The story of the LPGA is 75 years long and filled with generations of icons who pushed the sport forward in their own way. But in a moment when women’s sports is exploding, with the WNBA celebrating a multibillion-dollar TV rights deal and women’s tennis stars rivaling their male counterparts for popularity, the best female golfers in the world spent their offseason celebrating a win that feels like it is from an entirely different era.For the first time, the LPGA was able to promise its players and fans that all tournaments would be shown on television live, not on tape delay.Accomplishing what should have been the bare minimum was an easy win for its new commissioner, Craig Kessler, the 41-year-old former McKinsey consultant tasked with rebuilding the bridges his predecessor burned and guiding the LPGA through a challenging moment.“We tackled the media rights issue, which is something that many people told us we’d never be able to accomplish,” Kessler said earlier this year, as the LPGA season was beginning. “Live for every round, and a quality broadcast that rivals what you see during major weeks. ”Kessler arrived a year ago, ready to help the LPGA reinvent itself. Kessler’s experience ranged from years as the chief operating officer of both the PGA of America and Topgolf to a brief stint as the CEO of a plant-based soap company. But he would soon realize the LPGA would be his biggest challenge yet. Because Kessler was handed a tour in flux, tasked with unraveling issues that it has grappled with since its inception.“It’s frustrating, because we’ve needed the same thing for 50 or 60 years, which is exposure,” said Meg Mallon, a four-time major winner and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.Kessler has reinvigorated players, secured landmark sponsorship deals and already has pieces in place to revamp the LPGA’s schedule. But the reality is that the rookie commissioner’s progress must also be measured against the organization he inherited.When Kessler came on board, the LPGA was plagued by a lack of resources, uninspired employees and frequent communication breakdowns, according to multiple industry sources who spoke to The Athletic on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about their previous employer. They said that by the end of the tenure of the LPGA’s previous commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, those issues had led to player distrust and apathy. She announced in December 2024 that she would step down the following month, despite her contract running through 2026. Marcoux Samaan became the CEO of U.S. Squash in February.“I think sometimes it felt like we had addressed something at the beginning of the year, and it kind of got swept under the rug, and it wasn’t really addressed, or we weren’t even sure if it was being addressed,” said Aline Krauter, a 26-year-old LPGA professional.How a golfer navigates risk-reward hole strategy at a majorGabby HerzigFor all of the LPGA’s much-needed improvements to be properly executed and make their intended impact, the league must dig even deeper, and Kessler knows it.“To be able to build what the LPGA has built blew me away in many respects. I think the flip side of that is when you’re forced to be scrappy as an organization, it can create some scar tissue,” Kessler said.For now, Kessler’s momentum will be judged by sponsorship deals, such as the ones with FM Global and Trackman that did away with tape delays, and breakthrough moments, such as when the world No. 1 Nelly Korda won the U.S. Women’s Open. TV ratings, which show that the first three majors of the season are all up in viewership year-over-year, will paint a picture, too.But the success of Kessler’s long-term governance will rest in his ability to rebuild the LPGA from the ground up. That is what the organization needs to realize its full potential.Running an organization such as the LPGA comes with a set of distinct challenges. The tour’s schedule spans three continents, 13 countries and 13 U.S. states. Two extended stretches of the season happen in Asia, where 59 of the LPGA’s 197 active players originate. Global markets and the domestic United States must be simultaneously prioritized for monetary purposes. But the tour must ensure its players are not overwhelmed with illogical travel, such as back-to-back tournaments in Japan and Florida — a real thing Kessler has already put a stop to for 2027.