Commissioner Craig Kessler has ‘passion’ for LPGA, Beth Ann Nichols says | Golf Today | Golf Channel

Beth Ann Nichols joins Golf Today to analyze Craig Kessler being named the 10th commissioner of the LPGA, preview the upcoming United States Women’s Open Championship and explain the inspiring, unique story of Leta Lindley. #GolfChannel #GolfToday #BethAnnNichols #CraigKessler #UnitedStatesWomensOpenChampionship #LetaLindley
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Commissioner Craig Kessler has ‘passion’ for LPGA, Beth Ann Nichols says | Golf Today | Golf Channel
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TOPGOLF. BETH ANN NICHOLS JOINS US NOW. WHAT IS THE INITIAL REACTION OUT THERE TO CRAIG KESSLER HIRED AS COMMISSIONER? >> I THINK PLAYERS APPRECIATE HIS PASSION FOR THE GAME AND FOR THE TOUR. HE OBVIOUSLY HAS A DYNAMIC PERSONALITY AND THAT COMES ACROSS WELL FOR PLAYERS. THEY WANT SOMEONE WHO IS A GOOD COMMUNICATOR, WHO CAN GIVE THEM A CLEAR VISION OF WHERE HE SEES THE TOUR, NOT ONLY IN A YEAR, BUT FIVE, TEN YEARS FROM NOW. THEY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT HE COMES FROM A GOLF BACKGROUND. THEY ARE GETTING TO KNOW HIS RESUME. THEY KNOW THAT HE CAN PICK UP THE PHONE AND GET THINGS ROLLING IN QUICK ORDER.APPRECIATED HIM THAT THERE WAS AT TIMES A 100-DAY LISTENING TOUR. AND I THINK PLAYERS FEEL THE SAME. >> BETH ANN, HE TALKED ABOUT BUILDING TRUST AND BUILDING A FAN BASE. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE NUMBER ONE JOB IS FOR CRAIG IN YOUR MIND? >> THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK TRANSPARENCY IS SO IMPORTANT FOR PLAYERS, FOR FANS, FOR EVERYONE. TO KNOW WHERE HE IS TRYING TO TAKE THE FOUR. I THINK VISIBILITY IS SO IMPORTANT. HE HAS TO HAVE BUY-IN FROM EVERYONE HERE. HE HAS TO HAVE PLAYERS WILLING TO SAY YES TO WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. I THINK HE HAS TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET MORE EYEBALLS ON THE LPGA. AND I’M INTERESTED TO HEAR HIS PLANS FOR THAT. >> WE JUST HEARD CRAIG TELL MATT ADAMS HIS PILLARS OF THE TOUR. ONE WAS THE FINANCIAL FOOTING. IT’S NO SECRET THAT THE LPGA IS CLOSE TO RUNNING ON FUMES IN GOLF TERMS. HOW SUCCESSFUL CAN HE BE IN THAT SITUATION? DOES CRAIG KESSLER NEED TO NUDGE OR BULLY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN GOLF, NAMELY THE PGA TOUR, INTO SHARING SOME RESOURCES? >> WELL, I THINK IT WOULDN’T HURT. I THINK THE PGA TOUR COULD DO MORE IN THAT WAY AND SHOULD DO MORE IN THAT WAY. I THINK THE FACT HE HAS INTERESTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SO MANY THAT ARE MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY, SHOULD GO A LONG WAY INTO MAKING THINGS HAPPEN. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE OBVIOUS BRIDGES THAT WE ARE SEEING THE FRUITS IN THE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS. IT’S FELT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, LIKE, WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE? SURELY THERE’S MORE HERE. >> HE SUGGESTED HE IS OPEN TO A CONVERSATION WITH A PUBLIC INVESTMENT FUND OF SAUDI ARABIA, WHICH IS A DELICATE BALANCE TO ALIGN A WOMEN’S SPORTS LEAGUE TO A GOVERNMENT WITH A POOR RECORD ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS. IF THERE IS THAT CONVERSATION, DO YOU THINK HE WOULD MEET ANY INTERNAL OPPOSITION TO THAT FROM THE PLAYERS? OR ARE THE PLAYERS LIKE A LOT OF PGA TOUR PLAYERS WHO SAYS, WHERE IS THE MONEY? >> THE LATTER FOR THE MOST PART, IS WHAT I’VE BEEN HEARING FOR YEARS OUT HERE. I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY OF PLAYERS ARE MOST INTERESTED IN THE BOTTOM LINE. I HONESTLY HAD A COUPLE OF PLAYERS THAT I CAN COUNT ON ONE HAND, RAISE TOO MUCH OF AN ISSUE, WITH FRANKLY WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM. WHEN CRAIG KESSLER SAYS HE’S GOING TO TALK TO EVERYONE, I TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD. I THINK THE PLAYERS WANT HIM TO DO THAT. >> I WANT TO TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THIS WEEK. THE FIFTH TIME A USGA HAS BEEN HELD AT ERIN CHAMPIONSHIP. WHAT’S THE BUZZ LIKE IN ERIN, WISCONSIN? IS THE TOWN GOING CRAZY? IS THERE A WARM-UP INTO THIS EVENT? GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT THE VIBE IS ON THE GROUND. >> IT’S A HOLIDAY HERE. IT’S QUIET. FOR PLAYERS, IT FEELS LIKE A HUGE PROPERTY. THE FIRST IMPRESSION HERE IS, WOW. THIS WILL BE A LOT OF WORK TO GET AROUND HERE. THE WALK IN AND OF ITSELF, IS A TOUGH TASK. I THINK IT WILL LOOK DIFFERENT TO LANCASTER LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS PACKED WITH FANS AND ON A COMPACT PIECE OF PROPERTY. IT LOOKED GREAT ON TELEVISION. IT’S SO BIG OUT HERE, THAT THE FANS WILL BE SCATTERED OUT SO FAR AND WIDE, IT WILL BE HARD TO GET THE SAME VIBE. THAT’S PART OF WHAT COMES WITH THIS PROPERTY AND WHERE WE ARE. I THINK YOU SEE A VAST DIFFERENCE TO LAST YEAR. BUT PLAYERS ARE EXCITED FOR THE CHALLENGE. >> IT’S TYPICAL WE ASK YOU ABOUT THE TOP CONTENDERS. YOU HAD A GREAT STORY ON “GOLF WEEK” THIS MORNING, ABOUT ONE OF THE MORE UNHERALDED PLAYERS. LETA LINDLEY. >> ONE OF THE COOL THINGS, SHE WILL TURN 53 ON SUNDAY. SHE IS THE REIGNING U.S. SENIOR WOMEN’S OPEN CHAMPION. AND HER GOAL IS TO BE THE FIRST SENIOR WOMEN’S OPEN CHAMPION TO MAKE THE CUT, TO HAVE A TEE TIME ON HER BIRTHDAY, WHICH I THINK IS WONDERFUL. IF ANYONE HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH HER WIN AT FOX CHAPEL, THE THING THAT STOOD OUT THE MOST, IS HER SON’S REACTION. SHE HAS TWO KIDS IN COLLEGE. AND COLE HAS BECOME ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED WITH GOLF. JUST HIS RAW EMOTIONS SEEING HIS MOM DO THIS. SHE WON HER FIRST TITLE ON THE LPGA AS A MOTHER OF TWO. THAT’S AN EXTRAORDINARY FEAT IN AND AFTER ITSELF. SHE WAS PLAYING HER BEST GOLF WITH TWO CHILDREN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND I GIVE HER A LOT OF CREDIT FOR TO HER AND HER HUSBAND, WHO IS ON THE BAG THIS WEEK. SHE IS INSPIRING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MAYBE SEE THEIR DREAMS COME TRUE LATE IN LIFE. >> A GREAT STORY. AND FOX CHAPEL IS A WONDERFUL GOLF COURSE NOT TOO FAR FROM OAKMONT, THE HOST OF THE U.S. MEN’S OPEN. WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE SPECIFICALLY, THE TEST THAT THEY WILL FACE. 6,829 YARDS. A LOT TALK ABOUT HOW LONG THIS GOLF COURSE PLAY. 16 UNDER WHEN BROOKS WON IN 2017. YOUR THOUGHT OF WHAT A WOMEN’S SCORE COULD POTENTIALLY BE THIS WEEK. >> I DON’T THINK IT WILL BE THAT LOW. THERE’S ALREADY WIND HERE. THAT’S THE THING IN 2017, THE WIND DIDN’T SHOW UP. ON THE FORECAST, WE’LL SEE RAIN A LITTLE MIDWEEK, WE’LL SEE THE WIND, WHICH IS PARAMOUNT HERE FOR THIS GOLF COURSE TO REALLY SHOW ITS TEETH. I EXPECT IT TO PLAY LONG. THAT WILL BE A CHALLENGE FOR A LOT OF PLAYERS. BALL STRIKING. IT’S A SECOND-SHOT GOLF COURSE. YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE SURROUNDS AND THE GREEN. THE GREEN COMPLEXES PRESENT SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES. YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ALL-AROUND GAME HERE. >> SAYING BACK IN THE FIELD, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NINE YEARS. SHE HAD WON FIVE MAJORS BY THE AGE OF 23. BUT IT’S BEEN A BARREN 12 YEARS SINCE THEN. SHE STARTED WORKING WITH BRADY RIGGS ON HER GOLF SWING. MADE HER WAY THROUGH A QUALIFIER. IS THERE AN EXPECTATION THAT SHE CAN PLAY HER WAY BACK TO RELEVANCE? >> I LAUGHED WHEN YOU MENTIONED HER NAME. NUMBER ONE, IT’S A DELIGHT TO HAVE HER BACK. SHE IS FUN TO BE AROUND. AND IT’S MESMERIZING TO WATCH HER PUTT LEFT-HANDED NOW. SHE IS VERY BLUNT THAT SHE STRUGGLED WITH THE YIPS IN RECENT YEARS. AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS A MENTAL SHIFT, I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE. AND SO, BRADY SUGGESTED SHE START PUTTING LEFT-HANDED. AND IMMEDIATELY, WHEN SHE PUT IT IN A COMPETITION IN TAIWAN, SHE SAW A DIFFERENCE AND HASN’T LOOKED BACK. FOR A BALL STRIKING STANDPOINT, SHE STILL HAS IT. THE QUESTION, OF COURSE, IS, AS THE STAKES GET HIGHER, WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE ON THE GREEN? FOR JANI, HER ENTHUSIASM FOR THE GAME, HER GOOD FRIENDS HAVE RETIRED, SHE DOESN’T KNOW A LOT OF THE PLAYERS OUT HERE. THEY’RE GETTING TO KNOW HER. THAT’S KIND OF REMARKABLE. WE LOOK AT LYDIA KO’S RESURGENCE AND MARVEL AT THAT. WHAT WOULD IT MEAN IF JANI WERE TO COME BACK AFTER THIS INCREDIBLE DROUGHT WHERE SHE HASN’T PLAYED ON THE LPGA. OFF DOING LONG MEDITATIONS WHERE SHE DOESN’T SPEAK FOR DAYS, TRYING TO GET BACK TO OLD JANNEY. I THINK IT WOULD BE EXTRAORDINARY. >> THAT WILL BE AN INCREDIBLE STORY. SHE HAS HEARD ABOUT NELLY KORDA. A YEAR AGO, I RECALL, SHE HAD WON SIX TIMES AHEAD OF THE U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN. LOOKING FOR HER FIRST WIN OF 2025. HOW IS SHE HANDLING IT? WE SAW SCOTTIE GET FRUSTRATED BEFORE HE KNOCKED OFF A COUPLE WINS, INCLUDING THE PGA. HOW IS NELLY HANDLING BEING WINLESS SO FAR THIS YEAR? >> GRACEFULLY, I WOULD SAY. SHE KNOWS SHE’S CLOSE. I’M SURE SHE’S INTERNALLY FRUSTRATED. BUT I THINK THE WAY SHE BOUNCED BACK AT THE CHEVRON, AFTER A TERRIBLE START ON THURSDAY, WAS HUGE FOR NELLY. SHE IS COMING INTO THIS MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP, IN CONTROL OF HER SCHEDULE. THIS IS THE ONLY MAJOR ON THE LPGA CALENDAR THAT DOES NOT HAVE A PRO/AM ROUND. SHE GOT TO PLAY HER FULL 18 HOLES TODAY. I THINK THAT’S WHAT GOT HER OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT AT CHEVRON. NOT TEEING IT UP ON MONDAY. THEN HAVING RAIN CANCELLATION OF SOME OF THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY. AND DIDN’T FEEL SETTLED GOING INTO THE FIRST ROUND. SHE’S HAD A COUPLE OF WEEKS OFF NOW. PLENTY OF TIME TO WORK ON HER GAME AND TO RESET COMING INTO THIS WEEK. >> SO MANY GREAT STORYLINES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU ON “LIVE F