Kent and Scottie are joined by Ryan French of Monday Q to discuss his article from the Mizuho Americas Open, Playing it Safe, highlighting the many layers that prevent the LPGA and its players from connecting with its audience. The conversation was not played safe. The trio passed the buck around between the tour, the players, and the media on who is responsible for the current disconnect.

1:03: Ryan joins the show as they discuss Scottie and Ryan’s pro-am victory before discussing Playing it Safe

9:42: The challenges in properly covering the LPGA from the media side

20:25: What do we know about World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul and how that reflects how much the fans don’t know about top players

27:40: Challenges for players to be vulnerable in press conferences and for media to earn player trust to tell deeper stories

36:00: Wrestling with Nelly Korda’s responsibility as the overwhelming talent to be the face of the tour

39:45: Rose Zhang’s career as a microcosm of missed opportunities from the tour and media on properly covering her

43:00: Ryan shares his phone call with LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler and Chief Marketing Officer Chad Coleman and the tour’s perspective on his piece and what the tour wants to do to solve some of the stagnation

56:22: What does a perfect world look like and how to create it to solve the disconnect and discussion of being available to media being brought up during the player meeting in Cincinnati

1:11:09: Kent and Scottie debrief to wrap up the episode

Ryan’s article: https://www.mondayq.com/story/playing-it-safe

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Kent and Scottie discuss Nelly Korda’s third win in six starts this year: does it feel like 2024 all over again when she won five in a row and seven events? The pair discuss Nelly’s national media ventures onto the Pat McAfee show and its impact on the LPGA. Scottie takes us inside the caddie meeting with LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler on Tuesday at the Mizuho LPGA Open, while the pair discuss PIF’s stopping their investment in LIV for 2027 and how that might impact the women’s game. They close discussing the six names added to the WTGL for a total of 14 players, contemplate additional names, and Scottie shares insights from Michelle Wie West’s practice ahead of her first LPGA tournament in three years.

0:13: Intro

1:15: Scottie brags about winning the Mizuho LPGA pro-am caddieing for Ingrid Lindblad

2:10: The LPGA cheat code: not getting overwhelmed with rare opportunity as Alana Uriell makes first LPGA cut in over two years while now working full time for Visa

8:11: LPGA players picking their schedule allowing for Nelly to play in Mexico while most stars stayed home

9:38: Value of events where players with less playing opportunities can make a start

12:18: Breaking down Nelly’s win and the importance of national media opportunities like going on the Pat McAfee show

17:23: Korda is four points away from the LPGA Hall of Fame, what percentage chance do the hosts give her to make it in 2026?

18:31: Scottie shares what the commissioner discussed with the caddies, particularly future tournament routing and the challenges TV windows present on the weekend

25:50: The PIF announced they’re no longer going to fund LIV golf after 2026. How might this impact the women’s game?

29:45: The limited resistance the PIF has had in investing in the women’s game versus the men’s

32:10: The hosts debate the most and least surprising adds of the six players added to the WTGL roster

35:00: Who might the WTGL add?

36:52: Scottie had lunch with a natural fit- massive Boston sports fan Alexa Pano

39:10: Scottie reports on Michelle Wie West’s game heading into the Mizuho and the first bet of the show ensues

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Kent and Scottie break down Nelly Korda’s Chevron Championship victory at Memorial Park. Scottie takes us right next to both winners of the week, playing nine holes with the newly minted World No. 1 Wednesday ahead of the major and caddying for Amari Avery, who became the first African-American winner in Epson Tour history, during Q-Series last year.

0:17: Introduction and Tournament Discussion

2:02: The Cheat Code- how to play with a lead

5:50: How to Break up a Round

8:32: Scottie discusses insights from Nelly’s Wednesday practice round and the change in Korda’s game

17:20: Discussion of performances of players at the top of a major leaderboard for the first time at the Chevron

19:15: The week as a torch handoff moment between Nelly Korda and Stacy Lewis as the face of the LPGA

20:37: Importance of Nelly defending the leap into the pond as a tradition and her role as face of the tour

24:10: Sunday broadcast not showing the beginning of Korda’s round and importance of national media opportunities

27:35: Nelly showing Rory McIlory like-qualities in how the U.S. Women’s Open is to her relative to the Master’s is to him

29:52: Are week-to-week LPGA course setups rewarding the best players in the world?

37:12: Comparison of men’s major contenders versus women’s

40:18: Amari Avery becomes first African-American to win on the Epson Tour

43:00: Scottie shares details of phone call with Avery after victory

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