Latest news with #FirHillsSeriPakChampionship
USA Today
26-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Nelly Korda returns to LPGA, talks persimmon driver, brother's tennis and flirting with 59
Nelly Korda returns to LPGA, talks persimmon driver, brother's tennis and flirting with 59 Golf Channel will have live coverage from 4-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 3-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Nelly Korda comes into the Ford Championship with major FOMO (fear of missing out) as she's the only member of the family not in Florida watching brother Sebastian take on Novak Djokovic on Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open. World No. 1 Korda is instead back in the Phoenix area this week as defending champion of the Ford, though it's being held over a different course than where she won last year. 'It's so funny, I usually watch it on Tennis TV or on TV, but live scoring is always ahead of it,' said Korda, 'so I watch the live scoring while I'm watching him because I want to know the outcome of the point before the point happens. 'I'm always like a nervous wreck when I watch him.' The Ford marks the first time the top 10 players in the world are competing in the same field this season, and with Korda only playing twice so far this season, her month-and-a-half break certainly feels like a second offseason for the American star. "I mean, it's always nice to take time off where you're not injured and you're kind of trying to hopefully become better and catch up on maybe some lost time," she said. The field of 144 players will compete for a $2.25 million purse at Whirlwind Golf Club's Cattail Course, which has a history of producing low scores. Korda once flirted with a 59 at the Tokyo Olympics before ultimately settling for a 62. "I came pretty close at the Olympics," said Korda, "then I doubled my last one. It was like starting to creep into my head and I was like, yeah, I don't even think about it, no." Only one player in LPGA history has shot 59, and that was Annika Sorenstam at Moon Valley Country Club in Phoenix 24 years ago. 'I think that's kind of like the trend of golf here in Arizona,' said Korda. 'I mean, the weather is usually perfect. The grass is usually perfect as well. 'So that all sets up for low scoring ability, and then it's hot, so it flies really far. So the par 5s are pretty reachable.' At this event last year, Korda came in off a victory at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship at Palos Verdes, California, which was canceled this year, and in the mist of what would ultimately become a five-tournament victory streak. The 2024 Ford Championship marked her third consecutive title, and while she hasn't won this year, Korda certainly has a history of winning after long breaks, having done it twice last season. Lydia Ko also in the field at the 2025 Ford LPGA Hall of Famer Lydia Ko, the winningest player on tour right now, captured her 23rd career victory at the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore earlier this month and comes into Phoenix off a three-week break. She has made only three LPGA starts so far this season. Ko's most recent break came with plenty of golf, however, as she played eight to 10 fun rounds with her husband, including historic spots like Pebble Beach, Cypress Point and Pasatiempo. By the end of it, she said, they were 'golfed out.' In the run-up to Phoenix, Ko met with swing coach Holton Freeman for some touch-up work, noting that her long game felt good in Singapore. 'I think the last year or so, it really hasn't been anything new,' said Ko, 'but it's sometimes feeling different things to get to the same point. It's like, do you go from Point A to B to get to C? Or do you go like B to A to get to C. I think it's finding a feel that works good." Korda used an old Persimmon driver during recent range session Korda spent five days a week in the gym during her Florida break and six days a week with her physio. Two of the more noteworthy moments she posted on Instagram of her range work looked like she was getting prepped for British Open conditions. First toughing out a range session in driving wind and rain, and then giving an old MacGregor Persimmon driver an impressive 268-yard rip. The ball carried 195 yards and rolled for 73. When asked if she put the Persimmon in the bag, Korda said 'No, but I was like, God, this would be a great Open club. It was going low and running almost 100 yards.'
USA Today
19-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
LPGA's South Korean broadcasting partner failed to pay for 2024 and 2025 seasons
LPGA's South Korean broadcasting partner failed to pay for 2024 and 2025 seasons The LPGA's issues with its South Korean media rights partner didn't end with a lost event. In addition to the unpaid bills that canceled the upcoming Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, JTBC also failed to pay for broadcasting all LPGA events in 2024 and 2025. Golfweek obtained a memo sent out to LPGA players by interim commissioner Liz Moore that outlined further details, including that JTBC had not "engaged meaningfully or provided assurance of payment." "To protect our interests, we are filing a complaint to enforce a guarantee agreement with a JTBC affiliate to recover the unpaid amounts," Moore wrote in a memo sent to players on Feb. 18. "For now, we are not terminating our agreements and will continue honoring our obligations to avoid disruptions in tournament coverage in Korea. However, if JTBC fails to meet its broadcast commitments, we are prepared to implement alternative solutions." With the LPGA's contract with JTBC expiring at year-end, the tour has already gone to market to explore new options. In January, the tour canceled the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, scheduled for March 20-23, in Palos Verdes Estates, California, after it said an unnamed underwriter failed to pay its bills for the 2024 and 2025 events. Golfweek later confirmed JTBC as the underwriter. JTBC's media rights deal with the LPGA dates back to the Carolyn Bivens era as commissioner, which officially went into effect in 2010, when Mike Whan was in charge. The original deal, outlined in an LPGA press release in 2009, included JTBC underwriting an event on the LPGA in Southern California as well as title sponsoring the 2009 Phoenix LPGA International. The JTBC media rights deal is unusual in that the LPGA gets a sum of money and a set number of events, and then in turn, JTBC can recoup some of that money by selling the benefits of the event to a third party at its discretion. The JTBC name has been attached to a number of tournaments over the years, such as the Hugel-JTBC LA Open, which later became the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open. From 2014 to 2016, the tour held the JTBC Founders Cup in Phoenix. Sometimes JTBC would appear in the title, and sometimes, as in the case of Fir Hills, it wouldn't. The LPGA would then use JTBC's media rights money for its general operating budget. This year's Fir Hills event, won by No. 1 Nelly Korda in 2024, was scheduled to be held at Palos Verdes Golf Club and feature a $2 million purse. The total cost of title-sponsoring the event, however, would've exceeded the value of the purse, likely around $3 million. South Korean media rights have long been essential to the tour's health, though with top players coming from a number of different countries, the tour's media rights portfolio is now more diverse. Late last year, Golfweek reported that LPGA was slated to lose around $2 million in 2024. That number could rise considerably in 2025.
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Business
- USA Today
South Korean underwriter that failed to pay has long history with LPGA
South Korean underwriter that failed to pay has long history with LPGA Over the weekend, LPGA legend Seri Pak weighed in on the cancelation of her namesake event – the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship – scheduled for March in Palos Verdes Estates, California. The Instagram translation of Pak's post raised eyebrows on this side of the Atlantic, though it's not quite what it appears. Pak opens the statement by expressing gratitude to those who have shown concern and reiterated her mission to provide a platform for LPGA players to compete. She goes on to talk about the LA fires and the desire to reschedule the Palos Verdes event. In the fourth paragraph, the Instagram translation read: 'However, I sincerely hope that the honor of those involved will not be tarnished due to malicious, malicious unverified facts related to LPGA's official announcement.' The gist of Pak's Instagram message, however – according to several Korean speakers who translated the original for Golfweek – is not a slap against the LPGA but rather a warning to Korean media. The paragraph could be read as: 'However, I sincerely hope that the honor (or reputation) of all the stakeholders will not be tarnished by the malicious, defamatory articles based on unverified facts related to the LPGA's official announcement.' The tour's official announcement, released on Friday, notes that the event's cancelation was due to the underwriter's failure to make payments for the 2024 and 2025 events. A statement by interim commissioner Liz Moore made sure to note to that title sponsor Fir Hills and tournament operator Outlyr were not the problem. 'We are deeply disappointed to announce this year's Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship will not go forward in March,' said Moore. 'We apologize for the impact this has on our players, as well as on our fans, partners and volunteers. We also want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the staff and members at Palos Verdes Golf Club, Palos Verdes Estates, and tournament operator, Outlyr, for their exceptional partnership and hospitality. "It is our intention to return to Palos Verdes in the future to host title sponsor, Fir Hills, once again alongside these great partners. We remain dedicated to bringing this event back to our schedule to honor the incredible legacy of Seri Pak, who has been a wonderful ambassador for the game and this event.' Multiple sources confirmed to Golfweek that JTBC, a South Korean television company, is the underwriter in question, though when asked, the LPGA would not comment. JTBC's media rights deal with the LPGA dates back to the Carolyn Bivens era as commissioner, which officially went into effect in 2010, when Mike Whan was in charge. The original deal, outlined in an LPGA press release in 2009, included JTBC underwriting an event on the LPGA in Southern California as well as title sponsoring the 2009 Phoenix LPGA International. The JTBC media rights deal is unusual in that the LPGA gets a sum of money and a set number of events, and then in turn, JTBC can recoup some of that money by selling the benefits of the event to a third party at its discretion. More: LPGA to lose $2 million in 2024 after adding staff, attempting to increase exposure The JTBC name has been attached to a number of tournaments over the years, such as the Hugel-JTBC LA Open, which later became the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open. From 2014 to 2016, the tour held the JTBC Founders Cup in Phoenix. Sometimes JTBC would appear in the title, and sometimes, as in the case of Fir Hills, it wouldn't. The LPGA would then use JTBC's media rights money for its general operating budget. This year's Fir Hills event, slated for March 20-23, was scheduled to be held at Palos Verdes Golf Club and feature a $2 million purse. The total cost of title-sponsoring the event, however, would've exceeded the value of the purse, likely around $3 million. World No. 1 Nelly Korda won last year's edition. Losing a full-field event is always a massive blow to the tour, particularly one so early in the season when starts are limited. South Korean media rights have long been essential to the tour's health. With South Korea's political crisis weakening its economy and a key stakeholder failing to pay its bills, there's certainly cause for concern. Golfweek reached out to JTBC for comment but has not yet heard back.
USA Today
27-01-2025
- Business
- USA Today
LPGA leadership continues shakeup with Epson Tour chief now also head of sales
LPGA leadership continues shakeup with Epson Tour chief now also head of sales The LPGA has parted ways with Nicole Metzger, who was hired by former commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan two years ago as the new Chief Sales and Partnerships Officer. The tour has confirmed to Golfweek that Jody Brothers has stepped in to fill that role, expanding his role as the current chief business and operations officer of the Epson Tour. Brothers was hired two years ago by Marcoux Samaan to oversee all aspects of the tour, inside and outside the ropes. "Jody has helped build and lead an exceptional Epson Tour team," said an LPGA spokesperson. "Their expertise and dedication will continue to ensure that the day-to-day operations of the tour remain effective and seamless under Jody's leadership." Prior to joining the LPGA, Brothers spent 16 years at the PGA Tour, working most recently as vice president of business development. While the tour has never played for more money in its 75-year history, there's still cause for concern after peeling back the layers. Last week, the LPGA canceled the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, noting in a statement that the underwriter had failed to fulfill any portion of its payment obligations to the LPGA for both 2024 and 2025. This year's event, slated for March 20-23, was scheduled to be held at Palos Verdes Golf Club and feature a $2 million purse. While the schedule gets most of the attention, the bottom line of the tour's operating budgets also tells a story. Late last year, multiple sources confirmed to Golfweek that the tour was slated to lose around $2 million in 2024. As the LPGA continues its search for a new commissioner, interim commissioner Liz Moore will guide the tour into its 76th season. The 2025 season gets underway this week at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. A new commissioner is expected to come on board sometime after the first quarter.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LPGA removes tournament from schedule due to failed payments
The LPGA will begin its season next week with one fewer tournament on the schedule. The LPGA announced Friday that the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, previously scheduled for March 20-23 at Palos Verdes Golf Club southwest of Los Angeles, will not be held as originally planned. The cancellation, according to the LPGA, was 'unavoidable due to the event underwriter failing to fulfill any portion of its payment obligations to the LPGA Tour for the 2024 and 2025 events.' The tournament, won last year by Nelly Korda, debuted in 2018 as the Hugel-JTBC LA Open, but title sponsorship was taken over last year by Fir Hills, a Silicon Valley-based investment firm, with World Golf Hall of Famer Seri Pak serving as tournament host. The LPGA did not rule out re-adding the tournament to its schedule at a later date. 'We are deeply disappointed to announce this year's Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship will not go forward in March,' said Liz Moore, the LPGA's interim commissioner. 'We apologize for the impact this has on our players, as well as on our fans, partners and volunteers. We also want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the staff and members at Palos Verdes Golf Club, Palos Verdes Estates, and tournament operator, Outlyr, for their exceptional partnership and hospitality. It is our intention to return to Palos Verdes in the future to host title sponsor, Fir Hills, once again alongside these great partners. We remain dedicated to bringing this event back to our schedule to honor the incredible legacy of Seri Pak, who has been a wonderful ambassador for the game and this event.' This cancellation particularly affects LPGA members who aren't qualified for the winners-only Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, which starts next Thursday, and three limited-field events in Asia beginning in late February. There are just three full-field tournaments before the season's first major, the April 24-27 Chevron Championship.
