Before the first ball was even struck, the Mizuho Americas Open set a new standard for the LPGA Tour.
LPGA players who competed in the inaugural event were given complimentary accommodations at the Conrad New York Downtown. This was a first for the LPGA during full-field events. The players will also take the ferry to the Liberty National Clubhouse every day, as they did during the Presidents Cup, and the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust.
It doesn’t sound like a big thing, said tournament host Michelle Wie West and Mizuho Ambassador, “when you listen to NBA players, they are chartered everywhere, and stay in the Four Seasons each week.” This is one of the hidden pain points for female athletes.
Mizuho Americas is the fastest growing region of Mizuho Financial Group. It has 55,000 employees, and assets worth $2 trillion. The bank’s entry into sports marketing is to sponsor an LPGA event.
Wie West said, “It has been amazing to watch their commitment and their determination to do things right.”
The Mizuho Americas Open will take place from June 1-4, in Jersey City, New Jersey. A field of 120 players will compete for a prize purse of $2.75million, which is one of the biggest among non-major tournaments.
Jerry Rizzieri is the president and CEO of Mizuho Securities USA. He said that although they looked at various PGA Tour sponsorship options, which could have been more beneficial in terms of viewership, this was not what motivated their mission. Mizuho sees this sponsorship as purpose-driven. Rizzieri said, “I feel that our organization has done an excellent job in creating opportunities for women.” “Two out of three divisions that are the largest in our company are led by women. In general, women are underrepresented in my industry and at the highest levels. I also believe that athletes, whether they be in the WNBA, LPGA or both, are underappreciated. Not just for their talent, but also their dedication.
“I think of the progress made over the past few years. It’s commendable. But there is still a long road to travel.”
Wie West, 33 years old, has decided to retire from the tour after last year’s U.S. Women’s Open in Pine Needles. Only the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open in Pebble Beach remains on her golfing calendar. Husband Jonnie West has volunteered to caddie at Pebble next July.
Wie West, a South Korean, said: “I have had a very busy couple of months.” “I said I would start grinding by March, and now that it is April, I am going to grind in May.”
Wie West made headlines in the national media when she was the youngest ever to qualify for a USGA Amateur Championship at age 10. She went on to be the youngest person to qualify for a LPGA event, the youngest adult USGA champion at age 13, and the youngest golfer to make a major cut when she played her way to the last group at the Kraft Nabisco 2003 (now the Chevron) thanks to 66 in the third round.
Her adventures against men made her a household brand. In 2004, Wie-West shot 68 in the Sony Open. This was the lowest round recorded by a female on the PGA Tour. She missed the cut with a single shot.
She would go on to play in six other PGA Tour events, and advance to the quarterfinals at the U.S. She played Amateur Public Links to qualify for the Masters and created a buzz in sectional qualifying at the U.S. Open, where she had a second legitimate shot at competing in men’s majors.
Wie West, who has won five LPGA titles, including the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open and is now a tournament host, will be taking on her new role.
Wie West will not be playing at Liberty National but she is still paying attention to the things that were important to her while on tour, such as the food. The self-described foodie is concerned that the dining experience for players and caddies will be excellent. This includes a Happy Viking smoothie station, which is stocked with products from Venus Williams’ company, in which Wie West has invested.
It is not surprising that a number Wie West partners are heavily involved with the event. For example, Nike will give custom Air Force Ones to juniors and professionals, as well as sunglasses.
The AJGA Invitational will run concurrently with the LPGA Event. This is a unique aspect of the event. Twenty-four of junior girls’ golf’s brightest stars will compete against the LPGA’s top players with the glittering New York City skyline in the background.
Wie West sees this as an incredible mentorship opportunity, and hopes to exchange many phone numbers at the Mizuho. The final round on Sunday will see juniors paired up with pros.
Wie West said, “We really want to support the next generations.” “We want these girls to know how it feels to be a pro golfer,” said Wie West. They will see how these players react to pressure and how they deal with it.
