‘I’d Like to Help’: Lydia Ko Responds to LPGA’s Desperate Hours With a Reassuring Message
The LPGA is at a crossroads. With Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepping down, the Tour faces a period of uncertainty. But one player isn’t shying away from the challenge. Lydia Ko, the face of the LPGA Tour, has made it clear she’s ready to step up and help guide the Tour through this. “I would continuously like to help and see it grow for the future generations,” Ko said during the Grant Thornton Invitational.
Ko, coming off an incredible season herself, had nothing but praise for Samaan. “It’s never easy seeing somebody you’ve worked with step down,” she said. “She had one of the hardest jobs in the world, not just in sports. Mollie’s been great. I feel like we’ve had a good relationship beyond just her being the commissioner and me being a player. As much as we’re sad to see her go, we’ve had a lot of growth on the LPGA these last few years. I truly believe that there’s going to be more growth in the years to come. ”
It’s no secret that Samaan’s leadership had its high points. Prize funds have skyrocketed—up over 90% since 2021—and top players are finally seeing average earnings cross the $1 million mark. The CME Group Tour Championship’s purse alone jumped from $7 million in 2023 to $11 million this year. But not everyone sees it that way. Brittany Lincicome, who’s nearing retirement, hinted at discontent among players. “There have been rumors of negative stuff the players felt Mollie wasn’t doing,” she said in an earlier interview. “At the end of the day, you’re never going to please 144 women.”
And that’s the thing. While players like Ko recognize Samaan’s contributions, others feel the tour has struggled to fully capitalize on its recent momentum. Yes, the progress is there, but has it been enough?
Where did Samaan’s reign fall short in the LPGA Tour?
Looking back, there’s always room to ask what could have been or what should have been done. Mollie Marcoux Samaan’s leadership undoubtedly contributed to the LPGA’s progress, but it wasn’t without its missteps. Yes, prize money surged to a record $131 million, and new events were added to the calendar, as noted by 8-time LPGA Tour champion Lincicome, “We’re moving in the right direction. The majors are stepping up, we’re playing for more money. I feel like we were still going in the right direction, even with maybe missing the mark with Nelly or having Caitlin Clark out last week at Pelican.”
But frustrations lingered. While players appreciated Samaan’s dedication, Lincicome didn’t hold back, saying, “She was putting her heart and soul into it, but there were a couple of things that players wanted her to work on. She was only there, what, three years? Maybe she needed more time.”
The couple of things Lincicome referred to weren’t minor. They included advancing gender equality in pay, strengthening the merger with the Ladies European Tour for global expansion, and addressing concerns about the LPGA’s ties with Golf Saudi—issues that remain unresolved.
There were other stumbles, too. Solheim Cup left fans stranded in parking lots during the opening round, and the LPGA faced criticism over a lack of transparency and poor communication with players. The loss of Cognizant as the title sponsor of the LPGA Founders Cup was yet another setback under her tenure.
Still, there were bright spots. The tour continues to grow, with new events like the Black Desert Championship coming in 2025 and a return to Mexico for the first time since 2017. The majors will see record-breaking prize money of $47 million next season, spread across three fresh venues.
With Samaan stepping down, all eyes are now on who will take the reins and whether they can address the gaps left behind. Only time will tell. In the meantime, Liz Moore will serve as the interim commissioner, but it’s reassuring to see players like Lydia Ko ready to step up and help.
