Commissioner Craig Kessler on Tuesday acknowledged errors the LPGA Tour made in final weekend’s controversial weather-shortened season opener at Lake Nona and vowed to enhance going ahead.
The Event of Champions, held in Orlando, Florida, was shortened to 54 holes after officers deemed the course unsuitable for the ultimate spherical as a result of wind and chilly. The choice was questioned by many, together with gamers, with some asking why the tour didn’t play the ultimate spherical on Monday, when temperatures and wind circumstances are anticipated to enhance.
Kessler stated in feedback to Golfweek on Tuesday that the tour shouldn’t be ready to take action.
“We weren’t totally ready for Monday,” he informed the outlet. “In hindsight, if we may have began over, there are a variety of artistic options that completely would have labored. We must always have thought of them and been extra ready. We weren’t.”
As a result of Sunday’s end was canceled, Nellie Korda completed Saturday’s spherical and gained with an 8-under 64. It was her first win in 14 months.
Kessler additionally despatched a letter to gamers on Tuesday explaining that course circumstances have been the explanation the tour didn’t permit Sunday’s closing spherical to be held. The LPGA beforehand stated that whereas course circumstances had not affected play, “climate circumstances are the figuring out think about resuming aggressive play.”
“Given the course’s hardening as a result of in a single day file low temperatures, we made the choice to restrict the occasion to 54 holes out of concern that our gamers may maintain accidents,” he wrote within the letter, a replica of which was obtained by a number of media shops on Tuesday. “Whereas this choice was tough and opposite to earlier statements we shared, I made it. In hindsight, it’s clear that there have been different methods to handle the scenario.”
Kessler additionally stated the LPGA Tour will take the next steps to enhance going ahead, in response to the letter: “Set up clearer rules for taking part in choices in tough conditions, together with strengthening weekly contingency plans” and “Talk sooner, extra clearly and with higher real-time data.”
The LPGA Tour will resume competitors later this month at Honda LPGA Thailand from February nineteenth to twenty second.
