Craig Kessler Selected Next LPGA Commissioner And Sees Explosive Potential

The LPGA has selected Craig Kessler as its next commissioner, turning to the PGA of America’s chief operating officer to help the 75-year-old league better capitalize on the growth in women’s sports. Kessler, 39, is the 10th commissioner in LPGA history, replacing Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who stepped away after three-and-a-half years in January. He formally takes over on July 15. “I don’t think this is one of those opportunities where we start with 100 days of listening. It’s time to explode out of the gates,” Kessler said. He said the main goal could be to create a culture where anyone looking at the LPGA would say, “I have to be part of that.” Kessler, a Georgetown graduate with an MBA from Harvard Business School, had been with the PGA of America for just over two years and was a candidate to become the CEO until the organization wanted a golf professional in the role and hired Derek Sprague. “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 Veihmeyer, the chairman of KPMG who chairs the LPGA’s board of directors. “Craig is
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