NAPLES (Fla.) – A pro-am in 1995 was the beginning of the CME Group Tour Championship. CME Group CEO Terry Duffy received notes from clients during those early years. They enjoyed playing with LPGA players and became instant fans.
CME started title-sponsoring LPGA’s year end event in 2011. In the end, CME merged the firm’s Global Financial Leadership Conference (Naples, Florida) with the LPGA season-ending event at Ritz-Carlton’s Tiburon Golf Club. Duffy will present the largest check in the history the women’s game has ever seen – $2,000,000 – this week. The LPGA’s overall purse of $7million is larger than any purse at the majors and is more than any purse at the two majors. The $40,000 prize for the last 60 players will be close to what 10th placed earned last week.
CME invites only a few players to Tuesday’s dinner. Former presidents, secretaries and business tycoons from the United States have given presentations at their conference. Duffy requested that the houselights be turned on earlier this week so that he could acclaim the players in the room. However, only those who were serving the tables were standing.
There was not a single player.
Duffy said, two days later, “It’s a embarrassment for a company my size and an embarrassing situation for me personally.”
Duffy’s beef with the players is not with them, but with who is at the helm.
He said, “I am extremely disappointed with the LPGA’s leadership.” “They need to get their act together, because they will lose people like myself over things like this.”
The purse for the Titleholders 2011 event was $1.5million and the winner got $500,000. Three years later, the Race to the CME Globe season-long points competition was launched with a $1,000,000 bonus. Since then, the bonus has been incorporated into official prize money in a winner-takes-all format. The winner of the 2018 PGA Tour was to receive $1.5million, which was significantly more than the PGA Tour’s average prize money.
Four years ago, Mike Whan, then-commissioner, stated that “this announcement is really about setting the standard in women’s Golf.” “I would lie to you guys to say that Terry called me 16 times and that I pushed and pushed for it. But it was Terry’s idea.”
Duffy wanted to set an example for others. His influence today is the same as that of David Foster at Mission Hills in 1970s to raise the women’s tour with Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle.
Mollie Marcoux Samaan, LPGA commissioner, speaks to the media during a roundtable at the second round CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon golf Club on November 18, 2022 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images).
Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who was appointed commissioner of the LPGA 18-months ago, was present at the dinner that the players skipped.
When asked about the incident, Marcoux Samaan stated that Terry Duffy and CME Group have been the greatest supporters of the LPGA.
“There was clearly an issue, and it is my responsibility to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.” As a leader, I have full responsibility for this issue and will ensure that it doesn’t happens again.
The LPGA announced this week that the total prize fund for 2023 will surpass $100 million. This is despite losing three full field events and adding one. However, it is not known if players will be able travel to the $4.2 million events in China. CME and majors account for nearly half the tour’s prize money. There are only three other events with purses of at least 3 million. There are still 12 events with purses under $2 million.
The LPGA’s major events do most of the heavy lifting. It’s still hard to get long-term sponsors to increase their purses or fill in the gaps for those who haven’t renewed. Even though many people were concerned that the LPGA would not survive, veterans players now know that appreciation is vital.
Duffy was inspired by the accessibility and friendliness of players to create a pro-am with 20 players into a landmark event in women’s sport.
The LPGA continues to grow in financial strength, but the gap between men’s and ladies’ tours is only getting wider as purses on the PGA Tour now exceed $20 million. Karen Stupples, a LPGA veteran believes that it is crucial that LPGA players keep the “Act like a founder” mantra that Whan preached so many years ago.
Stupples, one of 13 women who started the tour in 1950, said that they went to baseball parks and performed tricks on the fields to get people to come watch them play. “The players no longer have to do this anymore. They can go to a few parties. It’s your job. This is your job description.
Terry Duffy and Keith Urban address the crowd as part of CME’s week-long festivities. (Photo courtesy CME
Top players are not uncommon to decline interviews before a tournament, even at major championships or CME. Some players will meet with either the Golf Channel or the print media, but not both. Sometimes it’s not even necessary.
Stacy Lewis was the world’s No. A couple of LPGA Hall of Famers sat down with Stacy Lewis to discuss the expectations.
“They said that you were No. 1 in America, and they meant it. Lewis said that you will be asked to do many things as the No. 1 person in the world. You’ll be asked to participate in a lot more interviews than you want. It’s the best thing for the tour, so you have to do it. It will make you more productive and it will also help the tour. You get more exposure. As a top player, your job is to build this tour.
Stupples believes players get too caught up in their little bubbles and lose sight of the larger picture. Lewis is also in agreement.
Lewis said, “It’s all those kinds of things that were for so long unspoken, and people did it because they thought it was the right thing to say.”
Player buy-in is essential for the LPGA to continue its upward trajectory. This is especially true when it comes down to understanding the expectations of those who will be writing the checks.
Duffy stated, “I am concerned about the tour’s future.” He said that the leadership must work with the players to ensure everyone has a clear understanding of the process of growing the game, as well as sponsors. It’s impossible to grow the game by one person or two people. Everyone is needed. It takes a village to make a village. I believe their village is becoming a bit fractured.”
Marcoux Samaan stated that she still emphasizes the “act like an Founder” culture Whan established at staff meetings and player meetings. She believes that the organization’s secret sauce of hospitality, sponsor engagement, and accessibility is one of its greatest strengths.
Marcoux Samaan stated, “We just have to keep delivering that message.” It is something that everyone believes. Sometimes, you just have to be present in the moment.”
