The post ‘One stupid mistake’: Nelly Korda’s short 3-putt dooms comeback LPGA victory appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘One stupid mistake’: Nelly Korda’s short 3-putt dooms comeback LPGA victory appeared first on Golf.

Nelly Korda’s adventurous start to the 2026 LPGA Tour season continued this weekend. On Sunday, the World No. 2 threw away a comeback rally with a late 3-putt from short range in the final round to lose the 2026 Fortinet Founders Cup by one shot.

Technically, Korda ended a lengthy win drought at the first LPGA tournament of the season. But that victory came in controversial fashion (more on that below). A win Sunday in a full 72-hole event would have silenced any critics doubting her ability to rise back to World No. 1.

But as has happened often to Korda in recent years, some squirrelly play down the stretch doomed her chances.

Korda misses 3-foot putt to lose Fortinet Founders Cup

At the start of Sunday’s final round at the Founders Cup, Korda may not have had a victory in mind. Though she sat in second place, she was a distant five shots behind 54-hole leader Hyo Joo Kim.

That dynamic changed in a hurry.

After an early bogey at the 2nd hole, Korda blitzed the rest of Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club’s front nine with five birdies. After a sixth birdie at the par-5 10th hole, Korda had completely erased the five-shot deficit.

With eight holes to play, Korda and Kim were knotted at 17 under. Despite making a bogey at 16, Kim had re-taken the lead by one shot by the time the final pairing reached the par-3 17th hole.

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Heading into 17, Korda had made four-straight pars as she watched Kim begin to struggle. When Korda found the 17th green with her tee shot and Kim missed long, it looked as if Korda would at least tie the lead, if not take the lead, heading into the final hole.

That’s when things went haywire.

Korda’s birdie putt missed and left her with about a three-foot putt for par. Meanwhile, Kim hit a heroic chip from deep rough to set up a par putt of her own from a similar length.

Kim hit first and drained it for a tournament-saving par. Then Korda stepped up and made her stroke, only to watch her ball glide by the low side without touching the cup. The miss drew an audible gasp from an analyst on the Golf Channel broadcast.

The disastrous short miss handed Korda a 3-putt bogey, dropping her two shots back heading to 18.

Kim ended up making bogey on the closing par-5, but Korda could only manage a par, which gave Kim a one-shot victory and Korda another near-miss.

After the round, Korda rued her “one stupid mistake” on 17 and said the 3-putt “stings,” but she also tried to take some positives from the experience.

“Obviously, something like 17 stings, so it is what it is. I felt great all day. I just kind of made one stupid mistake, and that was 17 (and then) 18,” Korda said Sunday night. “I wish I could have hit that drive into the fairway and given myself a better opportunity to press a little bit more.”

She continued: “That’s just golf. Those are sports. Sometimes it’s on your side, and sometimes it’s not.”

Nelly Korda’s controversial win in rain-shortened LPGA event

Korda’s unfortunate loss comes on the heels of a victory in her first start of the season. But the situation surrounding that victory, the 16th LPGA win of her career, was anything but normal.

At the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in late January, the LPGA’s first tournament of the season, freezing temperatures hampered play.

When Sunday rolled around, some players hadn’t yet finished their third rounds. After initially planning to play the final round with a delayed start to let the course thaw out, LPGA officials controversially decided to cancel the final round and shorten the event to 54 holes.

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A Saturday 64 had left Korda with a three-shot lead heading into Sunday, so when the tournament was called, Korda was officially given the victory. It was her first LPGA win since 2024.

But the decision came amid controversy. Korda was prepping on the range when the final round was canceled and called the course “playable” at the time.

LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam said, “I don’t know why they’re not playing,” while Korda’s competitor Lydia Ko, who was in fourth place, said, “I’m gutted that we don’t get to play tomorrow.”

In a memo to LPGA members the next day obtained by GOLF, LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler apologized for the controversial finish to the Tournament of Champions, writing in part, “While the decision was a tough one and ran counter to prior statements we shared, I made a judgement call. With the benefit of hindsight, there were clearly other ways we should have managed the situation.”

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The post The 12 most memorable wins of 2025 appeared first on Golf.

The post The 12 most memorable wins of 2025 appeared first on Golf.

The 2025 season was chock-full of highlights, from Rory McIlroy’s completion of the career Grand Slam at the Masters and Scottie Scheffler’s two major wins to Jeeno Thitikul’s title defense at the CME Group Tour Championship, where she cemented her status as the LPGA’s new queen.

In all, the PGA Tour crowned winners in 46 official tournaments in 2025, while the LPGA had 32. Which victories emerged as the year’s most memorable? Check out our favorite season highlights below.

Rory’s Grand Slam

It feels impossible to top the magnitude and emotional relevance of McIlroy’s Masters win, where there were so many factors in play: the fact that McIlroy hadn’t won a major in 11 years; that he had endured a soul-crushing defeat at Augusta in 2011; that he had experienced a more recent soul-crushing defeat at 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, when two short missed putts down the stretch derailed his chances of winning. The list goes on!

Then, with victory looming on Sunday at the 2025 Masters, late missteps put his triumph in doubt yet again, with a double-bogey on 13 and a bogey on 18 dropping him into a sudden-death playoff with Justin Rose.

The stakes simply could not be higher. McIlroy’s birdie to win — and the cathartic outpouring of emotion he displayed on the green in the aftermath — made for some of the most dramatic and emotionally-charged viewing of the year.

J.J. Spaun’s long bomb at the U.S. Open

Heading into the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, J.J. Spaun had only one win on his resume. But during a rainy major week, he overcame a five-bogeys-in-the-first-six-holes start to the final round, using a mid-round weather delay to his advantage.

Spaun reset to go three under par on the back nine, punctuated by clutch birdies on 17 and a show-stopping 64-foot bomb for birdie that dropped on the 18th, which ultimately sealed his victory.

The putt was so epic, even Spaun’s closest competitors, Robert MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton, couldn’t help but laud the winner.

Keegan Bradley’s Travelers Championship glory

Keegan Bradley’s Ryder Cup captaincy just so happened to coincide with some of the best golf of his life.

The now 39-year-old’s game started ramping up in late 2022, when he won the ZOZO, ending a four-year win drought. He then won the 2023 Travelers Championship and 2024 BMW Championship, making a serious case for a scenario in which he could pick himself for his own Ryder Cup team.

Bradley posted four top-eight finishes over the course of the first five months in 2025. The came June’s Travelers Championship, when Bradley caught fire with his putting during the final round, draining three long bombs of 16, 64, and 37 feet, which set up a clutch six-footer on the final hole that Bradley also drained to win the tournament by one stroke over Tommy Fleetwood (who was still seeking his maiden PGA Tour victory at the time) and Russell Henley.

The win made Bradley’s worthiness as a Ryder Cup captain’s pick seem like a lock, but he ultimately declined to pick himself.

Cam Young wins the Wyndham

Until this year, Cameron Young was frequently named as one of the Tour’s best players without a win.

The 28-year-old had come close an excruciating seven times prior to August’s Wyndham Championship.

Then, it was finally Young’s time. He glided to a wire-to-wire victory by an impressive six shots over Mac Meissner.

The win was also an opportune time to shine, putting his name front-and-center for U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley. Young got the nod as a captain’s pick and was a standout for the U.S. team at Bethpage, going 3-1-0.

Tommy Fleetwood’s breakthrough

Like Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood suffered a number of near-misses in his quest to win his first PGA Tour tournament (though Fleetwood did have an impressive list of victories on his DP World Tour resume).

With six PGA Tour runner-ups to his name, including the heartbreaking loss to Bradley at the Travelers Championship mentioned above, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before Fleetwood would experience his breakthrough. And sure enough, his time quickly came, as his three-shot victory at the Tour Championship over Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley sealed the deal on his maiden PGA Tour title — and earned him a sweet $10 million winner’s check too.

Lottie Woad wins the Scottish Open in pro debut

A former World No. 1 on the amateur circuit, Woad is accustomed to claiming big wins. She has an Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship on her resume, as well as a win at the Ladies European Tour’s Irish Open, which she achieved while still an amateur.

But when Woad cruised to a three-shot victory at the Women’s Scottish Open, it elevated her into even more rarefied air. The win was an incredible achievement on its own, but exponentially more so when you consider it was the 21-year-old’s pro debut, matching Rose Zhang’s achievement in 2023.

Jeeno prevails after four-putt devastation

While Jeeno Thitikul’s CME Group Tour win would be a worthy entry on this list, her bounce-back from a crushing loss to Charley Hull after four-putting the 18th green feels even more significant.

In a season that saw record parity on the LPGA Tour, with 29 different winners, Thitikul was looking to become the first two-time winner of the season coming down the stretch at September’s Kroger Queen City Classic. Victory appeared to be within her grasp, but a shocking four-putt on the 18th hole meant the title went to Hull instead.

Thitikul said later that she cried so much over the loss that she needed to apply an ice pack to her face. Then she took a week off to regroup in Banff, Canada, without her clubs.

Mentally restored, Thitikul won her next start, the LPGA Shanghai. Thitikul eagled the 17th hole in the final round to force a playoff, and she ultimately prevailed on the fifth playoff hole against Japan’s Minami Katsu. The win made Thitikul the first player to reach two wins all season — a feat matched by Miyu Yamashita three weeks later. But Thitikul’s season-finale CME Group Tour Championship victory in November three weeks after that made her the only three-time winner of the year.

Hovland’s ‘disgusting shots’

When Viktor Hovland won back-to-back titles at the BMW Championship and Tour Championship in 2023, he seemed unstoppable. But golf is a fickle game, and Hovland was winless on the PGA Tour in 2024.

He didn’t get off to a great start in 2025 either, missing three cuts in a row at the Genesis, Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship before arriving at the Valspar.

Hovland started the final round trailing Justin Thomas, but birdied three of his final five holes to edge Thomas by one shot.

Despite the surprise victory, Hovland remained memorably unimpressed with the state of his game.

“It’s unbelievable to see that I could win,” Hovland said. “Because I honestly did not believe that I could do it this week.

“I am still hitting a lot of disgusting shots.”

Justin Rose’s resurgence

At 45 years old, Justin Rose is an elder statesman on the PGA Tour, but he continually proves he can hang with the young guns — like in August, when the World No. 10 claimed a wire-to-wire victory at the FedEx St. Jude.

Tied in regulation with U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun, Rose beat Spaun in a playoff with a birdie on the third hole to claim his 12th career PGA Tour victory, and first since the 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Justin Thomas snaps drought in playoff at RBC

With 15 PGA Tour wins over the last decade, JT has been one of the most consistently excellent players on Tour. But after his second major championship win at the 2022 PGA, Thomas embarked on a nearly three-year win drought — the longest of his career.

Prior to the RBC Heritage, Thomas had posted four top-nine finishes, including two runner-ups. But victory had remained elusive. Then, things turned around at Harbour Town. Thomas tied with Andrew Novak in regulation, and drained a 20-foot birdie putt to win the tournament on the first playoff hole, giving him his 16th career win — and a serious boost in confidence for the remainder of the season.

Scottie’s third major

Which of Scottie Scheffler’s two major victories was the most memorable in 2025? He won them both by impressive margins — five shots at the PGA and four at the Open Championship. But the PGA resonates — especially given the circumstances of last year’s PGA Championship, where Scheffler was shockingly arrested.

The win at the 2025 PGA was yet another impressive example of Scheffler’s dominance and resilience. And now, after his triumph at the Open Championship, he’s one U.S. Open win away from becoming the seventh player ever to achieve the career Grand Slam. And something tells us he won’t be stopping there.

Ryder Cup chaos

We’ll end this fond season-long remembrance with a look back at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, which was so full of compelling storylines that it’s hard to know where to start.

From captain Keegan Bradley’s yearning for redemption and the crowd’s unruly behavior to the Europeans’ early dominance and the nail-biting U.S. comeback in Sunday singles, the 2025 Ryder Cup, which Team Europe won by a margin of 15-13 — is one we won’t soon forget.

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The post This LPGA pro took up painting 9 months ago. Turns out, she’s a natural appeared first on Golf.

The post This LPGA pro took up painting 9 months ago. Turns out, she’s a natural appeared first on Golf.

Jane Park’s life changed forever in July 2021.

That’s when her 10-month-old daughter, Grace, was rushed to the hospital, suffering from seizures and brain swelling.

Grace was ultimately diagnosed with refractory epilepsy, and the brain damage she suffered necessitated around-the-clock care. Suddenly, Park went from 15-year LPGA Tour veteran to full-time caregiver, alongside her husband, Pete.

In the years since Grace’s diagnosis, Park has documented on social media the grief, frustration and small victories of Grace’s journey. She returned to play a final tournament on the LPGA Tour, the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, in 2023, and later that year received the LPGA’s Heather Farr Perseverance Award. In 2022, Pete had begun caddying for Hye-Jin Choi, who has two runner-up finishes this year and is ranked sixth on the CME points list heading into this week’s season’s finale.

Park isn’t onsite in Naples, Fla. this week — but her paintings are, which is wildly impressive given Park didn’t pick up a paintbrush until February of this year.

In honor of the LPGA’s 75th anniversary, Park created original commemorative artwork which will be used for several purposes, including giveaways and as gifts with ticket purchases.

“We were looking for a creative way to celebrate the end of our 75th anniversary season,” said Christina Lance, the LPGA’s director of communications. “Jane’s art caught our eye, and we loved the connection with a former player.”

Park turned to painting as a “getaway,” she said, and honed her stroke in the most relatable of ways.

“You can learn anything on YouTube nowadays,” she told me with a laugh earlier this week. “I looked up simple landscaping, pictures that I could draw, and there’s a bunch of tutorials online where it gives you, step by step, how to mix colors, and which brushes to use. And it was really a great thing for me to discover, just so that I can kind of shut my brain off, and just literally do something that is step by step. And the end creation is often very pretty. So I really enjoyed the process and just getting to learn more about color theory and feeding my brain something different.”

In January, the LPGA will formally celebrate its 75th year with a pro-am at Pebble Beach, where Park’s artwork will be auctioned off with proceeds benefitting the LPGA Foundation.

Park used a molding medium on canvas for the green background of each piece, and acrylic paint. She divided the LPGA’s 75 years into four different time frames, with standout players representing each era.

“Obviously there are some very recognizable figures in golf, and I basically I chose a reference picture that might have decent shadowing, because that makes the figure pop off of the canvas,” Park said. “It was really hard to choose the ones that I did because there’s so many.”

For Park, making art has enhanced her life in previously unforeseen ways.

“It brought me a way to connect with people outside, even more so than with just talking about my daughter’s disability,” she said. “But also, I like painting things for people so that they feel seen.”

The effort Park puts into her artwork is tantamount to the energy she pours into other areas of her life — as a wife, daughter, friend and devoted mother to Grace.

“A labor of love,” she said.

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The post Damaged greens at LPGA event raise eyebrows. Here’s what happened appeared first on Golf.

The post Damaged greens at LPGA event raise eyebrows. Here’s what happened appeared first on Golf.

Only a handful of pictures trickled out over social media earlier this week — not nearly enough of a sample size to understand the totality of what LPGA players were facing in Shanghai.

But then the tournament started, the broadcast cameras turned on, highlight reels cut and sent to the world. Indeed, the greens at Qizhong Garden Golf Club are in rough shape. Probably the roughest you’ve seen in your time watching pro golf this year. (The following two pictures were snapped by a caddie in the field this week.)

In response to a GOLF.com inquiry, the LPGA released this statement:

We are aware of the course conditions at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. The golf course superintendent, tournament team and the LPGA rules officials have worked diligently against extreme heat conditions this season in preparation for this week’s event. We will continue to monitor the situation and care for the course appropriately throughout the week.

They’re right about extreme heat conditions. Typical high temperatures in Shanghai in September float between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. But this year, from the last week of August through the first week of October, Shanghai saw 23 days with a high of at least 95 degrees. 

What that heat has done to the greens isn’t totally clear from 6,000 miles away, but the visuals weren’t great from the first round of the event Thursday. Some areas are clearly baked dry and others show uneven surfaces. Some greens are so ravaged that it would seem difficult to find a place to cut the hole. 

This is the second time in the last month the LPGA has battled damage from Mother Nature. In September, the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship was shortened from 54 holes to just 18 — leading to its cancelation — after heavy thunderstorms made the course unplayable.

The shape of this week’s greens didn’t completely deter scoring, as 57 players still shot under par. Of the handful of top performers who conducted post-round press conferences, none were asked to talk about the greens, though Minjee Lee did reference them. 

“I feel like with how the greens are, the condition, I think I managed pretty well, to make, what, seven birdies,” she said. 

Lee was putting a positive spin on things through 18 holes. One of her birdie looks that didn’t fall was this one, from just nine feet, which she left one foot short.

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The post Insane LPGA streak continues this week. When will it end? appeared first on Golf.

The post Insane LPGA streak continues this week. When will it end? appeared first on Golf.

It can’t keep going forever … right? 

That’s what common sense, not to mention mathematics or years of golf history, would have you believe. And yet, another week has gone by, another LPGA tournament played, and yet another unique winner lifted the trophy. 

The LPGA Tour has hosted 26 events this season and all 26 have been won by different players. This week’s winner at the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii? Sponsor invite Youmin Hwang, who isn’t even an LPGA Tour member. And she won’t be an LPGA Tour member until 2026. She elected to defer her full membership benefits to next year. 

In the meantime, the streak goes on. All the way from A Lim Kim’s victory in February, through the majors season to now, eight months later. There was a Lydia Ko win, a Charley Hull win, victories from three Swedes, five Japanese players and a handful of Americans. World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul grabbed one, as expected, but not two. She’s finished second four times, including her last two starts, trying her best to nullify this streak but finding herself barely unsuccessful. 

What this streak ultimately means for the Tour is a bit of a Rorschach test. On one hand, 26 different winners shows an immense level of parity, which most sports leagues would love to see. On the other, without a clear, multi-time winner, not only do we not have a clue who should be considered the Player of the Year, but there isn’t a dominant star that places the LPGA in front of new audiences. (Coincidentally, 26 is the record for most unique winners in LPGA Tour history.)

Maybe the most stunning element of 26 different winners in 26 weeks is that Nelly Korda — last season’s 7-time winner — isn’t one of them. Korda hasn’t necessarily struggled this year; she just hasn’t played at the winning level we’ve come to expect. She admitted to nursing a few injuries that won’t quite go away, but will still be the favorite for anyone who wants this crazy streak to continue. 

For those who want 27 unique winners, the LPGA heads from Hawaii to Shanghai, China. Sei Young Kim, Ariya Jutanugarn, Nasa Hataoka and Gaby Lopez have had the most success this year and not broken through. 

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The post USGA launches new internship program with PGA Tour, Pebble Beach, other golf entities appeared first on Golf.

The post USGA launches new internship program with PGA Tour, Pebble Beach, other golf entities appeared first on Golf.

In its latest push to expand pathways into golf, the USGA announced a new internship program Wednesday in collaboration with eight other major golf entities, including the PGA Tour and LPGA.

The Pathways Launch program is designed to “widen the pipeline of golf’s future leaders,” according to a USGA press release. The three-month paid internship will take undergraduate and graduate students who have shown an aptitude for leadership and desire to work in golf or sports and place them into one of nine golf organizations, companies or resorts. The program will focus on leadership training, mentorship and developing hard skills.

“We can do more together than we can do alone, and we’re building on an already successful Pathways model to open opportunity to more people,” USGA CEO Mike Whan said in the release. “These rising professionals, each organization and ultimately the game all benefit from this next step forward, and we’re thankful that everyone involved has embraced its vision.”  

The program will place interns with companies that touch every aspect of golf, from merchandise and hospitality to professional tournaments and fan engagement.

Here are the nine entities participating in the Pathways Launch program:

Each intern will receive an hourly wage that is funded by the USGA and other participating organizations. Interns also can receive help with the cost of housing to open the door to applicants who would otherwise not apply. The internships will give students first-hand experience in the field and provide them with networking opportunities.

The Pathways Launch program was developed from the USGA’s Pathways Program, which launched in 2022 at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. It is the latest move in the USGA’s investment in growing the next generation of leadership in golf, with an eye on giving more golf-career opportunities to people from all backgrounds.

“The energy and interest in golf have never been higher, thanks to this incredible community of players, volunteers and fellow industry colleagues who work with us every day to introduce more people to the game,” said USGA president Fred Perpall. “It’s because of the success of these efforts that we can take one more step forward together and leave a legacy that will have lasting impact.”  

The applications for the Pathways Launch are now open and will close on Nov. 14. Finalists will be invited to a recruiting event at the USGA’s headquarters in Liberty Corner, N.J. The program will kick off at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club in early June.

Interested applicants can apply at the USGA’s career page here.

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The post Brooke Henderson’s epic home win continues insane LPGA streak appeared first on Golf.

The post Brooke Henderson’s epic home win continues insane LPGA streak appeared first on Golf.

In the minutes after her epic home-country win, Brooke Henderson admitted she wasn’t sure how she’d keep the party going.

“Honestly I don’t know,” she said. “But it’s so cool that I was able to celebrate with thousands of fans and family and friends. I’m just super excited that this actually happened. It’s like a dream come true again, and I mean, I don’t know what I’m doing next.

And then inspiration struck.

“But I might have a pop. I haven’t had pop in like, years. I might have one.”

“Pop” here meant “soda.” And while she was mulling breaking a years-long soda-free streak, she’d just busted a two-and-a-half year winless streak on the LPGA Tour with a wild home win at the CPKC Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Ontario.

Henderson’s win was hard-earned; she entered Sunday’s final round tied with World No. 4 Minjee Lee and fired four-under 67, one better than Lee’s 68. Both players excelled down the stretch, going shot-for-shot as they each played their final seven holes in three under par. The moment of the week came when Lee poured in a 13-footer for birdie at No. 17 and Henderson followed by making a 12-footer to maintain a one-stroke lead.

“She’s a great friend and she is a really tough competitor. I knew today was going to be really tough playing with her,” Henderson said.

The win was the 14th of Henderson’s career; she’s the winningest golfer in Canada’s history and now a two-time winner of her national open. Her last Canadian Open win came in 2018.

“To see the Canadian flags up and hear the National Anthem, to be able to sing the National Anthem after winning my national Open is just so cool,” she said. “I’ve been telling everybody for like a long time, it’s close, it’s close, it’s close. To finally break through again is just so exciting.”

While Henderson is one of the LPGA’s better-known players, her victory continues a ridiculous streak for the league: Through 22 events this season there have technically been 23 different winners, with no repeats and one two-player team tournament.

“That’s crazy. Yeah, that’s amazing,” Henderson said when asked about the record streak of nonrepeating winners. “I mean, I think the strength. The tour just continues to get stronger and stronger from players all around the world, too. There’s more country flags and more players from different countries coming out.

“So I think it just shows how strong it is and how difficult it is to win. Everything has to line up like perfectly to be able to win out here on Tour. I’m just happy that I could be one of those 23.

Henderson has shown signs of solid play throughout 2025 but hadn’t put it all together for a full week. She began the season just outside the top 20 in the world; this week she teed it up as World No. 58.

“This one I think might be the longest in between victories, so for that reason it makes it super special,” she said. “It’s like right up there near the top.”

As for the specifics around that pop?

“Either Sprite or Fanta orange. Those things are good. Maybe both,” she said.

Something sweet to match the taste of victory.

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The post A 15-year-old (!) leads the LPGA Tour event in her homeland appeared first on Golf.

The post A 15-year-old (!) leads the LPGA Tour event in her homeland appeared first on Golf.

Sometime soon, Aphrodite Deng will be worrying about her sophomore year of high school. Until then she has a much bigger assignment: contending in this week’s Canadian Open. 

Deng is just 15 years old but is tied atop the leaderboard after 18 holes at the CPKC Women’s Open, held in Ontario this week, in her homeland of Canada though still very far from where she was raised in Calgary. 

Deng shot a first-round 66, matched only by LPGA vets Megan Khang and Gaby Lopez, and found herself at the center of attention post-round. Peppered with questions about nerves, experience, playing in front of crowds, etc., Deng seemed mostly unbothered. 

“It’s really cool,” she said in an interview afterward. “Definitely something I’ve dreamed about.” 

On those crowds:

“Yeah, it feels nice. I like just try to stay focused around here.”

And what it felt like to see her name atop the leaderboards?

“I thought it was pretty cool, but I just knew I had to keep the same game plan.”

We’ll allow her to get comfortable in front of the cameras, but there will be plenty of those following her this weekend. We’re just one round in, of course, but you can forecast the conversation if she continues to hang around the top of the board. People will start to talk about how a 15-year-old did the same exact thing at the Canadian Open 13 years ago. That was the bespectacled Lydia Ko, in 2012, becoming the youngest player to ever win on the LPGA Tour. 

What followed in Ko’s career, given that launching point, isn’t that surprising. And with all due respect to weight of the weekend ahead of her, Deng has been rising almost just as rapidly. She has relocated to Florida to work on golf full-time, attending school online at ICL Academy. She works with coach Todd Anderson at TPC Sawgrass, and occasionally finds herself hitting balls in front of Anderson’s other pupil, Billy Horschel. 

Deng’s summer has included three amateur victories, notably at the Mizuho Americas Open — playing alongside Nelly Korda — and then the U.S. Girls Junior Championship in July. As the 22nd-ranked women’s am in the world, she’s been green-lit for golf stardom after joining Team Canada’s NextGen squad, a national program aimed at getting more Canadians on the PGA and LPGA Tours. 

All of which is to say, yeah, she’s got a future in the game. How bright will it be? We might get some clues this weekend in Canada. 

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The post LPGA vs. PGA: Whose bag should you really be copying? appeared first on Golf.

The post LPGA vs. PGA: Whose bag should you really be copying? appeared first on Golf.

Let’s start with the obvious: yes, PGA Tour players are freakishly good. They hit 7-irons 190+ yards, swing drivers north of 120 mph, and can hold a green with a 4-iron from 230 like they’re tossing darts. So naturally, a lot of amateur golfers (especially the guys) try to model their gear after the likes of Rory, Scottie or JT. 

But here’s the hard truth: for most of us, trying to copy a PGA Tour player’s setup is like putting racing slicks on a Camry and wondering why it’s not winning a NASCAR race. You’re not playing the same game, and you’re definitely not playing the same course.  

If you want to lower your scores, hit more greens, and actually enjoy the game, your set should probably look a lot more like an LPGA pro’s bag. 

Let’s talk yardages 

LPGA players tend to average between 230–260 yards off the tee. Sound familiar? That’s where most weekend warriors (especially average male golfers) live. PGA Tour pros? They’re out there nuking it 300+ and hitting wedges into par 4s you’re still pulling hybrid on. 

If you’re building a set to play smart, consistent golf from 6,200 yards, you want a bag designed to cover the same yardages you actually play, not some fantasy 7,400-yard championship layout in your head. I know I gave up on my Masters dream years ago. 

Loft is your friend 

PGA Tour players often use 8 to 10-degree drivers, 13.5 to 15-degree 3-woods, and irons that are bent strong enough to double as crowbars. That’s because they generate A LOT of speed and want to keep spin down. You? You’re probably trying to get the ball in the air and stop it on the green. That’s exactly what LPGA players are optimizing for. 

Fairway Woods

Check out a typical LPGA setup: 

– Driver: 10.5–12 degrees 

– 3-wood: 15–17 degrees (if they carry one) 

– 5- or 7-wood in the bag (sometimes both) 

– Hybrids starting at 4 or even 5 

– Irons from 6 or 7 down through wedges 

This setup prioritizes launch, forgiveness, and gapping that actually makes sense for human swing speeds. Sound familiar? It should. 

Hybrids are not a sign of weakness 

Here’s a fun stat: many LPGA players carry multiple hybrids. They hit them into par 5s, long par 3s and tight fairways with ease and confidence. You know who struggles to do that with a 3-iron or 4-iron? You. Me. Almost everyone. 

Gear

The average male golfer swings their driver around 90–95 mph. That puts their 4-iron in a sketchy range where it’s more of a guessing game than a reliable club. Hybrids cover those distances more consistently and launch the ball high enough to actually hold a green. 

Still think hybrids are for your grandpa? Newsflash: you’re probably not getting paid to shape a low draw around a tree from 220. But you can hit a hybrid that lands soft from that yardage and gives you a look at birdie. Or par, no judgement. 

Forgiveness beats flair 

Most PGA Tour irons are forged blades or small cavity-backs with thin toplines and zero offset. Beautiful? Sure. Useful for you? Not even a little. 

LPGA players, on the other hand, are more likely to use forgiving cavity-backs, especially in the longer irons. Some even use game-improvement or players-distance models that blend forgiveness and feel. You don’t have to apologize for choosing clubs that help you hit more greens and shoot lower scores. 

Would you rather have a pretty 6-iron in the bag you can’t hit, or one that puts you on the green twice as often? 

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Set composition that makes sense 

Let’s build a typical LPGA-style set that would suit most amateur male golfers beautifully: 

– Driver: 10.5–11.5 degrees (more loft = more launch and carry) 

– 3-wood: 15–16.5 degrees 

– 5-wood or 7-wood: 18–21 degrees 

– 4-hybrid, 5-hybrid (maybe even 6-hybrid) 

– Irons from 6 or 7-PW, cavity-back or players-distance 

– 3 wedges: 50°, 54°, 58° (or whatever matches your gapping) 

– Putter that suits your stroke, not your favorite Tour player’s brand deal 

That’s a 13 or 14-club setup that covers all the right gaps, maximizes forgiveness, and gives you the best chance to shoot your best scores. There’s no 3-iron. No delusions. No ego. Just smart tools for the job. 

Playing like a girl isn’t a bad thing 

Here’s the kicker: LPGA players are incredible golfers. They hit their numbers. They flight the ball with precision. They score, consistently. If you matched your game to theirs; same yardages, same smart club choices, you’d likely play better, shoot lower scores and have way more fun. 

So, the next time you’re browsing new clubs or thinking about that “Tour-inspired” muscle-back 3-iron you saw in a WITB post, pause and ask yourself: am I buying this to impress people, or to actually get better? 

Playing like a girl might be the best thing you’ve ever done for your game. 

Ready to overhaul your bag? Book your fitting at True Spec Golf.

The post LPGA vs. PGA: Whose bag should you really be copying? appeared first on Golf.

The post The LPGA just announced its new commissioner. He laid out 4 goals appeared first on Golf.

The post The LPGA just announced its new commissioner. He laid out 4 goals appeared first on Golf.

The LPGA Tour announced its new commissioner Thursday: Craig Kessler, the current Chief Operating Officer at the PGA of America. Kessler starts his new position on July 15, but in reality has already began to assume the role, and on Thursday afternoon conducted a virtual press conference with members of the golf media. 

Why is the LPGA hiring a new commissioner? What was the Tour looking for? And what will Kessler bring as he takes the helm of the most powerful position in women’s golf? We were curious to hear all of that and more. What we received is a little window into the future — even as big questions remain. 

The Hire: Craig Kessler

The LPGA began its official hiring process in January as outgoing commissioner Molly Marcoux Samaan’s term came to an end. Marcoux Samaan held the position for roughly three and a half years before stepping down unexpectedly in December, with two years remaining on her contract. 

As was reported by Golfweek at the time, Marcoux Samaan did not have a majority positive rating among members of the LPGA, particularly as the league lagged behind other rapidly growing corners of the world of women’s sport. After a four-month process to find its 10th commissioner, Craig Kessler now steps in. 

Kessler was raised in Southern California but has spent the last two-plus years as the Chief Operating Officer of the PGA of America and is based in Dallas. Previously, his other stop in the golf world was at TopGolf, where he was also COO. Those previous stints in significant golf positions have allowed him, as he said, to “meet virtually every major stakeholder within the golf landscape and build real authentic relationships with many of these folks.” 

Kessler led the press conference with a distinct mindset, saying he wants to get the Tour to a place where “people look at what’s happening at the LPGA and they say to themselves, ‘Oh, my goodness. Something incredible is happening with the LPGA, and I have to be a part of it, whether it’s our players, whether it’s existing sponsors or prospective sponsors, fans.’”

How do you make that happen? Kessler outlined four “pillars” on which he has his sights. 

Kessler’s Four Pillars

Kessler has four “building blocks” around which he believes lasting change can impact the LPGA Tour and bring it to new heights. Pillar No. 1 is trust. “Trust with our players … trust with our sponsors, trust with our fans, and trust with our team.” 

It’s a simple idea that impacts everything. In recent years the Tour has, at times, struggled to live up to its end of the trust bargain, making sure sponsors get everything out of their sponsorship, making sure fans get everything out of the tickets they buy, etc. 

Pillar No. 2 is visibility. To Kessler, that is, “making sure that the incredible stars the LPGA has who leave it on the course week-in and week-out are actually visible, and that goes beyond just the broadcasts.” 

But a large majority of that does come down to the broadcasts, too. The LPGA is often left to pick up the scraps of weekend airtime on Golf Channel, often only when the PGA Tour and Champions Tour have cleared the way. Another major key to visibility is getting the biggest women’s golf events on network television. NBC has given more network TV time to women’s majors in recent years — particularly the U.S. Women’s Open, which will be played next week — but it still pales in comparison to the time devoted to men’s big events. 

Pillar No. 3 is building fans. Kessler noted that plenty of people watch the LPGA, but he wants people rooting for members of the LPGA. It’s an important element of sports fanhood for every league, and even the PGA Tour. Tracking the tournament is one thing, but rooting hard for a specific player, based on their connection to a player, is what tour executives want more of. 

Lastly, Pillar No. 4 is a financial future. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the LPGA’s existence, and Kessler believes one major piece of his job is building a financial stability and platform for the next 75 years. Coincidentally, one of the topics coursing through women’s sports as well as pro golf was foreign investment, particularly from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Kessler was asked if he would be open to discussions with the Saudi PIF, which has invested plenty in the Ladies European Tour, to which he said, “Any organization that wants to elevate our athletes in the LPGA — I can’t wait to have a discussion with folks who are willing to do it.” 

Kessler plans to have plenty of those questions around the globe in the coming months, being “wherever the job is,” meaning on Tour, in sponsor negotiations and in Daytona Beach, where the LPGA is headquartered, with his new team. 

At this early point, there wasn’t much Kessler could speak to with specificity. Asked point blank how one might measure “watching” interest vs. “rooting” interest, he said that it will require a team effort to figure out all the measurements by which these pillars would be considered a success. Such is the case with any new leader of a governing body. Kessler will have more than one opportunity to dig in ahead of time; three women’s majors will take place between Thursday and his first official day in the commissioner’s chair. The U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills is just days away.

The post The LPGA just announced its new commissioner. He laid out 4 goals appeared first on Golf.