Latest news with #PGAShow
Hypebeast
6 days ago
- Business
- Hypebeast
The Next Chapter of Nike Golf Starts with Luke Clanton
Back in late January, there were signs thatNike Golfwas preparing to stage a comeback. AfterTiger Woods' long-term contract ran its course, questions began swirling about the Swoosh's staying power in the sport. But whenthe brand made a surprise splash at the PGA Show—unveiling an expansive and clearly expensive booth filled with apparel, shoes and larger-than-life banners—the golf world took notice. Sure,Nikeretained names likeScottie Scheffler,Tony FinauandNelly Korda. But who would carry the next generation? Who could bring both on-course results and, potentially one day, off-course presence? That's where Luke Clanton enters the picture. The 21-year-old Florida State standout has been a fixture on college leaderboards for the past few seasons, leading FSU through deep postseason runs and earning All-American honors in the process. With a compact, powerful swing and an undeniable maturity about him, Clanton has the skills to execute and the confidence to mix it up with the world's best players. Last summer he went on an unprecedented run where he finished inside the top 10 at consecutive TOUR events, the first time an amateur had done that since 1958. Now he's ready to turn pro as Nike Golf's newest signing (with an announcement video to boot). And while he may not be a household name yet, the partnership already feels meaningful. 'Like a dream come true,' he said of putting on the Swoosh for the first time at late February's Cognizant Classic. Weeks before making hisPGA TOURdebut at the RBC Canadian Open, Clanton sat down with Hypegolf to talk about the moment and what it means to step into the next chapter. How has it been over the last year or two balancing your journey through pro tournaments, college golf and academics? Yeah, I mean, I'll be honest I was kind of just going with it as it came. It was definitely new to me. Originally, we thought I'd have one PGA TOUR start after winning the Valspar Collegiate to get into Valspar the next year. Then, suddenly, I had 12 starts before that. So it kind of happened in a blur. Thankfully, the academic staff, coaching staff and everyone at FSU were a massive help. I was a bit lost in it all, but I had a great team behind me. Whether it was being away for a week and a half or jumping straight into a college event, the coaches made sure I was right—physically and mentally. At the beginning, I wasn't even thinking about a TOUR card. I just thought it would be cool to play in some PGA TOUR events. Then my agent came to me—I think I had four points at the time—and said we had a platform to actually get the card. I kind of laughed like, 'Well, we need 20.' And he goes, 'Yeah, we can do that.' So we started checking off boxes. By the fall, around RSM [Classic], I had my first real moment where I was like, 'Damn, I can actually contend in these events.' Getting the card at Cognizant, especially being so close to where I grew up, was just an unbelievable journey. So while the card wasn't part of the initial plan, did you always see professional golf in your future—even if the path was uncertain? In the beginning of my sophomore spring, I had only one college win and I was top 20 in the world, which was great—but my goal was just to play the best golf I could. Then I won three college events in a row that spring, and that boosted my confidence. I felt like my game was getting where I wanted it. But after losing Nationals [NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship] the way we did, I was crushed. The next week, I hadU.S. Openqualifying. I remember my mom driving me there, and I was still so down about Nationals. She looked at me and said, 'You gotta focus up. You've got three big things coming.' I ended up qualifying, and my first thought was, 'Holy crap, I'm in a major.' Then I shot 6-over in the first round. I thought I was done. Came back with a 1-under, made the cut, then shot another 1-under. Suddenly, I had a chance to win low amateur. I missed a five-footer on 18 to tie for it, so I was back to being disappointed. But the emotional rollercoaster of that week taught me a lot about expectations. Same thing at John Deere [Classic] and Rocket Mortgage [Classic]. I was contending, then frustrated not to win. But six months earlier, I'd have been thrilled just to play. Each week taught me more, and by my last start at Valspar, I felt like, 'I can win this.' I'm just trying to keep expectations in check while building confidence. After those big tournament moments, did you feel a shift in how you were seen by your college teammates when you returned to campus? Not one bit, and that was the coolest thing. When I came back after the summer, the first day of class, all the guys were there, and nothing had changed. We have a rule: no matter if you're a freshman or a senior, we treat everyone the same. That team chemistry has been so important for me. It keeps me grounded. They were obviously curious and asked how things went, but we were all still competing, all still trying to reach the same goal. You're with Nike now, but in the past you had the Good Good logo on your gear. You seem pretty tuned in to the creator community in golf. How much do you follow that space, and has it influenced you whether in mindset or social media? Funny enough, when I was 16, I DMedGarrett [Clarke]fromGood Good—back when he was still GM Golf and had maybe 100k followers—just saying, 'Hey, want to play 18 holes?' He replied, said he was in Miami, and we played. A couple months later, the whole Good Good crew came out to my home course, and I got to know them really well. I stayed in touch with Garrett and started learning about what they were doing creatively with YouTube. I think what they've done to grow the game is really impressive. A lot of people who don't watch the PGA TOUR are still watching golf on YouTube because of them. They've become a big business, doing charity events and more. Garrett helped me understand social media, helped boost my profile, and I'm really thankful for that. Playing in front of a camera is hard. It's a whole different thing. So having that experience early was super valuable. And tell me about the Nike partnership. How did that come about, and how does it feel to get to wear the Swoosh? I mean, yeah—just having the honor to wear the Swoosh has kind of been my dream growing up. You think about all the top players, all the top athletes in the world and they wear Nike. So when the opportunity came, it was incredible. I told my agent immediately, 'I'm in.' The first time I ever wore it was at the Cognizant Classic, and I remember putting it on that Thursday morning and thinking, man, this is a dream come true. Like, not only do I have a chance to earn my card, but I also get to wear Nike. I remember talking to my caddie that morning and just saying how thankful I was for everything that's happened in my life to even get to that point. It's really incredible to be a part of it. Have you gotten as far as thinking about what you're going to wear at certain moments? Is that something you're looking to take part in? A little bit, yeah. I'm definitely excited to see what Nike has coming in the future. I've actually never been a big fashion guy, which is funny to say now. But once I got signed and they started sending me some gear, I was like, damn, this is really cool. Now I'm learning every step of the way. Growing up, we didn't have much of that kind of stuff, so even just getting a nice pair of shoes or anything from the Nike store is incredible. I'm just excited to keep seeing what's next with them. And then building up to your first pro start in early June—just broadly, how are you feeling about it? What are you most looking forward to? I haven't thought about it too much, honestly, just because of everything going on with the college season. We've still got Regionals and Nationals coming up. It does creep into your mind sometimes, like when you're watching the PGA TOUR on TV and you see those guys out there. You want to be out there too. But right now, my one goal in college is to win a national championship with this team. We've been so damn close twice now. I'm super pumped for that first start at RBC, I really am, but it's hard not to stay locked in on Nationals. Once that last putt drops and hopefully we're holding that trophy, that's when I'll really start thinking about the next chapter. Until then, it's all about enjoying every moment I've got left here. Because I've got less than a month left on campus, and we're trying to soak it all in.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LPGA names PGA of America executive Craig Kessler its 10th commissioner
Stacy Lewis' first impression of Craig Kessler: He's a young Mike Whan. 'That's going to be everyone's kind of first reaction,' said Lewis of the LPGA's newest chief. The PGA of America executive was named the tour's 10th commissioner on Thursday as play got underway at the inaugural Mexico Riviera Maya Open. Kessler, who turns 40 next week, is a dynamic, disciplined, high-energy leader who, by all accounts, values relationship. In that way, he's very much like Whan, who was 44 when he took the job as LPGA commissioner. Whan rebuilt the LPGA and stayed for 11 years before moving on to lead the USGA. Kessler a 'lifelong golf guy' Kessler, like Whan, is the father of three young boys and a lifelong golf guy. When Kessler and his wife, Nicole, talked to their boys about dad's potential new job, they peppered him with questions. The eldest, age 9, asked a dozen trying to make sure that this was, in fact, the right opportunity. Advertisement The seven-year-old followed with, 'But I'm a boy, and you're a boy, so why don't you just do boy sports, dad?' The query presented a chance for dad to give a little lesson: 'If all we did were things that looked and talked like us, we'd be missing the plot and just leaving so much richness on the table.' The 5-year-old, after hearing that he'd likely be missing school to see the world on this adventure, wanted to know if they sold chocolate milk in Asia. 'You understand different stakeholders have different concerns,' Kessler told Golfweek with a smile. Headshot of PGA of America COO Craig Kessler during the PGA Show at Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, January 25, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Early reaction to Kessler is overwhelmingly positive Speaking of stakeholders, the PGA of America Chief Operating Officer will come into his new role having already talked to many of the LPGA's key constituents. There was a concerted effort from the board, this time around, to ensure that LPGA constituents felt like they were part of the process and, in turn, Kessler comes into the role with his eyes wide open. Advertisement LPGA Player President Vicki Goetz-Ackerman served on the eight-person search committee and said the reaction to Kessler after the first interview was, "He's perfect." 'We set out to find a transformational leader with a deep appreciation for the LPGA's legacy and a clear vision of what's possible for our future,' said John B. Veihmeyer, Chair of the LPGA Board of Directors, in a release. 'Craig is an inspiring and engaging leader, who brings a unique mix of executive leadership experience, deep relationships in the golf industry, and a genuine commitment to elevating women and girls through golf. The LPGA has never been more dynamic – and Craig is exactly the right leader to drive its next era of growth and impact.' Tim Erensen, managing partner at Outlyr, which runs seven LPGA events, has spent time with Kessler and was impressed with the questions he asked to get a better understanding of a complicated LPGA landscape. Erensen sees Kessler's ability to build partnerships as essential to the job. 'I think that's more what the LPGA is built on, longstanding deep partnerships,' said Erensen. 'I think he will sit across the table with anybody and bring fair and creative solutions and opportunities to the business.' Why did Craig Kessler want the LPGA job? When asked why he wanted the job, Kessler, whose official start date is July 15, gave two reasons. To start, he's crazy about golf, having grown up in Southern California and learning the game on Rancho Carlsbad, a par-3 course he affectionately called "the cow pasture." Advertisement 'It didn't have a blade of grass on it,' said Kessler, who plays to a 5.5 handicap. 'But I've been playing since I was a young kid. In the summers, my buddies and I, our moms would drop us off at the Lakes San Marcos Executive Golf Course, and for $9, we played unlimited golf until the sun went down, and in many respects, golf was our summertime babysitter.' The second reason, he said, was the opportunity to marry his passion with the opportunity to make a difference. When asked about his vision for the tour, Kessler said the goal is to create something that both existing and prospective stakeholders look at and say, 'I have to be part of it.' To get there, Kessler listed four pillars: building trust, building visibility, building fans and building a stronger financial foundation. 'I will tell you,' said Kessler, 'trust underpins everything.' Advertisement Announced as the PGA of America's new COO in February 2023, the Georgetown graduate and Harvard MBA was a candidate for the PGA's CEO position last year, but the association ultimately made being a PGA member a priority in the search. Kessler's previous work in golf includes a stint at Topgolf, where he was COO and head of emerging concepts from 2016-21. Kessler began his career with the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company before becoming an operating partner at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) and Providence Equity Partners, two private equity firms. In between Topgolf and the PGA, Kessler served as Chief Executive Officer of the Dallas-based Buff City Soap, which more than doubled in the number of store locations from 100 to 260 nationwide while Kessler was at the helm. Lewis said the search committee liked that Kessler had previous experience as a CEO. Advertisement 'The primary lesson that I learned at Buff City is how to navigate really complex stakeholder environments,' said Kessler. 'Anytime somebody leads an organization of franchisees who have put their time, their sweat, their blood, their financial resources into something, that's a high-stakes environment. … I think learning from that how to listen, how to ask questions, how to be deeply empathetic, all of those lessons will translate to my job at the LPGA.' What is Craig Kessler's leadership style? As for his leadership style, Kessler said he's learned over the years that vulnerability is a wildly powerful tool. Leaders he respects the most, he continued, don't have all the answers, but surround themselves with people who do. Kessler plans to lead a highly collaborative, energetic environment at the LPGA built around positivity, yet one that also encourages a culture of constant feedback. Advertisement 'I think organizations that are too nice to one another never realize their full potential,' he said. 'Organizations that recognize feedback is a gift, is critical. 'And then the last thing I'd say is, by way of analogy, I think about leadership as, imagine a quarterback and a wide receiver run a play, and it's an incomplete pass. Two things can happen. The quarterback and the wide receiver can each point fingers at the other person and talk about what went wrong. Or they can quite literally put their arms around each other, debrief what happened and figure out together how to make sure the next time they complete the pass. I hope and pray we build a culture that feels a lot like the latter.' After Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepped down as commissioner in January, longtime LPGA executive Liz Moore took the helm as interim commissioner, calming things during a rocky time period with a transparent approach. Moore proved herself to be more than capable of taking on a bigger role and will no doubt be a key part of the transition and beyond. With the LPGA losing money – to the tune of seven figures – in 2024, Kessler will face a number of challenges as he looks to get the tour back on track financially and in position to capitalize on what's been a boom in women's sports. He'll have several key positions to fill in the short term and, as has been the case for many years, there's talk of potentially moving the tour away from Daytona Beach. Kessler and his family currently live in Dallas. When asked about future plans, Kessler said, "I will be wherever the job requires." Advertisement The learning curve for Kessler won't be as steep as it was for Marcoux Samaan, as he already knows enough of the right people to ask the right questions. For Lewis, finding a leader with the right personality was high on the priority list. There was concern early on that they might have to convince the right person to take this job, but that wasn't the case with Kessler. 'I just like the guy,' said the two-time major winner and former No. 1. 'He did all of this with a smile on his face. He was excited about the opportunity. He didn't beat around the bush. He answered every question we asked and if he didn't know the answer, he was going to find it.' This article originally appeared on Golfweek: LPGA names PGA executive Craig Kessler its 10th commissioner
NBC Sports
09-04-2025
- Business
- NBC Sports
Augusta National continues to support USGA, R&A in ball rollback
AUGUSTA, Ga. – All eyes in the golf world turn to Augusta National Golf Club each year for the chairman's annual press conference, and Wednesday's edition had its share of nuggets that were sure to draw interest. Chairman Fred Ridley began his press conference with about 10 minutes of prepared comments with a nod to many of the game's hot-button topics, including pace of play and the ongoing divide between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment. He also addressed, unprompted, the USGA and the R&A's plan to roll back the golf ball starting in January 2028 for professionals. 'Once again, I am here reaffirming our support of the governing bodies and their efforts to address the issue of distance. Together, the R&A and the USGA have been deliberative and collaborative on their efforts on this topic to arrive at a decision which was announced in 2023,' Ridley said. It was not a surprise Augusta National moved early to support the governing bodies and the rollback, but there has been speculation that the PGA Tour and PGA of America are not in line with the rollback. Ridley appeared to touch on those concerns in his opening remarks, pointing out that implementation in 2028 for professionals and 2030 for amateurs will require a united front. 'Implementation is the next challenge, as we all knew it would be. It is critical for the good of the game that all stakeholders work together as this issue evolves,' Ridley said. 'I'm encouraged by the constructive and positive discussions that are aimed at successfully implementing this important change.' At this year's PGA Show in January, PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague reiterated that his association does not support the roll back and said, 'It's time to just hit the pause button.'
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Pinned Golf Disrupts GPS Market With Portable, Golf-Specific Tablet
Boston-based Pinned Golf, a consumer golf-tech brand founded by Alec Lorenzo, John Rowell, and Matt Buckley, has spent the past seven years producing rangefinders that offer precision at an accessible price point—along with a bold array of color options that let golfers showcase their style while locking in a number. The team took home the Best New Product award at the PGA Show for The Caddie, a subscription-free magnetic GPS tablet. The unit provides dynamic distances—front, back, and center of the green, plus hazards—on over 45,000 courses. The device also features stat tracking, multiple game modes, and the ability to toggle between a traditional bird's-eye view or a 45-degree angle for a more immersive, video game-style perspective of each hole as it is played. The product's development was a natural extension of Pinned's core business. After analyzing customer feedback, the team found that golfers preferred the quick, at-a-glance convenience of cart-mounted GPS screens over the process of continually grabbing a rangefinder and shooting a number. This insight sparked the idea to create a portable solution to deliver that same seamless experience—but without the need for built-in cart tech. While plenty of golf apps offer overlapping functionality, those solutions also come with loads of trade-offs—namely having to stare at small screens along with draining phone batteries and inviting constant distractions from incoming notifications. These are exactly the pain points Pinned set out to solve. 'At 8-inches, it's bigger than any phone that's out there, and you just get too many notifications on a course, Lorenzo said. 'Calls from your girlfriend, texts from your dad—it's too much. Being able to disconnect and keep that phone in your bag and being able to focus on golf, that's what we were really going for,' he added. 'The market fit had been there. In-cart GPS's aren't anything new, the fact that we were able to make it portable was the biggest slam dunk,' Lorenzo explained. It took the team over two years of research and development to bring The Caddie to market. The challenge was designing an intuitive, frictionless user experience while engineering a durable, golf-specific form factor—one that could withstand the elements and the rigors of a bumpy cart path. That meant refining the software interface and building a powerful magnet strong enough to stay put through a lead-footed ride. 'It was about making sure this was truly built for golf—able to stand up to the sun, the rain, and all that stuff. We had to build the circuit board around the magnet. It had to be strong enough to serve its purpose, but that meant rewiring some of the circuitry," Rowell added. Between 3D-printed prototypes and full-scale hardware testing, The Caddie underwent 10 to 15 iterations before reaching its final form. By the time it was market-ready, the research and development budget had climbed well into the hundreds of thousands—just shy of $1 million, according to the team. Four out of five golf courses do not have built-in GPS's on their carts and in addition to selling to individuals, Pinned is eyeing fleets sales. Standard 18-hole courses tend to have between 60-80 carts on the premises and The Caddie, available for pre-order at $400 per unit ahead of a May release, offers a more cost-effective option 'It's a six-figure investment, if you want to outfit all your carts. Some courses are buying a dozen and renting them out—it's a new revenue stream,' Rowell explained, adding that they had one club order them as a gift to new members. With its affordability and flexibility, Pinned Golf sees The Caddie as more than just a convenience—it's a way to modernize course setups without the long-term financial commitment of built-in cart systems. 'The younger crowd is excited about having something techie,' Rowell said. 'And some of the older folks we've talked to struggle with lasers. They miss, they'll hit a tree behind [their target], and this is an easy way to give them that number.'
USA Today
29-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Brooke Henderson ditches the glasses for 2025, looks to end LPGA victory drought at TOC
Brooke Henderson ditches the glasses for 2025, looks to end LPGA victory drought at TOC Show Caption Hide Caption Most Exciting Things I Saw at the 2025 PGA Show While there were tons of amazing products at the PGA Show, Averee Dovsek shares her favorite apparel and products. ORLANDO, Fla. — If something looks different about Brooke Henderson this week, it's probably the glasses. She's not wearing them anymore. The Canadian star had surgery in September to be able to wear contacts, and she's wearing them this week at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. It marks her first time playing without glasses since August 2023. Henderson has long struggled with her eyesight, noting last year she's "never really been able to see the ball land or certain things since the start of my career." She has been a feel player since the beginning and relied heavily on her sister/caddie Brittany for even basic things like spotting the ball. She could see better with the glasses, but found that they always seemed to be in the way, "Like looking down the line and even on long shots I could always see the frame a little bit," said Henderson, "which was a little bit annoying. And I think it might have even changed my swing a little bit, unfortunately. "Now with them off, I feel much more free. I feel like maybe not right away, but I think over time it'll definitely be better than wearing glasses." Henderson, who joins Lydia Ko as the only past champions in the field this week, hasn't won on the LPGA since she triumphed at the 2023 TOC. Her 13 LPGA titles makes her the winningest Canadian – male or female. "I think the main thing for me is trying to get off to little bit quicker starts Thursday, Friday to allow myself a better opportunity to be in the final groups on the weekend," said Henderson. "I think that's – the main goal is to be in the final groups, lower the scoring average a little bit, and see if the wins will come." When asked how she could go about reaching those goals, Henderson said that's exactly what her team has been trying to figure out. "For me, when the putter is rolling well I'm usually in the mix," said Henderson, "so that's definitely been a focus point throughout any entire career and just trying to fine tune, get better." And the contacts, she said, already seem to be helping.
