The LPGA Tour has a new Commissioner. Craig Kessler was appointed as a replacement for Mollie Marcoux 4 months after the latter quit her position as the leader of the women’s golf league. Kessler brings in a wealth of leadership experience along with him. He was the COO of the PGA of America and TopGolf and also held leadership positions in other organizations. Despite his knowledge and expertise in the field, there is one challenge that the Georgetown University alumni could face, just like his predecessors. It’s to get support and viewership for the LPGA Tour. Can Jay Monahan and Co. help with this cause

Despite their recent success, the league led by Nelly Korda & Co. has seen an average growth in popularity and marketability. That has hindered their chances of gaining better sponsorship deals. The lack of funding has led to big LPGA Tour event purses being far less attractive than ordinary PGA Tour events. The difference is so drastic that the women’s Tour has time and again tried to find better partnerships, even resorting to approaching the PIF for sustainable options.

However, the LPGA Tour seems to have found a light at the end of the tunnel with their recent collaborations. The Olympic Games committee confirmed that the next edition of the Summer Olympics will include a mixed team category that allows two golfers from the same nation to join forces in competing with each other. This new category has pushed the idea of the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour aligning together in order to test out the dynamics of their players. While such an event already exists in the season-ending Grant Thornton Invitational, there are also proposals for more tournaments where top golfers from both leagues can team up to fight each other.

Speaking of such events, Eamon Lynch joined the 5 Clubs podcast alongside Brandel Chamblee and the host, Gary Williams. The analyst said, “An event like this belongs in a context of a greater conversation that happens in this game about trying to elevate women’s golf and having a co-ed event like this. Because I think proximity to the product really matters here in several ways.” Lynch seems to suggest that such events that include the top golfers from both sides will give the LPGA Tour pros enough exposure to prove themselves alongside and against the men.

The Golf Channel reporter also added, “There’s still this lingering perception among some people that the skills of the best women don’t bear in comparison with the skills of the best men. It’s wildly untrue. There are differences, sure. But it’s not lesser. I think seeing the best men and the best women play together helps dispel that notion.” Giving the likes of Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko to play alongside Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy will certainly help them test their skills and push their limits. The added coverage they get from the two PGA Tour stars and many others will help them gain more fame and possibly lead to better opportunities.

Lynch also spoke about the 3 to 6 P.M. weekend window that the LPGA Tour can capitalize on to get its players under the prime time spotlight. The expert believes, “Instead of saying ‘How do you get those fans to women’s golf?’ bring women’s golf to those fans in that window.” The journalist believes that indulging in co-ed events during this weekend window will not only drive the fans but also help the LPGA Tour grow organically in popularity.

After a little back and forth with other experts on the set, Eamon Lynch closed the segment with, “It’s just not the idea of sharing stages. It’s a matter of sharing resources as well.” According to him, Jay Monahan & the PGA Tour could help the LPGA Tour gain viewership and the right support they need to be more sustainable. One way they can do that is by being open to collaborating more often. Knowing that fans would be eager to watch their favorite stars as often as they get the opportunity to, big PGA Tour names participating in tournaments alongside the best LPGA Tour golfers will benefit both sides while pushing women’s golf to the next level. This is something Craig Kessler and Jay Monahan could discuss extensively as a strategic move.

As we have mentioned, men’s and women’s golf do collaborate in the Grant Thornton Invitational. Can both the Tours use that event as an example to take the next step in bringing their stars together?

What can Jay Monahan learn from the Grant Thornton Invitational?

This is a time of seasons, both the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour have commenced. The Grant Thornton Invitational has often seen a great number for an unofficial event. While the event itself doesn’t offer many final gains, it gives the PGA Tour fans the opportunity to see how things are on the other side. With some star-studded golfers playing together, the Grant Thornton Invitational is able to garner great viewership.

Some great teams that fans love to watch are Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler, Lydia Ko and Jason Day, and Corey Conners and Brooke Henderson. Considering each player’s popularity with the fans, their team-up often get a lot of support. And with no high stakes involved, every one of them tends to enjoy the tournament, which is highly admired by the fans.

Last year, before the tournament began with Thompson brought an orange cake on the course to celebrate her playing partner, Fowler’s birthday. Such incidents receive a lot of media attention and put a spotlight on the women’s golfers. If Jay Monahan & Craig Kessler are able to cultivate something similar, then it will be a boon for both their leagues.