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LPGA Tour

LPGA Tour Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan Announces Resignation

Mollie Marcoux Samaan will step down as Commissioner of the LPGA Tour effective January 9, 2025. Liz Moore will assume interim leadership in the coming weeks, while a global search is conducted for a permanent successor.

The Marcoux Samaan Era: Growth and Transformation

Since taking office in 2021, Marcoux Samaan has left an indelible mark on the LPGA Tour. Under her leadership, prize money surged by 90%, with a record $131 million set to be distributed across 33 tournaments in 2025. Players benefited from unprecedented enhancements, including missed-cut stipends, health benefits, and travel subsidies—a first in the history of the LPGA Tour.

“Since joining the LPGA in 2021, Mollie has been instrumental in solidifying our position as the global leader in women’s professional golf, realizing record growth in player earnings and fan engagement. Mollie has been a steadfast advocate for equity in the sport and has worked tirelessly to expand opportunities for women and girls through the game,” stated LPGA Board Chair John B. Veihmeyer.

The tour also saw worldwide growth in viewership and set records for fan engagement. In her resignation statement, Marcoux Samaan emphasized the importance of her tenure: “In this role, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside a remarkable community of athletes, teachers, partners, tournament operators, industry colleagues, media, fans, volunteers, and staff who share a deep commitment to growing the LPGA and using the organization’s unique platform to empower and advance women and girls.”

Challenges in a Complex Sporting Landscape

Despite economic success, Marcoux Samaan’s tenure faced notable challenges. The LPGA Tour contended with issues surrounding transparency and operational shortcomings. A key example was the 2024 Solheim Cup, where insufficient spectator transport planning led to logistical setbacks.

Sponsorship relationships and limited live television coverage also became focal points of critique. The absence of long-term TV contracts and reliance on other tours hindered broader audience accessibility, sparking ongoing discussions about the LPGA Tour’s visibility.

Liz Moore Steps In: Transitioning to the Future

Liz Moore, a seasoned executive with over a decade at the LPGA, will take on the role of interim Commissioner. Having spearheaded major projects such as the tour’s digital transformation, Moore brings a strong blend of legal and technological expertise, along with deep operational knowledge of the LPGA’s strategic framework.

Her primary objective will be to ensure a smooth transition and prepare the tour for the upcoming season. The 2025 schedule begins with a record-setting $131 million in prize money across 33 official events—an enduring testament to Marcoux Samaan’s growth-oriented vision.

(This article draws on materials provided by LPGA Communications.)

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LPGA Tour

LPGA Tour Tee Times. Nelly Korda Highlights CME Group Tour Championship

The LPGA Tour Tee Times for the CME Group Tour Championship are set in Naples, Florida. This event, hosted at the Tiburón Golf Club on the Gold Course, features a par of 72 and a prize purse of $11,000,000. Last year’s winner was Amy Yang.

LPGA Tour Tee Times for American Players

Nelly Korda is teaming up with Haeran Ryu from South Korea. The first round tee time is at 12:35 PM. No second round tee time has been set yet.

Lexi Thompson will start her round with Pajaree Anannarukarn from Thailand at 08:35 AM.

Rose Zhang partners with Jin Hee Im of South Korea starting at 10:55 AM.

Megan Khang is scheduled to tee off with fellow American Jennifer Kupcho at 10:45 AM.

Ally Ewing joins forces with Canadian Brooke Mackenzie Henderson. Their group takes the course at 11:35 AM.

Round Time Player Nationality Co-Player Nationality
1 08:35 Lexi Thompson USA Pajaree Anannarukarn THA
1 10:45 Megan Khang USA Jennifer Kupcho USA
1 10:55 Rose Zhang USA Jin Hee Im KOR
1 11:35 Ally Ewing USA Brooke Mackenzie Henderson CAN
1 12:35 Nelly Korda USA Haeran Ryu KOR
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LPGA Tour

LPGA Tour Tee Times: Charley Hull at the CME Group Tour Championship

The CME Group Tour Championship will be held at the Tiburón Golf Club, Gold Course in Naples, Florida. This prestigious event is part of the LPGA Tour and carries a significant prize purse of $11,000,000. The course is set at par 72, and the current defending champion is Amy Yang.

LPGA Tour Tee Times

Charley Hull from England will participate in the tournament. Hull’s first-round tee time is scheduled at 09:55 alongside Sarah Schmelzel from the USA. The second round does not have a specified time yet.

Round Tee Time Player 1 Name Player 1 Nationality Player 2 Name Player 2 Nationality Player 3 Name Player 3 Nationality
1 09:55 Charley Hull ENG Sarah Schmelzel USA
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LPGA Tour

Nelly Korda: Player of the Year and Soon in Swimwear

Happy ending: Nelly Korda’s 2024 season ends with two major honours. Firstly, the 26-year-old was voted Player of the Year on the LPGA Tour after six victories. Secondly, and this is a very special honour, the world number one is part of the line-up of stars and models for the upcoming issue of ‘Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’. The special edition of the sports magazine is by no means just a particularly nicely presented swimwear catalogue: The appointment for ‘SI Swimsuit’, which already has almost iconic status, is tantamount to an accolade in terms of stardom. Sports stars such as Steffi Graf (1997), Serena Williams (2003), Lindsey Vonn (2010) and Simone Biles (2017) have all been photographed for the special edition. Nelly Korda is the first female golfer to appear in the magazine.


Written by Michael Basche

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LPGA Tour

Nelly Korda Suffers Practice Injury

World number one Nelly Korda has suffered a minor neck injury in training. The 26-year-old announced this in a tweet. In it, she also informed her fans that she would not be able to compete in the LPGA tournaments in Korea and Malaysia.

Korda was sad about the situation, but also grateful for the support: “I’m disappointed to miss these events and am especially sorry to my fans who were looking forward to seeing me play.[…]Thank you for all your support—it truly means the world to me!”

Nelly Korda’s return uncertain

Korda has not announced where and when she will return. After the BMW Ladies Championship in Korea and the Maybank Championship in Malaysia, there are two more LPGA events in Asia before returning to the USA for the last two tournaments.

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Golfshoes LPGA Tour

Ecco Golf Ambassador Lydia Ko Claims Third Win in Four Starts at Kroger Queen City Championship


Lydia Ko extends her winning streak with a stunning performance at the Kroger Queen City Championship, capturing her third title in four starts. Following her recent AIG Women’s Open victory, Ko delivered an impressive final round of 63, solidifying her place as one of the game’s greatest talents in a remarkable 2024 season.

Ecco Golf and Lydia Ko: A Winning Partnership

ECCO GOLF ambassador, Lydia Ko, continued her hot streak this weekend at the Kroger Queen City Championship on the LPGA Tour in her first tournament since claiming her maiden AIG Women’s Open title last month. 

Ko, wearing Ecco Golf Tray, shot a scintillating final round 63, coming home in just 30 shots to take home her third win in her last four starts. 

Ko’s 22nd LPGA Tour victory rounds off what has been an incredible 2024 season for the Kiwi, following her Olympic Gold Medal and triumph at the AIG Women’s Open during the month of August.

Lydia Ko Shines at Kroger Queen City Championship

“It’s been pretty surreal. You know, I had the most unbelievable three weeks in Europe, and after having another three weeks off you’re not entirely sure what it’s going to be like,” Ko said. 

“I started off this event really strong, playing well the first couple days. I kind of hung in there yesterday and I said I know the other girls aren’t going to play bad golf, so I just have to try and play even better golf. To have a round like this to cap off a win is pretty special.”

Timo Vollrath, Head of Global Marketing at Ecco Golf, commented Ko’s latest: “Lydia continues to prove that she is one of the game’s greatest – she makes a habit of winning and for us, it is brilliant to watch. 

“It is a pleasure to work with Lydia, and to witness her journey in recent years has been a thrill. This streak of performances will go down as one the very best of all time, and we can’t wait to see what happens next!”

In addition to Lydia Ko, Ecco Golf shoes are worn in competition around the world by Esther Henseleit, Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Erik van Rooyen, Henrik Stenson, Freddy Schott, Thomas Bjørn, Janet Lin, Rick Shiels and Erik Anders Lang among others. For further information about Ecco Golf, please visit golf.ecco.com

(Text: Ecco)

Categories
Ladies Tours

Team USA Wins 2024 Solheim Cup

Team USA wins the Solheim Cup 2024. After starting the final Sunday with a 10-6 lead, the Americans did not let up on Sunday. After Team Europe had successfully claimed the trophy in the last three Solheim Cups, it was Stacy Lewis‘ team that broke the Europeans’ winning streak in Virginia. Team USA put the pressure on early on, but the Europeans fought and kept their chances alive. But the Americans’ lead was too big and in the decisive phase, they got closer to victory with every match they shared. In the end, Lilia Vu scored the decisive half point in her match against Albane Valenzuela.

“It really could have gone either way.”, Captain Stacy Lewis said. “It’s crazy there at the end kind of how it all unfolded. I was just hoping and praying it went our way. Just proud of the team, and Lilia’s finish there was unbelievable. That’s what you expect from one of the best players in the world.”

Singles Results on Sunday at the Solheim Cup 2024

Europe vs USA
11,5 14,5
Europe EResult USA
Charley Hull  6 & 4 Europe Nelly Korda

Charley Hull won the first point of the Sunday for Europe. With a clear 6&4 victory, she faced the world number one Nelly Korda. Korda was able to win a single hole, while Hull played five birdies and ended the match with an eagle on hole 14.

‘I knew I had to go out there and get a low score,’ Hull said after her round, ’and Suzann said to me that they always knew I would be up against Nelly first and if anyone could beat her, it would be me. So that gave me a lot of confidence. Yesterday I played 8 under with my own ball and today I was 7 under after 14 holes. I know I have what it takes to play against Nelly and I feel like I missed a few shots as well, a few putts, but it was a good match and I felt like we gave the crowd what they wanted to see.’

Europe Result USA
Emily Pedersen  6 & 5 USA Megan Khang

Megan Khang scored the first point for the USA. In a demonstration as clear as Hull’s against Korda, Khang ended her match against Pedersen on the 13th hole. Khang put the pressure on from the first hole, while Pedersen made several mistakes. Khang’s performance means she remains unbeaten this week, having also gone unbeaten last year. ‘The atmosphere is just electrifying. I really enjoyed getting the crowd so involved,’ she said after her victory. ‘It’s just like that – you get the crowd going, they go with you, they’re there to lift you up. I’ve enjoyed this week and tried to play my best golf, not just for myself but for my team-mates, my captains, the fans and our country, and I’ve tried to take it one game at a time, like Captain Lewis said.’

Europe Result USA
Georgia Hall  4 & 3 Europe Alison Lee

Georgia Hall also made her mark for Europe after losing her first two matches on Friday and Saturday. After two early bogeys from Alison Lee, Hall took an early 2 up lead on Sunday. Hall extended the lead to 3 up and after another bogey from Lee, she had a 4 hole lead before the back nine. Lee tried to fight back on the second nine, but Hall stood her ground. After her round Hall said: ‘I played really solid and didn’t let her get into the game. It was just a good day, but hopefully I can go on and cheer the team on.’

Europe Result USA
Carlota Ciganda  6 & 4 USA Rose Zhang

Carlota Ciganda, who scored the decisive point for Europe last year, was beaten 6&4 by Rose Zhang. Ciganda tried to control the match early on, but Zhang took the narrow lead right back from her and went 3 up within three holes. The American held on to this lead until the back nine, where she then built up the pressure again and improved to 5 up with birdie-par-birdie. Zhang sealed the deal with an eagle to counter Ciganda’s birdie on 14.

Europe Result USA
Anna Nordqvist  4 & 3 USA Allisen Corpuz

Allisen Corpuz prevails against the experienced Solheim Cup player Anna Nordqvist. Corpuz held a narrow lead over eleven holes, but Nordqvist did not let her pull away. An eagle on the par-5 12th from Corpuz took her to 3 up for the first time, winning the 14th and finishing the match on the 15th. ‘Anna is a great player,’ Corpuz said of her rival. ‘I grew up watching her play. We both played really well. She holed an eagle on 5 and it was just a great match.’

Europ3 Result USA
Esther Henseleit Tied Andrea Lee

Esther Henseleit ends her first appearance at the Solheim Cup with half a point in the singles. She fought a tough match against Andrea Lee and held a narrow lead for long stretches. But Lee stepped up a gear again, while Henseleit’s putts just wouldn’t drop. The match dragged on until the 18th, where the German had another chance to win a whole point for Europe with a birdie, but this putt didn’t drop either.

Europe Result USA
Celine Boutier  1 Up Europe Lexi Thompson

Celine Boutier denies Lexi Thompson a dream farewell from the Solheim Cup. When the two opponents came all square on 18, Thompson still had the chance to score the decisive point for Team USA with a long birdie putt. But Boutier had hit a sensational shot to the flag and what Thompson couldn’t convert, she sank. The Frenchwoman scored an important point for Europe after already being 3 under.

Europe Result USA
Leona Maguire  4&3 Europe Ally Ewing

Leona Maguire, in only her second match at this year’s Solheim Cup, took a point against Ally Ewing after losing 6&4 to Nelly Korda and Megan Khang on Friday. Ewing kept taking the lead from her at the start of the match, but she took control at the end of the front nine and brought the match home safely on 15.

Europe Result USA
Maja Stark  Tied Lauren Coughlin

Maja Stark held her nerve and kept Europe’s chances alive. She had the upper hand for a long time against Lauren Coughlin, who levelled the match on 14. The two went on in lockstep until the 18th, where Maja Stark sent a monster putt on its way in an attempt to prevent a European defeat. The ball went a few metres beyond the hole, but Lauren Coughlin also failed to sink her putt. With the second putt gifted to the Americans, however, it was up to Stark to make her back putt. She did justice to this task, even if her hands were visibly shaking afterwards.

Europe Result USA
Albane Valenzuela  Tied Lilia Vu

Lilia Vu takes the decisive half point against the Americans in her match against Albane Valenzuela. Valenzuela turned the match around in the closing stages after Vu had been ahead for a long time, but in the end a split match was enough for the Americans to decide the match. ‘That meant a lot to me because I really felt like I wasn’t doing anything for the team today and I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel if I let myself go like that,’ explained Vu after the win. ‘And then I was two shots behind, and on 16 I made an up-and-down save, and then I was able to birdie 17 and 18. I don’t know how. It just happened. I know I looked at the leaderboard on the fairway and saw we were at 14, so I wanted to get that half point for us.
Yeah, I hit the ball from about a metre and a half and it worked.’

Europe Result USA
Madelene Sagstrom 1 Up Europe Sarah Schmelzel

1 Up was enough for Madelene Sagstrom to score a point for Europe. She also put blue on the leaderboard for a long time in her duel against Sarah Schmelzel. Schmelzel forced the match back to all square. But a bogey by the American on 17 gave Sagstrom an advantage again, which she saved for the clubhouse, even though the cup was already lost at this point.

Europe Result USA
Linn Gran 2&1 USA Jennifer Kupcho
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Ladies Tours

Solheim Cup 2024: Empty Grandstands on the First Tee

The first tee shot at a continental competition is an unrivalled experience. Fans get up in the middle of the night to sit on the first tee at dawn and create a great atmosphere, eagerly awaiting the first flights. The Solheim Cup is usually no exception.

Spectators miss the first tee shot at the Solheim Cup 2024

On the first day of the Solheim Cup 2024 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, however, many fans were denied this joy. The reason: too few buses to take spectators from the car park to the golf course. Fans report on X (formerly Twitter) that they have been waiting at the car park for over an hour and still have ‘1000’ people in front of them in the huge queue that has formed. A queue that is not moving as the first tee shot approaches.

‘The first tee on Friday morning of a Solheim is typically the best atmosphere of the year. For the fans to not be here is an absolute travesty.’ writes Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek.

Just before the first tee shots, much of the grandstand on the first tee was still empty.

blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”>

First tee shot goes in the air at 7:05 (in 25 minutes) and there are so many empty seats. Serious transportation issues going on this morning. Wish they could push back tee times but too much golf to get in. pic.twitter.com/VMSK9V2bh0

— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) September 13, 2024

With only four flights, the spectacle is not only over quickly, but with so many people waiting, it is foreseeable that many will also miss a large part of the morning session. “Complete disaster”, writes Nichols who covers the issue on X.

The transport problems were already becoming apparent the day before, when it took a very long time after the opening ceremony before all the spectators could be transported back.

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Ladies Tours

Solheim Cup 2024: Pairings and Tee Times for Day 1

This week at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, defending champions Team Europe will face Team USA, who have the home advantage at the 2024 Solheim Cup. The Europeans have taken home the trophy three times in a row, but the American fans will not make it easy for Suzann Pettersen’s team.

There are five sessions in total. Friday and Saturday will start with the Foursomes at 7:05 AM. In four matches, two Europeans will compete against two Americans, who will take it in turns to play a ball. The pairings have already been decided independently of each other by the captains on Thursday.

The fourballs will continue at 12 PM on Friday and Saturday, with the pairings often being decided before the first matches have been completed. In the fourballs, two Europeans and two Americans will again compete in one of four matches, but each will play their own ball. The better result of a team is counted.

The singles follow on Sunday. All twelve players from one team will compete head-to-head against the 12 players from the other team. The matches will start at 08:50 AM.

Tee Times Solheim Cup 2024 Day 1 – Foursomes

Match Tee Time Players (USA) Players (Europa)
1 07:05 Nelly Korda / Allisen Corpuz Charley Hull /Esther Henseleit
2 07:17 Rose Zhang / Lauren Coughlin Albane Valenzuela / Celine Boutier
3 07:29 Ally Ewing / Jennifer Kupcho Maja Stark / Emily Pedersen
4 07:41 Lilia Vu / Sarah Schmelzel Linn Grant / Carlota Ciganda
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Ladies Tours

Junior Solheim Cup 2024: USA Secures Record Victory

The American team led by Beth Daniel dominated this year’s edition of the PING Junior Solheim Cup and celebrated the biggest victory in the tournament’s history. With a final score of 18.5 to 5.5, the American junior stars impressively beat the European team led by captain Gwladys Nocera at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia.

Record Victory at the Junior Solheim Cup 2024

Before the final day of competition, the Americans were already leading 8-4 after the fourball and foursomes matches on Monday. On the decisive Tuesday, Team USA then went on a remarkable run in the singles, winning ten out of twelve matches. Of particular note was the performance of Jude Lee, who secured her victory with a 5&4 against Perla Sol Sigurbrandsdottir from Iceland and thus contributed the decisive point to the overall victory. “It was just incredible to play with the best girls in the world,” said Lee after her match. “It’s an experience we’ll all never forget.”

The American team put in an impressive overall performance, led by players such as Elizabeth Rudisill, who defeated world number nine Andrea Revuelta from Spain 3&2. Natalie Yen, Anna Fang and Madison Messimer also contributed to the outstanding result with clear victories. The only European to score a full point in the singles was Martina Navarro from Spain, who defeated Nikki Oh 2&1. Overall, the American team performed well in all game formats and dominated the European team in four-ball, foursomes and singles.

The record for the highest winning score at this tournament previously stood at 17 to 7 and was also set by Team USA in the inaugural event in 2002. This year, the American team surpassed this record and celebrated its first victory since 2019.

Beth Daniel Full of Pride

Beth Daniel, captain of the American team and LPGA Hall of Famer, was proud of her team: “My players were simply fantastic. They fought hard and every one of them wanted this win. I think the home advantage gave us extra motivation.” Nocera also paid tribute to her opponents: “Team USA played unbelievably. They had a very strong team and took revenge for last year’s defeat. We will be ready again in two years’ time.”

This is the Junior Solheim Cup

The Junior Solheim Cup, which was launched in 2002, pits the best young female golfers in the USA and Europe against each other in a match play format. Inspired by the professional Solheim Cup, the event is held every two years, alternating between the USA and Europe. In two years’ time, the Junior Solheim Cup will be held in the Netherlands for the first time. Europe will then do everything it can to bring back the trophy and build on this year’s experience with talents such as Andrea Revuelta, Alice Kong and Louise Uma Landgraf. The American team now leads the overall standings with a 9:4 record.