The LPGA Tour’s season-opening didn’t go as Craig Kessler & Co. had planned. What was planned to be a 72-hole event ended after just 54 holes as bad weather took control of the outcome. And that took the opportunity out of the hands of many top stars to win the 2026 HGV Tournament of Champions from Nelly Korda. Kessler reflected on everything that happened back then.

The LPGA Tour commissioner confessed to Soly and Cody of the No Laying Up podcast, “I feel bad the team at the LPGA was put in a really tough spot because of a decision that I made, and one of the more important or formative moments I’ve had since joining was standing up in front of our full team and apologizing. Had tears in my eyes and got super choked up.”

“The reason for that is that you asked about the four pillars; trust is number one, two, three, and four. I felt like I had not done a great job earning and respecting the importance of that trust. It was brutal. Two weeks straight, sick to my stomach, not really sleeping through the night because I take this very seriously, and I made a mistake.”

Kessler was hired as the LPGA Tour commissioner in May 2025. Within the first eight months of his regime, he was made to take such a tough decision that changed the trajectory of a tournament. It certainly had a huge impact on Nelly Korda. The world #2 hadn’t won a single event all through 2025. The commissioner and his team essentially gifted her the title to open the 2026 season.

Kessler was certainly gutted about the way things turned out. He tried to clarify the situation with the stars while also apologizing to them.

But there was little he could have done to repair the damage.

There was only so much Craig Kessler could have done

Being the LPGA Tour commissioner, Craig Kessler certainly holds the power to make such decisions. He tried to apologize to the players for the abrupt conclusion to the HGV Tournament of Champions. However, there was little he could have done to alter the outcome of the event.

The entire situation really upset the players. And some of them even expressed the same after the event.

Lydia Ko told Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek, “I’m gutted that we don’t get to play tomorrow. The forecast tomorrow isn’t great, but it’s better than today!”

While she wasn’t playing in the event, Annika Sorenstam also chimed in to state, “I don’t know why they’re not playing. There’s pitch marks. I mean, I hit some crispy shots today, and the ball even stopped. I am surprised. It’s difficult, it’s cold, but it’s as fair as anything.”

Ko, Amy Yang, and Brooke Henderson were in contention for the title before the final round was suspended. Had another 18 holes been played, they would have certainly given Korda a tough fight. No wonder Kessler feels so guilty.