LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan and PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua were only midway through their first conversation about the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship when they both were so fired up about the possibility that they decided to assemble their teams to meet in person the very next day. Whan reminisced at Monday’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Media Day that his team drove south from Daytona Beach, and Bevacqua’s drove north from Palm Beach Gardens. They met in the middle in Vero Beach and hoped to come to a similar give-and-take for both sides in a partnership. They never needed to. They were on the same page from the very start. But to make this a-ha moment a reality, they had to find the perfect partner, and they found that in their very first target – KPMG.
What has evolved in the year since has become a perfect marriage in the evolution of one of golf’s oldest majors, the LPGA Championship. Together the LPGA, PGA of America, KPMG, and NBC have raised the profile of the event in every way from the increased purse to having the championship on network TV on the weekend. But KPMG wasn’t done. They had their own enhancement that fell right in line with this championship – the creation of the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit.
“What made this a home run and really interesting for KPMG is when we pushed back a little bit and said, listen, we are really excited about that stuff inside the ropes,” KPMG Global Chairman John Veihmeyer said, “but what would really be interesting, if we can use the championship as a foundation to showcase how we can empower and build future women leaders much more broadly than just in golf.”
A month from now, this tournament will do exactly that, bringing together 156 of the world’s brightest stars on the golf course and 250 of the globe’s next generation of female business leaders in the same way that it brought together some of the world’s best Monday. Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” broadcasted live from Media Day and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined Gary Williams to announce that she will be the keynote speaker at the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit. Later, Veihmeyer, Zurich CFO Dalynn Hoch, Whan and Bevacqua joined together on stage as Inbee Park and Stacy Lewis, the world No. 2 and 3 players in the world, looked on, content to be along for the ride of as the evolution of this championship elevates women’s stature in the game and in business.
“It’s going to be unlike any tournament we’ve ever had,” Lewis said. “And it’s cool for me to see it all actually happening. It’s amazing. I think this week is going to set the bar so much higher for our tournaments going forward. Tournaments are going to have to get ready.”
Video Highlights from Golf Channel's Morning Drive:
Stacy Lewis Describes 'Team Stacy'
KPMG, Stacy Lewis shaping Women's PGA Championship
Fowler's finish impresses major champion Lewis
Whan, Bevacqua on KPMG Women's PGA Championship
Whan talks KPMG Women's Leadership Summit
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