What a year. As we prepare to put a bow around 2021 and march headlong and confidently into a new season, this is a perfect time to reflect on the memories and accomplishments of the months behind us while keeping our eyes laser focused on the positives and the challenges that lie ahead.
While I have only been on board as the ninth commissioner of the LPGA for a few months, the energy and enthusiasm I have witnessed from every corner of the game has exceeded all my expectations. There is a groundswell of support for women’s golf around the world. And the LPGA is leading the way through our Tour competitions, with the largest purses in the history of the women’s game, our more than 1,800 LPGA Professionals who are teaching and growing the game on a daily basis, the LPGA Foundation that is dedicated to providing access to golf in historically underserved communities, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the fastest growing program in the game with more than 90,000 girls participating at 520 sites around the world, and our LPGA Amateurs, 13,000 members strong.
As one of the few sports that can be played for life, golf enriches lives and opens doors for women and girls at every level. Whether it is those who want to play for fun, those who look to the game to help advance their careers, or those who aspire to be the best in the world, the mission of the LPGA is to create an environment where women and girls of all ages and abilities can live their dreams through golf, and where we can use our platform to have a positive impact on the world.
And the best is yet to come. With the LPGA Tour schedule of 34 events and over $86 million in official prize money in 2022, as well as our continued growth at the grass roots level, we recognize a singular truth, one that is both an honor and an awesome responsibility:
This is our time.
With that in mind, as we enter this holiday season and approach the end of 2021, I want to wish everyone – our players, our partners, our Professionals, and all of the people who help make this organization so special, including our staff, volunteers, host sites, amateurs, Girls Golf members, and our current and future fans - a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and best wishes for a wonderful and productive New Year.
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