANT FIGURE, SOMEONE THAT’S REALLY POPULAR DOES SOMETHING THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN’T DO. ROSE ZHANG MAKES JUST GOLF LOOK

EASY BECAUSE SHE DOES IT WELL BUT NOT IN A SUPERHUMAN WAY. >> PAIGE, TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO MADE GOLF LOOK EASY LAST YEAR, LILIA VU AND — WHAT DO YOU THINK IS A REASONABLE EXPECTATION FOR THEM TORE 2024? BECAUSE THERE’S GOT TO BE A

CERTAIN WEIGHT OF EXPECTATION UPON THEM AND HOW DO YOU FOLLOW A SEASON LIKE THAT? >> I’LL START WITH LILIA VU BECAUSE I THINK SHE WAS INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE COME THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON. WENT THROUGH A DOWN PERIOD AFTER WINNING CHEVRON AND FOUND HER WAY.

PLAYED WITH INCREDIBLE CONFIDENCE AT AIG TO CAP OFF THAT SECOND MAJOR TITLE AND THEN DIDN’T STOP THERE BY PICKING UP ANOTHER ONE AT THE END OF THE SEASON. I WAS IMPRESSED WITH HOW SHE PERFORMED. AND THE LEVEL OF POISE GOING THROUGH THAT TRANSITION TO

BECOME A NUMBER ONE PLAYER IN THE WORLD, TO BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT, SHE SEEMED TO HANDLE IT VERY WELL EVEN AFTER THAT LITTLE BIT BUMP IN THE ROAD. I ALWAYS LOOK AT HOW PEOPLE RESPOND TO TOUGH MOMENTS AND THE

WAY SHE RESPONDED TO FINISH HER YEAR TELLS ME SHE’S GOING TO BE HERE TO STAY FOR QUITE SOME TIME. RUONING YIN IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING PLAYERS TO WATCH. SHE’S GOT A YOUTHFUL EXUBERANCE. SHE REMINDS ME OF A YOUNG YANE SEN. THE WAY SHE PLAYS THE GAME.

AND I SAY THAT INTENTIONALLY. SHE PLAYS THE GAME. IT DOESN’T FEEL STRATEGIC. IT DOESN’T FEEL TECHNICAL. IT DOESN’T FEEL MANUFACTURED. IT FEELS LIKE SHE PLAYS GOLF. AND FOR ME AS A FAN OF THE GAME I LOVE TO WATCH THAT. >> KAREN, A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY

IN THE MEN’S GAME, WHAT THE FUTURE OF PRO GOLF WILL LOOK LIKE. IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LPGA TO TELL BETTER STORIES, TO ELEVATE THEIR PLAYERS WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE ELEVATED PURSES AND THE WONDERFUL VENUES THAT THE WOMEN ARE COMPETING ON THESE DAYS?

>> I THINK THAT’S A REALLY BROAD SUBJECT AND I’M SURE THE PRODUCERS ARE GOING TO GET MAD IF I GO INTO THIS REALLY IN DEPTH. BUT IN ALL HONESTY, YES, THE VENUES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HISTORICAL VALUE TO THEM WHERE THE PLAYERS

CAN TEST THEIR GAME AGAINST SHOTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE MEN PLAY. SO I THINK THAT’S IMPORTANT. THE PURSES INCREASING, THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT ADDS PERCEIVED VALUE TO WOMEN’S GOLF. IF THEY’RE PLAYING FOR A BIG PURSE, THE PEOPLE CASUALLY TUNING IN SAY WELL, THIS

ACTUALLY MATTERS. BUT THE CORPORATIONS THAT ARE SPONSORING THESE PLAYERS AND THESE TOURNAMENTS SEE VALUE IN WHAT THEY WATCH. AND THEREFORE, I’M GOING TO HAVE VALUE IN WHAT I’M WATCHING TOO. AND I THINK THAT IS ALL A REALLY GOOD THING. AND WITH REGARD, YOU KNOW, TO

TRYING TO CAPITALIZE ON THE PGA TOUR I THINK THERE IS DEFINITELY A LITTLE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY OPENING UP THERE. I THINK THE LPGA TOUR IS A VERY PURE PRODUCT RIGHT NOW. IT’S NOT REALLY SEEN THROUGH THE SAME EYES AS MEN’S GOLF IS AT

THE MOMENT IN TERMS OF YOU HAVE LIV AND YOU HAVE THE PGA TOUR AND THERE’S THIS BIG FIGHT GOING ON BETWEEN THE TWO AND ARE THEY GOING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT OR ARE THEY NOT. THE LPGA DOESN’T HAVE THAT. AND I THINK ALMOST THE FACT THAT

THEY HAVE THAT KIND OF ARE THEY GOING TO COME TO AN ARRANGEMENT HAS KIND OF TAKEN HEAT OFF THE LPGA TOUR A LITTLE BIT, HAS GIVEN THE LPGA A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO BREATHE, TO FIND THEIR FEET AND TO MOVE FORWARD IN A

REALLY GOOD, CLEAN WAY. >> FOLLOWING ON THAT, I’M CURIOUS IF YOU SEE OPPORTUNITY HERE BECAUSE WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT SPONSORS WHO MIGHT NOT STAY WITH THE PGA TOUR BECAUSE THE VALUE PROPOSITION DOESN’T WORK AS WELL ANYMORE. THEY’RE BEING ASKED TO PUT IN A

LOT MORE MONEY FOR THE SAME PRODUCT. IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LPGA TOUR TO SAY WE’RE HERE, WE ARE A VALUE PROPOSITION? >> WITHOUT QUESTION. HOWEVER, ONE OF THE LESSONS I LEARNED AS A TOUR MEMBER WAS UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATION OF THE SPONSOR.

AND A LOT OF TIMES THE PGA TOUR SPONSORS AND THE LPGA TOUR SPONSORS DO NOT ALIGN IN THEIR SAME MOTIVATION. LPGA TOUR SPONSORS TYPICALLY — OR LPGA TOURNAMENTS TYPICALLY ARE MADE IN SMALLER MARKETS. THEY HAVE MORE OF A COMMUNITY ATMOSPHERE WHERE THEY’RE

CREATING A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR POTENTIALLY — I’M THINKING OF DOW, FOR EXAMPLE. THEIR HOME BASE IS A SMALL COMMUNITY. THEY WANT TO HAVE AN ACTIVITY, AN ENVIRONMENT THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES CAN BE PART OF. THINGS LIKE THAT MOTIVATE A COMPANY LIKE DOW.

A PGA TOUR SPONSOR MAY LOOK FOR MORE TELEVISION EYEBALLS. THEY WANT A GREATER AUDIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE THE LPGA MAYBE HAS A GREATER ASIAN TELEVISION AUDIENCE. THAT’S WHY LPGA SPONSORS GET INVOLVED. CERTAINLY THE OPPORTUNITY’S THERE, WHY WOULD YOU NOT GO AFRP

PGA SPONSORS THAT ARE LEAVING THE PGA TOUR IF THEY WANT TO STAY IN SPORTS MARKETING, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. BUT DO KNOW A LOT OF TIMES THE VENUES AND THE WAY THESE SPONSORS — WHAT THEY’RE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THEIR ENDORSEMENT

OR SPONSORSHIP MIGHT BE DIFFERENT. >> CERTAINLY A COMPLEX SERIES OF DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE HERE. KAREN, BEFORE WE GO I WANTED TO ASK YOU ONE QUESTION. WHO IS TRENDING UNDER THE RADAR HERE FOR 2024? WHO ARE YOU EXPECTING A BREAKOUT YEAR FROM AND WHY IS IT GABY RUSSELL?

>> SHE’S GOT TO BE ONE OF THE FAVORITES TO COME OUT AND MAKE A REALLY BIG SPLASH THIS YEAR. WITH THE THREE EPISODON TOUR WINS. NOT ONLY IS SHE MENTALLY TOUGH GIVEN THE FACT SHE MISSED GETTING HER LPGA CARD BECAUSE SHE REALLY FORGOT TO PUT IN HER

APPLICATION AND HAD TO GO PLAY ON THE OEPS EPISODON TOEPSON TO. BUT SHE HAS THE WHOLE PACKAGE, THE MENTAL TOUGHNESS SIDE OF IT AND ALSO THE TALENT PHYSICALLY TO REALLY COMPETE ON THE LPGA TOUR. I CAN’T WAIT TO WATCH HER PLAY. >> SAME.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COVERAGE THIS WEE