Major tournaments are known not just for their substantial prize money but also for their unique traditions. For instance, the Chevron Championship and the Masters both feature a Champions Dinner, while Augusta National also hosts the iconic Par-3 Contest. On the LPGA side, there is the celebratory jump into the water called Poppie’s Pond. Although it’s considered one of the LPGA’s most cherished traditions, 2026 Solheim Cup vice captain Mel Reid doesn’t appear to be a fan of this.
She talked about it recently with Jamie Weir on the Sky Sports Golf podcast. Reid mentioned how the tournament has the potential to attract more fans and said, “The golf course has the potential to be like a good major. I think being in Texas, like people love golf in Texas, and everything is very big in Texas, so I can see it getting big. It has the potential to get big.”
However, it still witnessed a silence on Friday and Saturday this year. Beth Ann Nicholas shared this update on X and said, “Pretty quiet out there on the first tee as the last two groups went off.” To this, Mel Reid added, “But they basically need to get more people through the door.”
She also talked about how jumping in the pond after winning the title isn’t an attractive tradition, and the LPGA stakeholders should cook up something new. “They need to find their own tradition, like I am not a big fan of jumping in that pond. Like, I think it was weird that they have just like taken it and find something else….find a new tradition, find a new identity for that event,” added the Solheim Cup VC. Take the Masters, for instance.
After each tournament, the previous year’s champion helps the new winner wear the iconic green jacket — a tradition that has become a defining symbol of the event. It’s even often referred to as the “battle for the green jacket.” According to Mel Reid, the LPGA should consider creating a unique tradition of its own.
SPRINGFIELD, NJ – JUNE 23: Mel Reid of England tees off at the 1st tee during the second round of the LPGA, Golf Damen KPMG Womens PGA, Golf Herren Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club Lower Course on June 23, 2023, in Springfield, New Jersey. Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUN 23 LPGA KPMG Womens PGA Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon23062318811| Credits: Imago
Aside from this, the viewership also remains an issue for the LPGA. The average view on the circuit is 900k, meanwhile, it’s 2.50 million on the PGA Tour. A few days the Solheim Cup vice captain also talked about this and said, “I feel like golf is, in a way, getting a little bit left behind,” noting that they aren’t getting enough crowd.
While Reid was unsure about the solution and said, “I don’t know whether that’s a branding, whether we’re just not in the conversations. And I feel like we’re just not, we’re doing something that isn’t quite getting us there.” Well, No Laying Up Golf seems to have a solution.
The LPGA has been encouraged to involve Paige Spiranac and others
The circuit has been trying to improve by increasing the prize money. This season’s 33-tournament schedule offers a total of $131 million in purses. Which is a $62 million increase since 2021. However, it still wasn’t enough to provide enough entertainment. Analysts like Chris Solomon, Jordan Perez, Cody McBride, and one more person sat down to discuss this issue recently on No Laying Up.
One of them pointed out how ‘boring’ the third round was and said, “Saturday of a major moving day, the first major of the year on the LPGA. Like it should be a very exciting day, it should be a very exciting broadcast, guys, I was fighting a nap this afternoon.” So what’s the solution?
To this, Jordan Perez chimed in and said, “What could like juice it up, splash it up a little bit. Something I really liked was bringing a few of like Women’s golf-oriented influencers out there and posting about their experience and their time out there and sharing that.” As per him, if the LPGA reaches out to the likes of Grace Charis, Paige Spiranac, and more. Which might help them attract more crowds, as both of them boast 3.7 million and 4 million followers, respectively.
Do you think it’s enough to help the LPGA? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post LPGA Leaders Told to ‘Find Something Else’ as Incoming Solheim Cup Vice Captain Ends Up in Disagreement With Chevron Tradition appeared first on EssentiallySports.