WEBVTT - Mollie Marcoux Samaan 0:00:06.120 --> 0:00:08.480 It's the Son of a Butcher podcast. We come to 0:00:08.480 --> 0:00:12.639 you every Wednesday. UM. I was up at the LPGA 0:00:12.720 --> 0:00:15.720 Tournament of Champions last week, the first tournament on the 0:00:15.840 --> 0:00:20.200 LPGA Tour, and UH this week's guest is the commissioner 0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:23.040 of the LPGA Tour. UM. I got to meet Molly 0:00:23.120 --> 0:00:24.720 last week for the first time, and it's really cool 0:00:24.760 --> 0:00:28.320 to have her on the podcast. UM Listen. I work 0:00:28.400 --> 0:00:31.280 with a number of players that that play on the 0:00:31.400 --> 0:00:33.960 l p g A Tour. UM. I think the women's 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:36.880 game has never been stronger, and to get an opportunity 0:00:36.920 --> 0:00:39.200 to sit down and talk with Molly about it, UM 0:00:39.800 --> 0:00:42.279 is a really cool opportunity for me. We had the 0:00:42.560 --> 0:00:46.319 commissioner of the Asian Tour, Showman Fat on recently. UM. 0:00:46.360 --> 0:00:48.239 If you haven't had the chance to check that podcast, 0:00:48.320 --> 0:00:52.280 check it out. Um Hey. This past summer I asked 0:00:52.360 --> 0:00:54.080 Jay Monahan if you wanted to come on the podcast. 0:00:54.480 --> 0:00:57.480 Still waiting for that call from j. But UM, it's 0:00:57.520 --> 0:00:59.720 really cool to to to listen to Molly talk about 0:00:59.760 --> 0:01:02.560 all the great things UM that's going on at the 0:01:02.680 --> 0:01:04.920 l p g A. If you haven't had an opportunity 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:07.559 to go to an LPGA event, whether it's a regular event, 0:01:07.600 --> 0:01:09.640 whether it's one of their majors. Do yourself a favor 0:01:09.640 --> 0:01:11.679 and go check it out because I'm a huge fan 0:01:11.720 --> 0:01:14.200 of the product. M I'm a huge fan of the players, 0:01:14.200 --> 0:01:16.880 and I think they're doing some great things. So really 0:01:16.880 --> 0:01:19.560 excited to um, have everyone listened to what Molly has 0:01:19.600 --> 0:01:25.760 to say about the LPGA tour, So sit back and enjoy. 0:01:28.400 --> 0:01:33.280 So Molly, the LPGA three season underway. The Tournament of 0:01:33.360 --> 0:01:35.480 Champions at Lake No No last week. UM, I was 0:01:35.560 --> 0:01:39.280 up there. What a great event. Brooke Henderson wins the 0:01:39.319 --> 0:01:42.360 first one. You've got all the stars, Um, A lot 0:01:42.400 --> 0:01:44.360 of the stars on the LPGA were on the leaderboard. 0:01:44.360 --> 0:01:47.400 You must be pretty happy with the way the season started. Yeah, 0:01:47.480 --> 0:01:48.960 it was awesome. But first of all, it's great to 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:52.320 meet you in person, and um, it was a fabulous week. 0:01:52.360 --> 0:01:55.240 I mean, I think again the leaderboard was was fantastic. 0:01:55.280 --> 0:01:57.520 At the end, I got to um sort of see 0:01:57.520 --> 0:02:00.120 the finish and the crowds were awesome. The music, the 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:04.680 eighteenth team, so much energy, so much positivity. The celebrities 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:07.440 were amazing. You know, you had a really wide variety 0:02:07.520 --> 0:02:10.760 of different types of players playing in it, and all 0:02:10.880 --> 0:02:13.840 were just so impressed by the talent of our players, 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:17.919 but also just the personalities and the engagement. So overall 0:02:18.000 --> 0:02:20.600 it was a great start. Hilton Grand Vacations, what a 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:23.680 fantastic partner. I got to see Mark Wang at the 0:02:23.840 --> 0:02:25.800 end of the at the end of the tournament and 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:27.959 he was just beaming and did a great job with 0:02:28.000 --> 0:02:30.680 the trophy presentation, and Aaron Stewart and I think they 0:02:30.680 --> 0:02:32.720 were all flying pretty high, and it was. It was 0:02:32.760 --> 0:02:36.840 a really great week. So the three season, UH thirty 0:02:36.840 --> 0:02:40.400 three events, over a hundred million in prize money, UM 0:02:40.440 --> 0:02:44.480 eleven states, twelve countries, service a great UM thing going 0:02:44.560 --> 0:02:48.200 around social media and animated version of all the places 0:02:48.600 --> 0:02:52.240 UM the LPGA is going to go in m Do 0:02:52.280 --> 0:02:55.640 you feel like, probably more than any of the tours 0:02:55.639 --> 0:03:01.320 around the world, the LPGA really is a globe tour, 0:03:01.560 --> 0:03:03.960 not only from the amount of players that are playing 0:03:03.960 --> 0:03:07.160 from around the world, but the destinations that that the 0:03:07.320 --> 0:03:11.000 LPGA goes to. Yeah, I mean it's incredible, particularly being 0:03:11.400 --> 0:03:14.600 you know, a first year UM commissioner and I traveled 0:03:14.600 --> 0:03:17.440 to I think I hit twenty eight or twenty nine 0:03:17.440 --> 0:03:20.800 of our events, and I got to see golf in 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:23.360 all over the world, you know, and see how people 0:03:23.800 --> 0:03:27.560 embrace the game, how people love our athletes seeing you know, 0:03:27.560 --> 0:03:30.480 you're sort of one week in in a Midwestern town 0:03:30.520 --> 0:03:32.720 and the next week, you know, you're in Europe or 0:03:32.720 --> 0:03:35.560 you're in you're in Asia, and you're sort of seeing 0:03:35.840 --> 0:03:39.160 the commonality among golf fans, which was really fun for 0:03:39.200 --> 0:03:40.600 me to be able to see. And I really wanted 0:03:40.640 --> 0:03:42.320 to do that. I really wanted to get out to 0:03:42.360 --> 0:03:45.040 as many events as I could possibly get to and 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:48.160 see our fans and see our partners and see how 0:03:48.200 --> 0:03:51.360 our players engaged so so as you said, so globally 0:03:51.400 --> 0:03:54.160 and it's it's so I love that about our tour. 0:03:54.200 --> 0:03:57.760 I think that is a significant competitive advantage, working with 0:03:57.800 --> 0:04:01.000 brands and partners all over the world, and you know, 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:04.040 you really are, truly we are the best players in 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:05.840 the world playing on this tour. You know, it's not 0:04:05.920 --> 0:04:07.880 just the best players from the United States, it's the 0:04:07.920 --> 0:04:09.920 best players from the from around the world. I think 0:04:09.920 --> 0:04:12.920 we have thirty five countries may be represented who have 0:04:13.080 --> 0:04:16.400 cards this year, which is is pretty incredible. And we 0:04:16.440 --> 0:04:18.159 had I don't quote me on this, I think we 0:04:18.240 --> 0:04:22.120 had winners from fourteen different countries last year. Um, which 0:04:22.160 --> 0:04:26.520 again the commonality is golf. The commonality is women exceeding 0:04:26.760 --> 0:04:30.960 at something succeeding and um excelling at something that's really hard, 0:04:31.440 --> 0:04:34.400 really challenging and inspiring people through the work that they're 0:04:34.440 --> 0:04:39.919 doing over five hundred hours three on broadcast TV. I 0:04:39.920 --> 0:04:42.200 mean the obvious question, Molly, because I mean I work 0:04:42.279 --> 0:04:43.960 with girls from the l p G a UM, I 0:04:44.000 --> 0:04:46.400 go to the tournaments. I think the product is great, 0:04:47.200 --> 0:04:50.880 But the constant theme around women's golf is how do 0:04:50.920 --> 0:04:53.479 we get more eyeballs? How do we get more people involved? 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:57.200 How many how do we get more people to the tournaments? Um, 0:04:57.360 --> 0:04:59.520 you're the ninth commissioner of of the l p G 0:04:59.680 --> 0:05:04.719 a UM, how do you feel that's going and what 0:05:04.920 --> 0:05:07.720 is the plan moving forward to just try and get 0:05:07.760 --> 0:05:11.719 more people to see what what the ladies on the 0:05:11.800 --> 0:05:14.480 LPGA are doing. Yeah, it's definitely a you know, it's 0:05:14.520 --> 0:05:16.600 a it's a chicken and egg, right. If you don't 0:05:16.640 --> 0:05:19.360 have the fans, you can't drive some of the same 0:05:19.440 --> 0:05:22.640 revenue that you need to have the manpower and the 0:05:22.680 --> 0:05:25.040 technology and all the things you need to have more fans. 0:05:25.360 --> 0:05:27.080 So I think we're trying to sort of start that 0:05:27.160 --> 0:05:29.719 chicken and egg cycle. A little differently and it really 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:33.640 invests in it, really invest in you know, fan engagement, 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:37.479 fan development, fan acquisition, really trying to have I always say, 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:41.480 you know, the world needs to see how amazingly talented 0:05:41.600 --> 0:05:44.760 are athletes are, and how engaging they are and how 0:05:44.800 --> 0:05:47.120 interesting they are and hear their personal stories as well 0:05:47.160 --> 0:05:50.560 as their their golf talent. So that's a huge priority 0:05:50.600 --> 0:05:52.440 of ours. And it's sort of this you know idea 0:05:52.440 --> 0:05:54.880 of two way communication too. We have to know who 0:05:54.960 --> 0:05:56.720 our fans are. We've got to be able to talk 0:05:56.760 --> 0:05:59.240 to them. We've got to be really aggressive and creative. 0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:01.880 But even things like with the with the tournament this 0:06:01.920 --> 0:06:04.839 past week, you know, were bringing in um, people who 0:06:04.880 --> 0:06:07.920 love golf that aren't necessarily always connected to the LPGA 0:06:08.040 --> 0:06:11.160 to start to spread the word and start to promote 0:06:11.160 --> 0:06:13.080 our brand. And you know, you have a whole new 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:15.279 audience that you bring in with some of these celebrities 0:06:15.360 --> 0:06:18.719 have huge fan bases um themselves and so getting them 0:06:18.760 --> 0:06:20.479 to say the things that they were saying, you know, 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:23.000 I mean you hear the quotes from Marty Fish and 0:06:23.040 --> 0:06:25.719 others saying that if anyone thinks that they could play 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:28.880 with these women, they're a hundred percent wrong. You know, 0:06:28.960 --> 0:06:31.120 any any single digit hand I think he said something 0:06:31.160 --> 0:06:34.760 like any single digit handicapper wouldn't have even a morsel 0:06:34.800 --> 0:06:37.640 of a chance playing against UM these best in the 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:41.280 world athletes. So we're also focused really a lot on technology. 0:06:41.320 --> 0:06:43.920 I mean, I think technology can be a great equalizer, 0:06:44.400 --> 0:06:47.159 and so we want to invest and you know in 0:06:47.360 --> 0:06:53.080 improved scoring and UM improved a website and improved just 0:06:53.240 --> 0:06:57.480 overall UM you know, CRMs, and ability to sell, sell 0:06:57.600 --> 0:07:00.040 and promote our our product to such a broader me 0:07:00.120 --> 0:07:02.839 and some technology is now allowing that. So thinking about 0:07:02.839 --> 0:07:06.640 how we utilize more digital assets and streaming opportunities, so 0:07:07.000 --> 0:07:09.920 just to bring more people into under our tent. And 0:07:09.960 --> 0:07:12.040 I think the product will speak for itself, but we 0:07:12.080 --> 0:07:14.040 have to be really really intentional with that, and I 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:15.880 think we have to invest in it. I will say. 0:07:15.880 --> 0:07:17.960 The other thing is getting partners to help us with that, 0:07:18.360 --> 0:07:21.200 and I think that you know, one example would be 0:07:21.200 --> 0:07:24.360 the KPMG Performance Insight program. You know, when when we 0:07:24.440 --> 0:07:27.920 invest in the in the performance insights and the and 0:07:27.960 --> 0:07:30.560 the data, we can start to tell our story and 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:32.400 start to say, you know, hey, this is what the 0:07:32.400 --> 0:07:34.040 women were doing on the tour last year and this 0:07:34.080 --> 0:07:35.800 is how it compares to what the men were doing. 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:40.760 And you know, we're exceeding um some of their numbers 0:07:40.800 --> 0:07:42.800 in a lot of categories. You know, the proximity to 0:07:42.880 --> 0:07:46.880 the whole from various distances. Um Minji Lee was leading 0:07:46.960 --> 0:07:49.680 the world, not just the women's meaning. If you look 0:07:49.720 --> 0:07:52.520 at the way that Lydia Co played last year, if 0:07:52.560 --> 0:07:54.880 you look at her bowl striking, if you look at 0:07:55.280 --> 0:07:59.040 as you mentioned Minji, I mean, they're doing things that 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:04.800 no one else in golf. He's doing the way that 0:08:04.840 --> 0:08:07.080 their performing. I thought a great moment from last week 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:09.960 Molly was in her interview Nellie Corda. I mean she 0:08:10.040 --> 0:08:12.600 played the p n C with her dad and a 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:15.120 bunch of the guys were saying, you know, justin Thomas 0:08:15.160 --> 0:08:18.760 Jordan Smith. They were all saying, she's got the best 0:08:18.760 --> 0:08:21.400 golf swing, you know, in the world, and I thought 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:23.280 it was great. Nelly said, well, you know, they should 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:26.120 come to more lazy mons because I spent last year. 0:08:26.160 --> 0:08:28.720 I went to the Women's US Open down at Pinehurst, 0:08:28.840 --> 0:08:31.400 and I got to the Raine early because there's so 0:08:31.440 --> 0:08:34.080 many girls that I've seen on TV, but I haven't 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:37.079 had the opportunity to actually see their golf swings up 0:08:37.120 --> 0:08:39.480 close in in person, and as a golf instructor and 0:08:39.520 --> 0:08:42.280 as a golf swing nerd to actually just be able 0:08:42.280 --> 0:08:44.920 to stand on the driving roid. So the first time 0:08:44.960 --> 0:08:48.400 I'd really seen Nellie Corda hit golf balls in person, 0:08:48.800 --> 0:08:50.880 and I got there about a half hour earlier. Before 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:52.800 you know, Marine Alex did what I was working with, 0:08:53.040 --> 0:08:56.280 and I just sat and watched um Nellie hit balls. 0:08:56.320 --> 0:08:59.880 And she she has one of, if not the best 0:09:00.160 --> 0:09:04.600 technically sound golf swing in the world. And and when 0:09:04.640 --> 0:09:07.040 you play and you you go out in practice rounds 0:09:07.400 --> 0:09:10.600 with these women, I mean, first of all, they hit 0:09:10.640 --> 0:09:14.160 the golf ball so unbelievably straight. It's it's hard to 0:09:14.200 --> 0:09:17.480 fathom because the guys, the guys hit it all over 0:09:17.520 --> 0:09:20.679 the place, right, because they're hitting it with much more speed. 0:09:20.760 --> 0:09:23.680 But when you look at the quality of the product, 0:09:23.760 --> 0:09:27.240 do you think sometimes, Molly, that you're a little bit 0:09:27.280 --> 0:09:29.800 behind the eight ball because everything is compared to what's 0:09:29.800 --> 0:09:32.160 happening on the p g A Tour right from the 0:09:32.200 --> 0:09:35.960 way they run it, from their sponsorship, from the brands 0:09:36.000 --> 0:09:40.559 associated with it, from the television contracts that they have. Um, 0:09:40.559 --> 0:09:43.760 It's it's almost like it's not a fair comparison. It's 0:09:43.800 --> 0:09:46.439 not apples to apples. It would seem it would be 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:49.760 because you're both in the competitive professional golf space. But 0:09:50.520 --> 0:09:52.240 trying to compare to what you all are trying to 0:09:52.280 --> 0:09:54.880 do on the LPJ versus what J and the boys 0:09:54.920 --> 0:09:57.000 at Pontovidra are trying to do with the PGA Tour, 0:09:57.360 --> 0:10:01.200 they're two completely different things. Yeah, I mean, and that's 0:10:01.200 --> 0:10:02.360 what you know, that's a little bit what I was 0:10:02.360 --> 0:10:04.440 talking about before with the with the chicken and egg 0:10:04.480 --> 0:10:06.760 you know, I mean, you you have a set amount 0:10:06.800 --> 0:10:10.679 of resources that you can use to to activate and 0:10:10.800 --> 0:10:13.480 are you know, be for many structural reasons. You know, 0:10:13.640 --> 0:10:15.720 most of it stems from TV deals, right and media 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:17.840 deals and kind of how the revenue flows in there. 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:20.280 And so you're you're you just don't have the same 0:10:20.320 --> 0:10:22.520 set of resources to use to put on the same 0:10:22.600 --> 0:10:25.120 type of product. But we're we're thinking of this as 0:10:25.120 --> 0:10:28.280 an opportunity to to keep growing and to keep doing 0:10:28.320 --> 0:10:31.000 things differently, and we still have a lot of room 0:10:31.040 --> 0:10:33.520 to go. I mean, if you think about, um, how 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:36.480 interesting the product is and how some people just don't 0:10:36.720 --> 0:10:39.040 yet know about it and haven't quite engaged so we 0:10:39.080 --> 0:10:41.600 think there's a huge opportunity there. We think that the 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:43.719 talent and the and the data that we're showing will 0:10:43.720 --> 0:10:46.520 continue to grow that. Um but yeah, it is. It 0:10:46.600 --> 0:10:48.559 is apples to oranges, and so we've got to make 0:10:48.600 --> 0:10:51.040 sure that we do everything we can do within our power, 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:54.040 and we use our partners, we drive revenues in different ways, 0:10:54.280 --> 0:10:57.360 we continue to be creative, we continue to to to 0:10:57.559 --> 0:11:00.760 give different opportunities for new fans to come on. And uh, 0:11:00.800 --> 0:11:02.560 I think we'll get there. I mean, we are growing. 0:11:02.600 --> 0:11:04.760 We're also working with you know, a lot of the 0:11:04.880 --> 0:11:07.480 industry to sort of help grow and and and to 0:11:07.480 --> 0:11:10.160 to use resources from around the you know, from around 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:12.160 what they've been doing. So yeah, I do see that 0:11:12.200 --> 0:11:14.319 as a different we'd apples and oranges, But I think 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:16.880 we're making really good progress. And um yeah, I did 0:11:16.880 --> 0:11:19.960 love to what Nellie said. It's like, this isn't a surprise. 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:21.800 And I also like what she said is you know, 0:11:21.840 --> 0:11:23.400 come in and you'll see a whole whole lot of 0:11:23.400 --> 0:11:25.480 women who's playing the club really really well and who 0:11:25.480 --> 0:11:30.439 are phenomenal athletes and phenomenal players. Nellie obviously being one 0:11:30.440 --> 0:11:32.680 of the biggest stars on the LPGA Tour and and 0:11:32.679 --> 0:11:35.560 and in my opinion, one of the best players on 0:11:35.559 --> 0:11:39.120 on on in professional golf, regardless of whether it's men's 0:11:39.160 --> 0:11:43.600 or women's. How important do you think um Nellie getting 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:48.480 um new sponsors, big massive sponsors, Nike coming in and 0:11:48.520 --> 0:11:51.520 looking at Nellie who plays on the LPGA Tour and saying, listen, 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:54.240 we want to have her as one of our athletes. 0:11:54.280 --> 0:11:57.360 Taylor made one of the biggest club companies in the game. 0:11:57.720 --> 0:11:59.720 We want to have her as part of our brand. 0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:03.440 Do you think that's hopefully going to be a catalyst 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:07.640 for more of the golf manufacturers and the golf companies 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:12.360 saying okay, let's invest in these great players. Yeah. And 0:12:12.360 --> 0:12:15.599 I think also just other brands, not just the manufacturers, 0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:18.600 but I think others seeing you know, the the value 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:21.200 of these ambassadors. And if you think about it, you know, 0:12:21.240 --> 0:12:24.720 the numbers have grown really high, UM from prize earnings 0:12:24.720 --> 0:12:27.560 for our players. You know, we had twenty seven players 0:12:27.600 --> 0:12:30.880 make over a million dollars last year UM, which is 0:12:31.080 --> 0:12:34.480 which is great, and a couple more over the two 0:12:34.480 --> 0:12:37.240 million dollar mark and the three million dollar mark. So 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:39.920 that's all growing. But I think that some big dollars 0:12:39.960 --> 0:12:42.760 like in tennis really comes from the endorsement deals that 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:44.880 they have, So we want to we want to put 0:12:44.880 --> 0:12:47.120 our players out there so the world sees the value 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:50.320 of them as as really strong corporate ambassadors as well. 0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:53.360 So we we think that that's a big opportunity and 0:12:53.400 --> 0:12:55.280 we think that they should be showcased in that way. 0:12:55.320 --> 0:12:57.800 I mean, these are athletes playing the hardest sport in 0:12:57.800 --> 0:13:01.679 the world, under the most sort of intense pressure situations 0:13:01.760 --> 0:13:04.640 and performing like none others. So yeah, I mean, I 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:06.840 think it's a big Some of the big announcements over 0:13:06.840 --> 0:13:08.760 the last couple of weeks have been really good for 0:13:09.000 --> 0:13:11.560 the LPGA, obviously really good for our players, but we 0:13:11.679 --> 0:13:14.080 see that as a big growth opportunity for the top 0:13:14.120 --> 0:13:16.280 of the leader board as well. We'll continue to grow purses, 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:19.400 will continue to grow their earnings UM, but we also 0:13:19.440 --> 0:13:22.199 think that they can take a really big leap up 0:13:22.240 --> 0:13:25.120 in the endorsement dollars that they bring in. We talked 0:13:25.200 --> 0:13:27.600 last week on the range at like not to UM. 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:29.760 You know, you were saying that you were really proud 0:13:29.760 --> 0:13:32.040 of the fact that there were so many women that 0:13:32.240 --> 0:13:35.040 had made over a million dollars UM in prize money 0:13:35.080 --> 0:13:39.480 last year. The payum, the pay gap between what the 0:13:39.520 --> 0:13:41.880 men are making and the women. I mean, how do 0:13:42.080 --> 0:13:44.440 how do you as an organization go about trying to 0:13:45.280 --> 0:13:50.320 bring that gap closer together and have more players on 0:13:50.360 --> 0:13:54.200 the LPGA tour. Because it's interesting when I when I 0:13:54.240 --> 0:13:56.000 do talk to some of the girls on the LPGA 0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:59.880 to the difference in their lives versus what they can 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:03.240 afford to do off the golf course. I'll give you 0:14:03.240 --> 0:14:06.640 a great example. Um, there are girls that come up 0:14:06.679 --> 0:14:08.760 and and take lessons from me and they said, listen, 0:14:08.800 --> 0:14:11.440 can I get on a launch monitor? And I'm like, 0:14:11.520 --> 0:14:13.360 you don't have a launch monitor? And they're like no, 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:17.840 they're they're thirty grand I can't afford that, um, Whereas 0:14:18.040 --> 0:14:20.400 pretty much the majority of the guys on the PGA tour, 0:14:20.560 --> 0:14:24.120 everybody's got a thirty launch monitor. That's an easy thing. 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:27.120 You see that on the PGA tour as a way 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:30.000 that you have to have something a product like that 0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:32.800 to try and get better. But that's hard for a 0:14:32.840 --> 0:14:35.640 lot of of of the women on the LPJ That's 0:14:35.800 --> 0:14:38.400 that's a big investment for them to make relative to 0:14:38.440 --> 0:14:41.320 how much they're earning. Yeah. I mean again, it goes 0:14:41.320 --> 0:14:42.960 back to a little bit. I hate to use that 0:14:43.000 --> 0:14:45.640 phrase though, but the chicken and egg when when you 0:14:45.720 --> 0:14:49.000 don't have that technology or you don't have that team 0:14:49.040 --> 0:14:52.600 around the team that can elevate your game, then you're 0:14:52.680 --> 0:14:55.160 one step behind when you reach the first tea and 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:57.880 so and even things like travel, you know when yours 0:14:58.080 --> 0:15:00.240 when you're first of all, we're traveling all over the world, 0:15:00.240 --> 0:15:02.000 which is a really great thing for us, but it's 0:15:02.040 --> 0:15:04.240 it's hard on the body, it's hard on recovery, it's 0:15:04.560 --> 0:15:06.840 it's hard on all of those things. And when you're 0:15:06.880 --> 0:15:09.080 you know, doing all of your own travel planning or 0:15:09.120 --> 0:15:12.440 where you're not flying privately and you're you know, having 0:15:12.480 --> 0:15:14.760 to be on long flights and and you need that 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:18.120 ability to to get your body ready to compete. And 0:15:18.160 --> 0:15:20.680 so those are all things that we're working on. What 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:25.280 are ways that we can get partners to help reduce expenses. 0:15:25.600 --> 0:15:28.360 Think about how we you know, we have some minimum 0:15:28.400 --> 0:15:31.040 payouts for some events, so you because don't don't forget 0:15:31.040 --> 0:15:33.040 when you get to an event. You may spend all 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:34.840 this money and you get there and you don't make 0:15:34.880 --> 0:15:37.520 the cut, and you come home without any revenue, and 0:15:37.560 --> 0:15:40.000 you now have a decent amount of cash that you've 0:15:40.000 --> 0:15:43.680 outlet to be there. So we're we're thinking really holistically 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:46.560 about the player experience, both from what's the environment at 0:15:46.560 --> 0:15:49.480 the tournament site, what's the environment that they had before 0:15:49.520 --> 0:15:51.360 they got to the tournament site, and then how do 0:15:51.440 --> 0:15:53.800 we help them make a living. I always say that's 0:15:53.800 --> 0:15:56.400 commensurate with their with their world class talent. I mean, 0:15:56.400 --> 0:15:58.560 the differences are pretty intense, you know. I said that 0:15:58.640 --> 0:16:01.480 we had twenty seven We had twenty seven people make 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:03.960 over a million dollars last year on the PG Tour. 0:16:04.000 --> 0:16:06.320 I think they had a hundred and twenty seven players 0:16:06.360 --> 0:16:09.400 make over a million dollars um. That's a big difference. 0:16:09.640 --> 0:16:13.480 The hundred best player on the LPGA last year made 0:16:13.520 --> 0:16:16.480 a hundred and sixty seven thousand dollars and earnings, and 0:16:16.520 --> 0:16:20.280 it probably cost her that amount to be out there. So, 0:16:20.360 --> 0:16:22.360 you know, that's a really tangible goal for us to 0:16:22.400 --> 0:16:25.720 say that the hundred best player in the world should 0:16:25.760 --> 0:16:28.960 make a living playing golf. I mean, that's a that's 0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:31.680 something that has to change, um. And yes, we're doing 0:16:31.760 --> 0:16:33.800 much better at the top, and we want to continue 0:16:33.840 --> 0:16:36.480 to to pay our stars. When when there are stars 0:16:36.520 --> 0:16:38.720 and when they're winning at that level, they should also 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:42.240 make money that's commensurate with that really world class talent. 0:16:42.280 --> 0:16:45.080 But hundred best players, the hundred best players in the 0:16:45.120 --> 0:16:48.640 world should make more than they spent, you know, significantly 0:16:48.680 --> 0:16:51.120 more than they spent. So we're looking at all of 0:16:51.160 --> 0:16:53.560 the ways that we can do that, obviously raising prize 0:16:53.560 --> 0:16:56.240 funds and and being able to to grow our corporate 0:16:56.240 --> 0:16:59.320 sponsorship business where we can invest and subsidize and kind 0:16:59.320 --> 0:17:01.400 of grow those term and that's the most important thing 0:17:01.400 --> 0:17:03.520 we do, but there's other ways to do it too. 0:17:03.720 --> 0:17:06.439 Short term that that we're focused on. Let's take a 0:17:06.440 --> 0:17:09.760 moment to thank for Wellness for supporting the show. You 0:17:09.760 --> 0:17:11.600 guys hear me talk about them every week, and that 0:17:11.760 --> 0:17:13.439 the reason I do that is because I drink their 0:17:13.480 --> 0:17:16.120 coffee every week. I know lots of people are focusing 0:17:16.160 --> 0:17:18.040 on health and wellness as we start the new year, 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:20.760 but what I love most about their coffee is that 0:17:20.760 --> 0:17:26.080 there isn't anything artificial and no artificial ingredients, sweeteners, creamers 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:28.560 and all the junk that isn't good for you. It's 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:31.400 only the good stuff giving you more energy without typical 0:17:31.440 --> 0:17:34.359 crashes you get when a lot of your coffee and 0:17:34.400 --> 0:17:36.760 if you have a lot of sugar in your coffee. 0:17:37.119 --> 0:17:39.399 Give it a try and use the special code c 0:17:39.760 --> 0:17:43.760 H three. That code will get you off your order 0:17:44.240 --> 0:17:47.199 plus free shipping and a free starter kit worth thirty 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:52.359 dollars when you visit for wellness dot com slash podcast again, 0:17:52.680 --> 0:17:56.000 that's the code c H three at for Wellness dot 0:17:56.000 --> 0:18:01.560 com slash podcast. Your predecissor Michaelan who's now at the 0:18:01.600 --> 0:18:03.800 U s g A UM I read that you asked 0:18:03.880 --> 0:18:06.960 him for hit some advice and he said, the tournaments 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:11.040 are the most important thing. Have a relentless pursuit of 0:18:11.240 --> 0:18:15.400 trying to get the best tournament opportunities for the players. UM. 0:18:15.480 --> 0:18:20.360 In three, where everybody is trying to get corporate dollars. 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:24.600 UM the usps that that the LPGA has for you 0:18:24.680 --> 0:18:26.280 when you go out to try and sell that to 0:18:26.440 --> 0:18:29.960 corporate sponsors. Um, what is that message that you're trying 0:18:29.960 --> 0:18:32.600 to to to get across and and bring them into 0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:36.440 the world of of the LPGA. Well, I think there's 0:18:36.440 --> 0:18:39.040 a couple of things. We I think we have some significant, 0:18:39.119 --> 0:18:43.320 you know, competitive advantages in that area. Obviously we've got 0:18:43.320 --> 0:18:45.959 the best in the world, and that sponsors and and 0:18:46.040 --> 0:18:48.840 everyone wants to align themselves with the best in the world. 0:18:49.160 --> 0:18:52.080 We so there's there's real commercial upside and golf, right, 0:18:52.119 --> 0:18:55.520 I mean, there's tremendous hospitality opportunities. We are on television 0:18:55.520 --> 0:18:58.800 with great branding opportunities. So there's a great business case 0:18:59.240 --> 0:19:02.439 for in aging with the LPGA, and that continues to 0:19:02.480 --> 0:19:04.240 grow as we get more fans and as we grow 0:19:04.280 --> 0:19:06.320 our audience, and as we grow the talent and the 0:19:06.320 --> 0:19:09.600 player's talent continues to grow. There's that real strong commercial 0:19:10.240 --> 0:19:13.439 value that they're getting out of engaging with us. But 0:19:13.520 --> 0:19:15.960 in addition, they're helping us solve a really important problem. 0:19:16.000 --> 0:19:18.040 You know, they're they're really getting to show the world 0:19:18.040 --> 0:19:21.040 that they care about equity, they care about women's sports, 0:19:21.080 --> 0:19:24.600 they care about highlighting and empowering women who are doing 0:19:24.600 --> 0:19:28.920 something really hard. So I think we're really positioned very well, 0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:32.040 and our our partners are really responding to that. A 0:19:32.040 --> 0:19:34.439 lot of them have said, listen, we we love the 0:19:34.480 --> 0:19:37.840 business value of this, and we're super excited about that 0:19:37.960 --> 0:19:40.480 because we think it's moving our business forward. But we 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:43.719 also love that we get to say to our female 0:19:43.720 --> 0:19:46.840 employees or to our customers, we care about women, and 0:19:46.840 --> 0:19:49.360 we care about equity, and in sports, you know, pay 0:19:49.400 --> 0:19:52.440 equity is one of the last places where women are 0:19:52.480 --> 0:19:56.320 not paid properly. Where in corporate America could you say, hey, listen, 0:19:56.359 --> 0:19:58.720 I know you're really good at your job, but you're 0:19:58.720 --> 0:20:01.760 gonna make five percent a ten percent of what Joe 0:20:01.800 --> 0:20:05.320 is gonna make. UM, because you know that that's where 0:20:05.359 --> 0:20:07.600 you are in life, and so we want to change that. 0:20:07.720 --> 0:20:09.600 And I think our partners want to change that, and 0:20:09.640 --> 0:20:12.160 they want to help us solve that problem. So it's 0:20:12.160 --> 0:20:14.399 a really best case scenario in my mind. It's like, listen, 0:20:14.400 --> 0:20:17.719 you get these great benefits of being an LPG partner, 0:20:17.720 --> 0:20:21.120 a traditional sponsorship benefits and partnership benefits, but we also 0:20:21.160 --> 0:20:23.120 help us solve a really important challenge and you get 0:20:23.160 --> 0:20:25.960 to really talk about your values to your customers, to 0:20:26.000 --> 0:20:28.639 your employees, to the world. One of the things that 0:20:28.680 --> 0:20:31.159 you and I spoke about um last week. UM, I 0:20:31.200 --> 0:20:33.879 know you're incredibly excited about some of the venues and 0:20:33.920 --> 0:20:37.439 some of the courses that the LPGA is going to play, 0:20:37.480 --> 0:20:40.120 not only on the LPG, but also if you look 0:20:40.119 --> 0:20:43.199 at what your major championships, the venues that they're starting 0:20:43.200 --> 0:20:45.399 to go to, those are going to be some of 0:20:45.440 --> 0:20:48.520 the great venues. Some of the great iconic golf courses 0:20:48.920 --> 0:20:52.199 in the United States that people that follow maybe the 0:20:52.200 --> 0:20:55.399 PGA too, or have seen other tournaments playoff. Um, the 0:20:55.520 --> 0:20:57.760 US Open this summer at Pebble Beach. I think that's 0:20:57.760 --> 0:21:02.080 going to be a fantastic showcase, um for the women's game. Yeah, 0:21:02.119 --> 0:21:03.800 I mean you we talked about it. I mean just 0:21:03.920 --> 0:21:09.120 the Pebble obviously, Bolta's Rale, Liberty National, Well Heath. I mean, 0:21:09.160 --> 0:21:11.080 it's just that the list goes on and on. I mean, 0:21:11.119 --> 0:21:13.560 we're we're UM and then we've what we've always played 0:21:13.600 --> 0:21:15.560 at some great golf courses that are regulars on our 0:21:15.560 --> 0:21:18.600 on our tour, but um, you know, to be able 0:21:18.640 --> 0:21:22.760 to showcase their talent at venues the people know it. Again, 0:21:22.840 --> 0:21:25.919 I think a big part of this is saying, listen, 0:21:25.920 --> 0:21:29.199 we value your talent, we value your skill, we value 0:21:29.200 --> 0:21:31.639 how good you are at this really hard game, and 0:21:31.680 --> 0:21:33.280 we're going to have you play at the very best 0:21:33.880 --> 0:21:36.440 venues in the world. And and that's what we're doing. 0:21:36.520 --> 0:21:39.080 And I think it makes a gigantic difference, and UM, 0:21:39.080 --> 0:21:40.960 our players are really excited about it. I mean when 0:21:41.000 --> 0:21:42.960 I when I sit and have dinner with some of 0:21:43.000 --> 0:21:45.840 the players, you know, these are athletes. This is their 0:21:45.920 --> 0:21:49.199 their forum, this is their career. They care about the 0:21:49.240 --> 0:21:52.080 golf course, they care about the details of the game. 0:21:52.119 --> 0:21:55.720 Their nerds, they're they're they're golf nerds, and they that's 0:21:55.760 --> 0:21:58.520 their whole venue, that's their that's their work environment. So 0:21:58.800 --> 0:22:00.840 it matters when they roll to a golf course. You 0:22:00.880 --> 0:22:03.280 know where they're playing and what it feels like, and 0:22:03.640 --> 0:22:06.240 how people value and respect you know those venues. So 0:22:06.240 --> 0:22:07.679 we've got a lot of great ones on the schedule 0:22:07.720 --> 0:22:10.880 and we're excited about it. How do you balance, Molly 0:22:10.960 --> 0:22:14.440 um the tours role and the player's role Because I've 0:22:14.440 --> 0:22:16.119 always been on the players side of thing. I mean, 0:22:16.119 --> 0:22:18.479 obviously I was never a player, but I've always worked 0:22:18.520 --> 0:22:23.080 for professional golfers, professional athletes, and so it's easy when 0:22:23.119 --> 0:22:26.760 you're in on my side of the fence. My lens 0:22:26.840 --> 0:22:30.639 is listen. Without the players, there is no tour, regardless 0:22:30.640 --> 0:22:33.480 of which tour it is. But then coming from your standpoint, 0:22:33.560 --> 0:22:38.239 you're like, okay, well we're providing you this opportunity, So 0:22:38.280 --> 0:22:41.959 how do you you find that balance between what the 0:22:42.000 --> 0:22:45.439 tour listening to what you have to do from the 0:22:45.680 --> 0:22:48.840 LPGA standpoint and growing what the LPG is doing, but 0:22:49.000 --> 0:22:56.920 also understanding and listening to what the players want as well. Well. 0:22:56.960 --> 0:22:59.000 I mean, I don't think that they're separate. I mean 0:22:59.040 --> 0:23:01.000 I think that they're actually the same. And one of 0:23:01.040 --> 0:23:03.480 the things I really love about this job is that 0:23:03.920 --> 0:23:06.400 our job is to serve the membership. I mean, at 0:23:06.400 --> 0:23:08.920 the end of the day, we wake up every day 0:23:08.920 --> 0:23:11.520 trying to make the LPGA better, which in turn really 0:23:11.560 --> 0:23:13.600 is to make the players experience better, to make their 0:23:13.600 --> 0:23:16.800 lives better, to give them more opportunity. So obviously there's 0:23:16.880 --> 0:23:20.520 times when what the full organization needs might not be 0:23:20.560 --> 0:23:23.719 exactly what one individual needs on the tour, but ultimately 0:23:23.760 --> 0:23:27.679 what we're trying to do is elevate their experience. So 0:23:27.720 --> 0:23:30.440 I don't see them as separate. I think sometimes, you know, 0:23:30.480 --> 0:23:33.080 people disagree on the way to get to the end result, 0:23:33.440 --> 0:23:35.080 but at the end of the day, we're all working 0:23:35.119 --> 0:23:37.439 towards the same thing, and this is essentially this is 0:23:37.480 --> 0:23:39.680 their tour. That's the way the founders set it up. 0:23:40.000 --> 0:23:43.879 It's a membership organization. Um, we want to do what 0:23:43.920 --> 0:23:45.840 they want us to do. At the at the same time, 0:23:45.880 --> 0:23:48.040 they don't always have the full perspective, right, they don't 0:23:48.600 --> 0:23:52.240 understand the ends and the outs of selling sponsorships and 0:23:52.280 --> 0:23:55.800 partnerships and and growing the business, and it's it's certainly challenging, 0:23:55.840 --> 0:23:58.560 but they're really I think they believe that it's their 0:23:58.600 --> 0:24:00.359 tour and that they have a voice and all of that. 0:24:00.520 --> 0:24:03.359 We have, you know, player directors on our board. We 0:24:04.119 --> 0:24:06.600 very much value and listen to what they have to say. 0:24:06.640 --> 0:24:08.879 We hear their input. We try to get as much 0:24:08.960 --> 0:24:12.400 input input from players as we possibly can, because ultimately 0:24:12.400 --> 0:24:14.000 we're all in this for the same purpose. You know. 0:24:14.040 --> 0:24:15.760 That's one of the great things about this job is 0:24:15.800 --> 0:24:18.080 we're not we're not serving an owner, you know, I 0:24:18.160 --> 0:24:22.160 always think about that in professional sports, we're serving the membership. UM. 0:24:22.200 --> 0:24:24.399 In some professional sports you obviously have the team owner, 0:24:24.440 --> 0:24:26.440 you've got the league, and you've got various levels. Here, 0:24:26.760 --> 0:24:30.600 we work directly with the players to grow the organization 0:24:30.680 --> 0:24:35.919 for for them. How important has the international presence, in 0:24:35.960 --> 0:24:39.240 your opinion, been to the growth and the development of 0:24:39.600 --> 0:24:42.000 the LPG. I mean, if you look at the amount 0:24:42.040 --> 0:24:46.120 of players coming from the LPGA tour in the last 0:24:46.119 --> 0:24:49.560 ten years from Asia, UM, I think we're starting to 0:24:49.640 --> 0:24:52.320 see a little bit more of that in the men's game. 0:24:52.359 --> 0:24:56.440 I mean, everybody's you're raving about Tom Kim, who Korean 0:24:56.680 --> 0:24:59.520 came from the Asian Tour now playing on the PGA 0:24:59.560 --> 0:25:02.400 Tour and we're starting to see more of the Korean 0:25:02.440 --> 0:25:04.640 men start to come from. Where that's been going on 0:25:05.040 --> 0:25:08.480 in the LPGA for you know, the last ten fifteen years. 0:25:08.760 --> 0:25:14.200 Do you feel like the growth of different markets, he's 0:25:14.760 --> 0:25:19.000 been a big part of the LPGA's growth as an organization. Yeah. 0:25:19.000 --> 0:25:20.439 I mean, first of all, I got to play with 0:25:20.480 --> 0:25:22.560 Tom Kim by the way out in out in Vegas. 0:25:22.600 --> 0:25:24.399 We had a great time. I played nine holes with him, 0:25:24.440 --> 0:25:26.800 and then I played nine holes with with Freddie Couples, 0:25:26.840 --> 0:25:29.520 So it was quite quite a day for me. Um 0:25:29.560 --> 0:25:32.840 and he was phenomenal. But no, I think like, listen 0:25:32.840 --> 0:25:35.800 to your your market is the world so and and 0:25:35.960 --> 0:25:39.040 it's the other thing that's different than other professional sports 0:25:39.080 --> 0:25:41.840 leagues if you think about it. Um as the commissioner 0:25:41.840 --> 0:25:43.800 of the LPGA or the p G A when you 0:25:43.880 --> 0:25:46.280 when you wake up, you don't have someone handing you 0:25:46.320 --> 0:25:48.480 a schedule and saying, okay, this is you're gonna play 0:25:48.560 --> 0:25:50.840 Dallas this week, and you're gonna play um you know 0:25:50.840 --> 0:25:53.200 you're gonna play Florida this week and this is how 0:25:53.200 --> 0:25:54.639 this is gonna go, and then you figure out all 0:25:54.680 --> 0:25:57.080 the other pieces of the business. Our main thing, as 0:25:57.080 --> 0:25:59.880 you said before, is how do we create that schedule? 0:26:00.080 --> 0:26:02.280 And that's really hard, you know to find the right 0:26:02.359 --> 0:26:04.359 partners and the right venues at the right with the 0:26:04.440 --> 0:26:07.679 right purses and so um. You know, when your world 0:26:07.760 --> 0:26:09.760 is bigger, when the market is bigger, and when you 0:26:09.800 --> 0:26:12.360 can hit you know, you can find the top sponsor 0:26:12.400 --> 0:26:15.400 in Korea, that gives you another playing opportunity over there, 0:26:15.400 --> 0:26:17.520 That gives you another opportunity in Japan, that gives you 0:26:17.560 --> 0:26:20.920 an opportunity in Scotland. It gives us an opportunity to 0:26:20.920 --> 0:26:23.280 to have as many tournaments as we can possibly have. 0:26:23.480 --> 0:26:25.840 That makes sense for you know, for the schedule. So 0:26:25.920 --> 0:26:27.600 I think it helps with just the size of the 0:26:27.640 --> 0:26:30.199 market and the size of the interest around the world, um, 0:26:30.240 --> 0:26:33.000 the size of the fan base. It also helps with 0:26:33.080 --> 0:26:36.440 you know, international television rights. That's a big revenue driver 0:26:36.560 --> 0:26:39.199 for us and and so you know there's interest and 0:26:39.240 --> 0:26:41.800 I think we're in a hundred and seventy different markets 0:26:41.840 --> 0:26:45.439 that we were televised in, so that drives revenue for us, 0:26:45.560 --> 0:26:48.720 really really valuable revenue that we can reinvest in the tour. 0:26:48.920 --> 0:26:52.040 So I do think that the you know, in embracing 0:26:52.080 --> 0:26:54.600 the global nature of our tour has been really good 0:26:54.600 --> 0:26:56.919 for us. And um, you know again we're back to 0:26:56.960 --> 0:26:59.160 the best players in the world competing on the LPGA. 0:27:00.040 --> 0:27:01.679 You think we'll get to a point to where so 0:27:02.160 --> 0:27:04.359 uh to me an interesting example, So I worked with 0:27:04.400 --> 0:27:06.200 see W. Kim for about three years and see what 0:27:06.400 --> 0:27:09.320 just got married and his wife played on the Ladies 0:27:09.520 --> 0:27:13.200 um Tour in Korea and she one tournaments and stuff 0:27:13.240 --> 0:27:15.080 like that. And the running joke from sea who is 0:27:15.400 --> 0:27:17.920 she makes way more money and endorsements than I do 0:27:18.920 --> 0:27:22.840 because golf, women's golf and Korea is so big, right, 0:27:23.000 --> 0:27:25.440 is such a huge I mean when you look at 0:27:25.680 --> 0:27:29.520 the tournaments that get televised, Um, when the women go 0:27:29.600 --> 0:27:32.480 over and they play in Asia, there's certainly more people 0:27:32.520 --> 0:27:34.840 at those events then there are when the men go 0:27:34.960 --> 0:27:38.480 play on the Asian Tour or when the men go. Um, 0:27:38.560 --> 0:27:41.679 how do we get to a point where that, like 0:27:41.720 --> 0:27:45.679 you said, that pay equality. Um, they're superstars in Korea 0:27:45.800 --> 0:27:49.640 and in the US they're not. Yeah. Well, I think 0:27:49.680 --> 0:27:55.119 that's just another another example of if if they see it, 0:27:55.440 --> 0:27:58.240 if people actually get to know it, and people engage 0:27:58.280 --> 0:28:00.840 with it. It's very a p link. It's the very 0:28:00.880 --> 0:28:02.879 appealing product. I mean when I went to Korea, like 0:28:02.920 --> 0:28:05.160 you said, I was blown away as I was remember 0:28:05.280 --> 0:28:06.959 just driving out of the course and I was like, 0:28:07.240 --> 0:28:09.159 I don't know what the numbers were, but it was 0:28:09.400 --> 0:28:11.800 fifty sixty seventy thousand people there that day and I 0:28:11.800 --> 0:28:14.159 think it was the Thursday um and and there are 0:28:14.240 --> 0:28:17.040 fan clubs all dressed up in different colors for their 0:28:17.080 --> 0:28:20.200 favorite players, and there was just so much excitement. I 0:28:20.640 --> 0:28:24.320 think that's extremely possible here in the US and in 0:28:24.359 --> 0:28:27.040 Europe and in various places. So just to me, it 0:28:27.080 --> 0:28:30.200 gives me hope and opportunity to say this, this game, 0:28:30.280 --> 0:28:33.359 these players are super appealing, and you know, we're going 0:28:33.400 --> 0:28:36.160 to continue to grow it in all markets. There's always 0:28:36.160 --> 0:28:38.000 going to be a segment of the US population to 0:28:38.000 --> 0:28:40.640 where if they're not American players, they're going to say, listen, 0:28:40.640 --> 0:28:42.960 I'm not. I think tennis is going through that a 0:28:43.000 --> 0:28:48.480 lot where there haven't been this amazing group of American 0:28:48.560 --> 0:28:51.400 tennis players, both uh certainly on the men's side, and 0:28:51.760 --> 0:28:53.800 then people say listen, we don't. We don't watch a 0:28:53.800 --> 0:28:56.720 lot because there aren't Americans playing? How do you guys 0:28:56.800 --> 0:28:58.920 balance that? Because I think some of the best stars 0:28:59.000 --> 0:29:02.880 you have are are not Americans. And I think that's 0:29:03.240 --> 0:29:06.360 one of the strongest things that the LPGA has that 0:29:06.440 --> 0:29:09.480 you have all of these unbelievable stores that aren't from 0:29:09.520 --> 0:29:12.800 the US and it makes the product more unique and 0:29:12.840 --> 0:29:15.960 more interesting just by the fact that you've got these 0:29:15.960 --> 0:29:18.600 people that have come from completely different backgrounds and they 0:29:18.600 --> 0:29:21.880 speak different languages. Um. I think that's one of the 0:29:21.920 --> 0:29:24.600 strong suits. Yeah. I mean the world is trying to 0:29:24.640 --> 0:29:26.600 be more global now, right. I mean if you look 0:29:26.600 --> 0:29:29.880 at all the other professional leagues, UM, they're really trying 0:29:29.920 --> 0:29:34.200 to brand the US based. Um, top professional sports leagues 0:29:34.240 --> 0:29:37.320 are all trying to branch out internationally. We've been doing 0:29:37.320 --> 0:29:39.640 it for a long time, so um, we just have 0:29:39.680 --> 0:29:42.920 to keep recognizing that. But I mean, like you said, 0:29:42.920 --> 0:29:44.520 look at some of the stars on our tour, they're 0:29:44.600 --> 0:29:48.000 they're not Americans. I mean, we have many amazing Americans 0:29:48.040 --> 0:29:51.800 and we're really we're proud of them and we continue 0:29:51.880 --> 0:29:54.479 to to elevate what they do. But Lydia, I mean, 0:29:54.520 --> 0:29:56.760 who who could be more appealing than Lydia co right, 0:29:56.800 --> 0:30:00.760 I mean from a worldwide superstar. She has everything from 0:30:00.800 --> 0:30:04.000 the personality to the gratitude to the I mean not 0:30:04.040 --> 0:30:07.080 to mention the most amazing golf game. So I think 0:30:07.120 --> 0:30:10.400 she's been fantastic for the LPGA, and she's just spans 0:30:10.400 --> 0:30:12.960 so many different audiences. I mean, look at Brooke winning 0:30:13.000 --> 0:30:15.600 this weekend. I met a guy at the tournament who's 0:30:15.960 --> 0:30:18.200 I'm not going to get the numbers right, but he 0:30:18.240 --> 0:30:21.440 follows her around. She he's from Upstate New York, He's 0:30:21.440 --> 0:30:24.480 an American. He follows her around. He's become like super fan, 0:30:25.040 --> 0:30:28.600 and um, you know, just because he's so engaged by 0:30:28.680 --> 0:30:31.280 her and the person that she is and the talent 0:30:31.360 --> 0:30:33.160 that she has. And there's a lot of that. So 0:30:33.480 --> 0:30:36.160 I think we're an inspiration in an example of what 0:30:36.200 --> 0:30:38.760 a real global, you know, tour can look like. And 0:30:39.200 --> 0:30:49.560 I certainly think that's a competitive advantage for us. The 0:30:49.640 --> 0:30:52.600 Solheim Cup is a huge part of of what happens 0:30:52.640 --> 0:30:55.840 in women's golf. Um it's the equivalent of the Wryter Cup. 0:30:55.880 --> 0:31:00.240 But with so many players coming from Asia, um, is 0:31:00.240 --> 0:31:03.320 there a way that you think that we could get 0:31:03.960 --> 0:31:08.360 more team involvement with all of the various teams. Team 0:31:08.400 --> 0:31:13.160 from Asia, team from Europe team from the US. Um, 0:31:13.280 --> 0:31:15.720 do you think that's something that could could could happen 0:31:15.760 --> 0:31:20.040 in the future to make it a real competition between 0:31:20.080 --> 0:31:23.760 the best women's golfers, not just the best team concept 0:31:23.800 --> 0:31:27.320 from the women in the US and the women in Europe. Well, 0:31:27.360 --> 0:31:29.880 we have you know, we're we brought the International Crown 0:31:29.920 --> 0:31:34.760 that life plus you know International Crown, which I'm really 0:31:34.760 --> 0:31:37.440 excited about. We changed that's a great that's a really 0:31:37.440 --> 0:31:40.200 good event. It's a great event, and and you know 0:31:40.400 --> 0:31:42.640 we're we changed the format around. I heard that there 0:31:42.680 --> 0:31:44.680 was a little bit of sort of confusion on Sundays 0:31:44.680 --> 0:31:47.800 and our team kind of, um, change things up a 0:31:47.800 --> 0:31:51.680 little bit for Sunday. So it's gonna be a phenomenal competition. 0:31:52.160 --> 0:31:54.280 And um, you know we already know which teams are 0:31:54.320 --> 0:31:56.719 in it, but we don't know which athletes are are 0:31:57.120 --> 0:32:00.600 are going to be a selected per team, and um, 0:32:00.640 --> 0:32:03.240 that'll be a really interesting competition. But again you know, 0:32:03.600 --> 0:32:06.440 Lydia and Brooke are not in it, which again too 0:32:06.640 --> 0:32:08.880 just because they don't have the the they hadn't qualify 0:32:08.960 --> 0:32:12.160 their the Canada and New Zealand didn't qualify. So but 0:32:12.280 --> 0:32:13.880 we gotta figure out a way to get them playing 0:32:13.920 --> 0:32:16.080 in that event too, right, I mean, just because those 0:32:16.080 --> 0:32:19.240 guys are amazing. So I think that's a great competition. 0:32:19.360 --> 0:32:21.600 And I know that I've never seen it. Obviously they 0:32:21.640 --> 0:32:23.960 we used to play that event, and from what everyone's 0:32:24.000 --> 0:32:27.560 told me, it was really popular. There was tremendous energy 0:32:27.560 --> 0:32:31.120 out on the course, great affinity towards their country team, 0:32:31.120 --> 0:32:33.040 Golfs Fund and so yeah, so I think that's a 0:32:33.080 --> 0:32:36.120 great opportunity. The Olympics are obviously a really great opportunity 0:32:36.160 --> 0:32:39.920 to showcase the various talents from around the world. But yeah, 0:32:39.960 --> 0:32:42.200 more of that is exciting and and um, you know, 0:32:42.240 --> 0:32:46.800 we'll keep being creative. Um. Obviously in three the professional 0:32:46.800 --> 0:32:50.600 golf landscape, um, you know, across the board has has 0:32:50.640 --> 0:32:54.040 really shifted in the last couple of years. What what 0:32:54.080 --> 0:32:56.840 lives done on the PGA Tour, um and and that 0:32:56.920 --> 0:33:02.560 kind of constant battle. But the LPGA UM, the the 0:33:02.560 --> 0:33:07.080 European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, they have the ARAMCO series. UM. 0:33:07.120 --> 0:33:09.480 I think it's been interesting that that you that you 0:33:09.640 --> 0:33:12.720 as an organization have taken an opposite attack to what 0:33:12.880 --> 0:33:16.000 the PGA Tour has done to where your let Lydia 0:33:16.040 --> 0:33:18.120 Co is going to go play in Saudi Arabia, that 0:33:18.160 --> 0:33:21.360 tournament is going to have the exact same purse as 0:33:21.400 --> 0:33:23.800 the men. We talked about trying to bring that pay 0:33:23.840 --> 0:33:27.560 equality down. How do you as an organization balance just 0:33:27.760 --> 0:33:32.280 the all the craziness that's going on in professional golf 0:33:32.360 --> 0:33:34.680 right now. Yeah, I mean, I think obviously, like you said, 0:33:34.680 --> 0:33:37.520 we're in a we're in a very different situation. Um. 0:33:38.080 --> 0:33:39.720 But with the with the events on the l A 0:33:39.840 --> 0:33:41.760 t you know, we have a set of rules and 0:33:41.800 --> 0:33:45.960 regulations that allow our players to play, you know, again 0:33:46.040 --> 0:33:50.280 within the confines of our rules, to play on different tours, um. 0:33:50.480 --> 0:33:52.400 You know, in a limited way. They have to get 0:33:52.440 --> 0:33:54.320 releases if it's happening at the same time as one 0:33:54.360 --> 0:33:56.640 of our events, and we balance that with our with 0:33:56.760 --> 0:33:59.800 our partners to make sure that we're still providing them 0:33:59.800 --> 0:34:02.040 with the very best you know players, and we're it's 0:34:02.040 --> 0:34:04.360 just a constant battle of that. But we do want 0:34:04.360 --> 0:34:05.880 players to be able to go play in their home 0:34:05.920 --> 0:34:09.200 country and to be able to grow the game. Um. 0:34:09.480 --> 0:34:11.920 And we we think, you know, sort of a connected 0:34:11.960 --> 0:34:14.640 golf community is important. And you know, we had a 0:34:14.719 --> 0:34:17.600 number of women play on the uh the Women's Australian 0:34:17.719 --> 0:34:21.000 Open in December, and I know from speaking to them 0:34:21.040 --> 0:34:23.319 they had a great experience there. So it has to 0:34:23.360 --> 0:34:27.000 obviously all be balanced. We are the leader and women's golf, 0:34:27.040 --> 0:34:29.960 and we you know, plan to continue to be the 0:34:30.040 --> 0:34:32.040 leader in women's golf and to have the very best 0:34:32.040 --> 0:34:34.440 players play on our tour, but we also want to 0:34:34.480 --> 0:34:36.920 provide some flexibility when it makes sense for them and 0:34:36.960 --> 0:34:39.280 when you know, they want to go play at different places. 0:34:39.360 --> 0:34:41.319 We we can do that within the confines of our 0:34:41.400 --> 0:34:44.080 rules and regulations, and so we're trying to be flexible 0:34:44.080 --> 0:34:47.920 where we can. There your relationship with j Monahan, Um, 0:34:48.200 --> 0:34:50.360 you know who runs the PJA tour. How much of 0:34:50.400 --> 0:34:53.080 an asset is is having that relationship and being able 0:34:53.080 --> 0:34:57.160 to have that open communication with J and say listen, um, 0:34:57.200 --> 0:34:59.440 this is what we're trying to do. UM. Let me 0:34:59.440 --> 0:35:01.359 pick your I mean, do you have that kind of 0:35:01.440 --> 0:35:04.120 relationship where you talk to Jay and say listen, UM, 0:35:04.200 --> 0:35:06.600 let me run this idea by you. We're we're thinking 0:35:06.680 --> 0:35:09.120 about maybe doing this. We're thinking about maybe going in 0:35:09.120 --> 0:35:13.399 that direction, um, because obviously, with with the leadership that 0:35:13.400 --> 0:35:15.440 that J has had to get the p g A 0:35:15.520 --> 0:35:18.200 to or where it is UM, he must be a huge, 0:35:18.280 --> 0:35:20.960 huge resource for you. Absolutely. I mean Jay has been 0:35:21.000 --> 0:35:23.719 phenomenal from I mean I think he he called me 0:35:23.840 --> 0:35:27.000 the day that I was announced as the commissioner, and UM, 0:35:27.000 --> 0:35:28.719 you know, he's one of the first phone calls coming 0:35:28.760 --> 0:35:33.480 in to say congratulations and to offer his assistance. And UM, 0:35:33.520 --> 0:35:36.080 you know, I definitely have learned a ton from from 0:35:36.160 --> 0:35:39.040 him and from his experience. And he's been very you know, 0:35:39.320 --> 0:35:42.359 very very willing to UM not only just to talk, 0:35:42.440 --> 0:35:44.880 but to share information and to share knowledge and to 0:35:44.880 --> 0:35:47.720 to help the LPGA. I think the golf community really 0:35:47.760 --> 0:35:50.239 sees the value of the LPGA and they see the 0:35:50.320 --> 0:35:52.760 value of of helping us. I mean that we've gotten 0:35:52.800 --> 0:35:56.279 assistance from you know, Augustina National has been unbelievable and 0:35:56.600 --> 0:35:59.080 helping with you know, introducing us to partners and being 0:35:59.360 --> 0:36:01.640 supportive of what we do. Obviously the R and A 0:36:01.880 --> 0:36:04.440 with the UM, what they've done with the A I G. 0:36:05.000 --> 0:36:07.799 Women's Open has been phenomenal and the way they've really 0:36:07.840 --> 0:36:11.239 pushed on equity there raising purses the PGA of America, 0:36:11.400 --> 0:36:13.680 you know seth Wa and and his commitment with the 0:36:13.760 --> 0:36:18.560 KPMG UM you know, PGA Women's championship is really important, 0:36:18.600 --> 0:36:21.920 and his commitment to to the women's game, UM, you know, 0:36:22.080 --> 0:36:24.680 and obviously having Mike at the U s g A, 0:36:24.760 --> 0:36:28.000 I mean, that's that's amazing for women's golf. And he 0:36:28.080 --> 0:36:30.719 has a whole different lens on what to do to 0:36:30.840 --> 0:36:34.760 grow women's golf through the U s g AS platform. UM, 0:36:34.800 --> 0:36:37.200 you know, we so so I think that the golf 0:36:37.239 --> 0:36:40.080 community sees, first of all how important it is for 0:36:40.120 --> 0:36:43.000 the women's game to grow just more broadly, um, but 0:36:43.120 --> 0:36:46.480 also wants to help. They want us to get closer 0:36:46.520 --> 0:36:48.880 to equity, and they want us to to succeed. And 0:36:48.920 --> 0:36:52.359 so that's been great and we're really appreciative of what 0:36:52.440 --> 0:36:55.759 everyone does for the LPGA. You mentioned Mike Juan, who 0:36:56.160 --> 0:36:58.120 had the role before you did one of some of 0:36:58.160 --> 0:37:00.160 the things that that when you look back at his 0:37:00.239 --> 0:37:03.840 tenure at the LPGA, that you look back on and say, 0:37:04.000 --> 0:37:06.440 you know, that was that was a really really cool 0:37:06.520 --> 0:37:09.080 thing that he did. That was a really I mean, 0:37:09.080 --> 0:37:12.000 he really set this up for me to now help 0:37:12.080 --> 0:37:14.520 this grow. When you look at kind of his tenure, 0:37:15.040 --> 0:37:18.000 what are the things that you take away from that, um, 0:37:18.040 --> 0:37:20.920 that are that are hugely positive not only for you 0:37:20.960 --> 0:37:23.360 but what you think his role has been in moving 0:37:23.600 --> 0:37:26.400 the women's game forward. Yeah. Well, first of all, Mike's 0:37:26.440 --> 0:37:28.959 like a he's a visionary, you know, he's an idea guy. 0:37:29.239 --> 0:37:32.560 He's very winning, you know, he people want to follow him. 0:37:32.560 --> 0:37:35.440 I mean, he's he's been. He was awesome for the LPGA, 0:37:35.520 --> 0:37:36.800 and I think he had a real plan and he 0:37:36.840 --> 0:37:39.680 implemented the plan and he got the organization to the 0:37:39.680 --> 0:37:41.680 point where we now have. You know, we don't have 0:37:41.760 --> 0:37:44.560 PGA resources. We still need to grow revenues in every area. 0:37:44.600 --> 0:37:46.320 We've got to change some structures around. We've got to 0:37:46.320 --> 0:37:47.880 do a number of things to be able to to 0:37:47.960 --> 0:37:50.919 be able to invest in in you know, whether it's 0:37:51.000 --> 0:37:54.160 subsidizing purses, whether it's you know, sort of having other 0:37:54.200 --> 0:37:57.040 programs for players for for their own performance. There's lots 0:37:57.040 --> 0:37:58.840 of areas that we still need to grow. But he 0:37:58.880 --> 0:38:00.680 set us up for that six s, you know. And again, 0:38:00.719 --> 0:38:03.759 as you mentioned earlier in the conversation, he really focused 0:38:03.840 --> 0:38:06.160 on the tournaments, which is what we have to do. Right. 0:38:06.239 --> 0:38:08.239 The first thing is what is the product that we're 0:38:08.239 --> 0:38:10.319 putting out there for our players to play in and 0:38:10.440 --> 0:38:13.600 for the fans to engage with. So he really focused 0:38:13.600 --> 0:38:16.279 on that he focused on really good communication with the 0:38:16.280 --> 0:38:18.600 players and um, so I think he set us up 0:38:18.640 --> 0:38:20.600 for the next step. And what he likes to say is, 0:38:20.640 --> 0:38:23.000 you know, listen, everybody has the baton for a little 0:38:23.040 --> 0:38:25.719 while and then they passed the baton. And you know, 0:38:26.080 --> 0:38:29.560 obviously our our team, our leadership team, has the baton now, 0:38:29.640 --> 0:38:32.439 and um, we're trying to advance it to the next level. 0:38:32.480 --> 0:38:34.960 It's all it's all linear, you know, hopefully it's it's 0:38:34.960 --> 0:38:39.080 linear and and it's it's very the upward trajectory is palpable, um, 0:38:39.120 --> 0:38:40.960 and we've been able to benefit from that. But I 0:38:40.960 --> 0:38:42.440 think our job is to say, Okay, what are the 0:38:42.480 --> 0:38:45.800 next big moments. How do we drive sort of revenues 0:38:45.840 --> 0:38:48.080 in different ways based on the technology, based on the 0:38:48.080 --> 0:38:50.960 sponsor interest to be able to reinvest in the in 0:38:51.000 --> 0:38:53.560 the tour. But yeah, I mean again, Mike, just like 0:38:53.560 --> 0:38:55.759 like I said, with j and And and Martin and 0:38:55.960 --> 0:38:58.799 Seth they he you know, I called him two days ago, 0:38:59.040 --> 0:39:00.400 Hey what do you think of this? You know, what 0:39:00.680 --> 0:39:02.160 do you what do you what do you see us 0:39:02.200 --> 0:39:04.759 doing next? And so it's very much of a partnership 0:39:04.800 --> 0:39:06.279 and I feel that, and I felt that for a 0:39:06.360 --> 0:39:19.080 minute one with the whole golf community. So, WELLI where 0:39:19.080 --> 0:39:21.040 do you want the LPGA to be in five years? 0:39:21.040 --> 0:39:23.760 I mean, what in a perfect world, if you could say, okay, 0:39:24.120 --> 0:39:26.840 in five years, we would have been able to do 0:39:27.000 --> 0:39:29.120 some of these things. I mean, obviously you can't. You 0:39:29.160 --> 0:39:32.000 can't predict the future. You don't know what's going to 0:39:32.080 --> 0:39:35.959 happen globally, But the idea of where you want the 0:39:35.960 --> 0:39:38.520 the LPGA to be in five years, how would in 0:39:38.600 --> 0:39:41.480 your vision um if you could kind of go through 0:39:41.520 --> 0:39:44.359 your whish list, what would be some things in in 0:39:44.480 --> 0:39:47.840 five years that are different about the LPGA where it 0:39:47.920 --> 0:39:50.640 is today versus where you hope it could be in 0:39:50.760 --> 0:39:52.960 five years time. Well, I mean again, I think it 0:39:53.000 --> 0:39:54.839 does start and end with the tournaments. I think we've 0:39:54.840 --> 0:39:57.080 got to we've got to make that tournament schedule be 0:39:57.840 --> 0:40:00.440 a little easier for the players to manage, to kind 0:40:00.440 --> 0:40:02.440 of line it all up a little better than I mean, 0:40:02.440 --> 0:40:04.319 it's it's pretty darn good this year, but there's a 0:40:04.320 --> 0:40:05.759 little back and forth that we've got to kind of 0:40:05.760 --> 0:40:08.600 work on and continuing to elevate all of the events 0:40:08.600 --> 0:40:10.680 and do that at the right time with the right partners, 0:40:10.680 --> 0:40:12.719 you know. I think again, we're super grateful for all 0:40:12.760 --> 0:40:14.719 the partners that we currently have, and they all want 0:40:14.719 --> 0:40:18.160 to grow and and continue to to offer more opportunities 0:40:18.200 --> 0:40:20.799 to the players. But I think really nailing down what 0:40:20.920 --> 0:40:23.719 that schedule looks like and hearing from the players, like 0:40:23.760 --> 0:40:25.920 what's the off season look like, what's the you know, 0:40:26.000 --> 0:40:28.080 when does the season start, when does it end? What's 0:40:28.160 --> 0:40:30.400 is the mix of tournaments in terms of, you know, 0:40:30.440 --> 0:40:32.800 the full field events versus some of these specialty events 0:40:32.800 --> 0:40:35.040 where we get more eyeballs, or the tent pole events 0:40:35.040 --> 0:40:37.279 where we get more eyeballs into the game like a 0:40:37.320 --> 0:40:40.160 Solheim Cup or an International Crown, or some of these 0:40:40.239 --> 0:40:42.719 unique match the Bank of Hope match play where where 0:40:42.719 --> 0:40:45.279 it's people are watching and bringing in new fans. But 0:40:45.320 --> 0:40:47.520 then how do we balance that with the full field events. 0:40:47.719 --> 0:40:49.760 So I think it starts and ends there with getting 0:40:49.760 --> 0:40:52.200 that schedule that everybody gets the schedule and they go 0:40:52.320 --> 0:40:55.200 this is awesome, like this is amazing events at best 0:40:55.239 --> 0:40:58.279 golf courses with with really high purses that continue to grow. 0:40:58.760 --> 0:41:00.960 And then I think the result of that is maybe 0:41:00.960 --> 0:41:03.240 that's you know, part of the result rather than the process. 0:41:03.280 --> 0:41:05.880 But as I said before that the first of all 0:41:05.920 --> 0:41:07.880 to start with the hundred best players in the world. 0:41:07.880 --> 0:41:09.960 The hundred best players in the world make a living 0:41:10.400 --> 0:41:13.200 that's reasonable and that's commensurate with their talent. Right now, 0:41:13.280 --> 0:41:15.319 we're not there, so we really need to fix that. 0:41:15.840 --> 0:41:18.120 I think we want to be more relevant in the 0:41:18.120 --> 0:41:21.840 sports community. Right We want people to know the LPGA players. 0:41:22.160 --> 0:41:24.960 People should know who Nellie Corta is. Everybody should know 0:41:25.040 --> 0:41:27.839 who Lydia Co is, who Lexi Thompson is. I can 0:41:27.840 --> 0:41:30.040 go down the list, Minji Lea, Tia Tinnico. You know, 0:41:30.200 --> 0:41:33.279 people should know. Those should be household names. And so 0:41:33.360 --> 0:41:35.680 I want to make sure that those are household names 0:41:35.719 --> 0:41:37.480 as well as you know, so many others Jim Young, 0:41:37.560 --> 0:41:40.000 co and Brooke. I mean, you know, the people should 0:41:40.000 --> 0:41:42.200 say oh, just like they do with Serena Williams. You know, 0:41:42.239 --> 0:41:44.520 we we need people to be a bit to have 0:41:44.560 --> 0:41:46.480 our players be a bit more relevant in the in 0:41:46.520 --> 0:41:49.480 the global sports landscape. Um. And so we've got a 0:41:49.480 --> 0:41:52.719 strategy and we're working on that. And you know, I 0:41:52.719 --> 0:41:55.440 would also like our players to to feel, like I 0:41:55.480 --> 0:41:58.040 said before, they arrive on that first team ready to 0:41:58.080 --> 0:42:00.960 compete at the very highest level of their ability, and 0:42:01.000 --> 0:42:03.839 so to reduce some of the the hardship of being 0:42:03.840 --> 0:42:07.799 out on the LPGA. So those are some big goals. Um, 0:42:07.840 --> 0:42:09.520 And I think we'll get there. I mean, I think 0:42:09.560 --> 0:42:11.560 we're close, and we've got work to do, but I 0:42:11.640 --> 0:42:14.560 really do think we'll get there. Lastly, Molly, Um, what 0:42:14.600 --> 0:42:16.480 do you hope the ten year old girl that went 0:42:16.560 --> 0:42:18.600 to Lake Nona with her parents over the weekend and 0:42:18.840 --> 0:42:21.160 got to walk around and and and see the girls 0:42:21.200 --> 0:42:24.200 on the LPGA um play over over last week? What 0:42:24.239 --> 0:42:26.839 do you hope is is is to take away from 0:42:26.880 --> 0:42:29.560 that for her? Because we hear so many times, you know, 0:42:29.960 --> 0:42:32.359 guys that that you see winning on the PGA Tour 0:42:32.480 --> 0:42:34.520 and there's a picture of them get you know John 0:42:34.600 --> 0:42:37.600 rom Getting getting Henrik Stenson's autograph when he was a 0:42:37.640 --> 0:42:40.000 kid at Valderrama, Right, I mean, what do you hope 0:42:40.080 --> 0:42:42.160 is to take away for the young for the young 0:42:42.200 --> 0:42:45.160 girls that were at the LPGA last week? Um, and 0:42:45.160 --> 0:42:48.200 and and and and how do you think that experience 0:42:48.239 --> 0:42:50.440 can can help them move, you know forward in the 0:42:50.600 --> 0:42:53.239 in their golfing careers. Yeah, I mean, listen, part of 0:42:53.280 --> 0:42:55.960 what we do is we are you know, we we 0:42:56.040 --> 0:42:59.719 think that we have this huge opportunity to be a 0:43:00.040 --> 0:43:03.799 latform to elevate opportunities for girls and women not just 0:43:03.920 --> 0:43:05.640 on the golf course, but off the golf course too. 0:43:05.680 --> 0:43:09.240 So I hope that young young athletes and young girls 0:43:09.239 --> 0:43:12.600 see golf as a great opportunity for them to make 0:43:12.640 --> 0:43:15.359 an amazing living as an athlete and being valued for 0:43:15.400 --> 0:43:19.000 their talent. But I also hope that they inspire girls 0:43:19.080 --> 0:43:21.480 just generally to be empowered and to know that they 0:43:21.480 --> 0:43:23.880 can do hard things, and they can be resilient, and 0:43:23.920 --> 0:43:26.600 they can be respected um at the highest level of 0:43:26.640 --> 0:43:29.560 things that they maybe traditionally haven't been UM front and 0:43:29.600 --> 0:43:33.600 center on. So I think that's a gigantic opportunity. We're 0:43:33.640 --> 0:43:37.200 a women's organization. We're promoting girls and women with everything 0:43:37.239 --> 0:43:39.680 we do, and we're kind of intentional with that. So, 0:43:39.880 --> 0:43:42.440 you know, I, as a young young girl watch the LPGA, 0:43:42.600 --> 0:43:44.680 and my parents didn't play golf. They weren't we weren't 0:43:44.680 --> 0:43:46.839 a golf family. But that's what I saw on TV. 0:43:47.280 --> 0:43:48.680 So I said, I want to do that. You know, 0:43:48.920 --> 0:43:51.120 how do I get to the public golf course and 0:43:51.120 --> 0:43:54.440 and and play like uh, you know, Nancy Lopez, or 0:43:54.520 --> 0:43:57.280 play like um, you know Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel 0:43:57.320 --> 0:44:00.600 and Cathy Whitworth. You know, these were people that I was, um, 0:44:00.640 --> 0:44:02.759 you know, just followed all the time because I said, oh, 0:44:02.760 --> 0:44:04.719 women can be athletes and they can make a living 0:44:04.760 --> 0:44:08.080 doing this. So I'm really excited about that. And I 0:44:08.120 --> 0:44:11.160 think that, um, you know this week for example, last 0:44:11.160 --> 0:44:13.040 week when they're playing next to the men, and people 0:44:13.080 --> 0:44:16.080 were much more engaged in what the women were doing 0:44:16.080 --> 0:44:18.040 because they were the truly the best in the world. 0:44:18.120 --> 0:44:21.120 So again, that platform is really important for us. And 0:44:21.200 --> 0:44:23.160 the LPGA has been doing it for seventy two years. 0:44:23.200 --> 0:44:26.080 We've been doing hard things for seventy two years. And um, 0:44:26.160 --> 0:44:28.920 think about that, I mean twenty two years before title nine. 0:44:29.360 --> 0:44:32.640 The l p g A was founded by some incredible 0:44:32.680 --> 0:44:35.279 women and people have made a women have made a 0:44:35.320 --> 0:44:37.960 living playing golf for seventy two years. But now we've 0:44:37.960 --> 0:44:40.040 got to have them make a living. That's more, you know, 0:44:40.080 --> 0:44:43.120 in line with with that world class talent. But it's 0:44:43.120 --> 0:44:45.120 fun being out there and seeing those little girls and 0:44:45.440 --> 0:44:47.600 you know, this club, but like who are better than 0:44:47.640 --> 0:44:51.400 our players with engaging with fans. I mean, Lexie Thompson 0:44:51.600 --> 0:44:55.239 is unbelievable. She'll she'll sign every autograph, she'll you know, 0:44:55.400 --> 0:44:58.040 lighten up the day of Lydia, the same thing, Minji. 0:44:58.200 --> 0:45:01.080 You know, the list goes on and on. Um Brooke 0:45:01.239 --> 0:45:04.719 is phenomenal at that. So these are ambassadors, ambassadors for women, 0:45:04.760 --> 0:45:07.400 ambassadors for the game. They do a great job in 0:45:07.440 --> 0:45:09.960 the pro am as you know, I mean, UM, it 0:45:10.040 --> 0:45:14.640 was really fun to hear Taylor uh Twellman talk about 0:45:15.000 --> 0:45:18.480 how great um Maria and Selene. I think it was 0:45:18.600 --> 0:45:20.759 we played with who He said, if my daughters can 0:45:20.840 --> 0:45:24.000 be half the women that these women are, UM, I've 0:45:24.080 --> 0:45:25.920 done it. I'll have done a great job as a parent. 0:45:26.080 --> 0:45:27.920 So those are the things we're trying to do. I 0:45:28.000 --> 0:45:30.560 love that about this job. I love that about our players, 0:45:30.760 --> 0:45:34.120 and we have a platform and we've got to use it. Well. 0:45:34.200 --> 0:45:36.880 Last week was a great success. I had a blast 0:45:36.920 --> 0:45:40.719 there and congrats. I'm excited to see what holds for 0:45:40.760 --> 0:45:44.640 the LPGA tour. Um, keep keep fighting the good fight. 0:45:44.680 --> 0:45:46.480 I think you're doing a great job and UM, I'm 0:45:46.520 --> 0:45:49.200 excited to see where things go. Well, thanks for caring 0:45:49.239 --> 0:45:52.000 and thanks for talking um so you know passionately about 0:45:52.000 --> 0:45:55.320 what we do. I listened to your podcast with Ashley 0:45:55.400 --> 0:45:58.239 Boo Hi, which I loved, I mean, and it was 0:45:58.239 --> 0:46:00.000 great that you'd watched that whole you know, her whole 0:46:00.080 --> 0:46:04.240 back nine and that tremendous playoff, and she's just she's lovely. 0:46:04.280 --> 0:46:06.359 I mean, all the women on the tour really do 0:46:06.600 --> 0:46:10.040 love the lpg A and they they love the opportunity 0:46:10.120 --> 0:46:12.759 they have to to change the world. Well, we'll hope 0:46:12.760 --> 0:46:15.840 to see out there soon and keep up the good work. Okay, 0:46:15.840 --> 0:46:22.680 thanks a lot. So that was a really really good 0:46:22.840 --> 0:46:25.800 talk with Molly Hooton. And as the commission of the 0:46:25.800 --> 0:46:28.239 ALPG Tour, listen, she's got a tough job, but I 0:46:28.280 --> 0:46:30.600 think she's she's doing a great job. And um, I 0:46:30.640 --> 0:46:34.520 think the LPGA is going from strength to strength. There 0:46:34.560 --> 0:46:37.759 are some unbelievable golfers on that tour, some of the 0:46:37.760 --> 0:46:40.040 best golf swings on the planet, um, in my opinion. 0:46:40.160 --> 0:46:43.560 So I hope everybody enjoyed that. That's kind of the 0:46:43.560 --> 0:46:46.120 goal of the podcast to try and bring more voices 0:46:46.239 --> 0:46:49.560 from all different kind of aspects of this crazy game. 0:46:50.120 --> 0:46:52.200 And uh, who better to talk about the women's game 0:46:52.239 --> 0:46:54.799 than Molly, So I want to thank her for doing that. Um, 0:46:54.920 --> 0:46:58.360 had a great time at the lpg event last week. UM, 0:46:58.360 --> 0:47:01.120 it's always fun to I've spent so much time as 0:47:01.200 --> 0:47:03.080 a part of the men's game, and it's always really 0:47:03.080 --> 0:47:06.320 cool to to go UM to a women's event and 0:47:06.800 --> 0:47:09.160 see the products, see you know, the type of players 0:47:09.200 --> 0:47:11.600 and and and as I said in the pod, it's 0:47:11.640 --> 0:47:14.000 a great opportunity for me to go see uh some 0:47:14.080 --> 0:47:16.040 players up close that you know that I don't get 0:47:16.080 --> 0:47:19.200 an opportunity to see all the time. So I want 0:47:19.200 --> 0:47:21.560 to thank everyone for listening and some of a buch 0:47:21.600 --> 0:47:25.919 comes to you every Wednesday. We will see everyone next week.