FRISCO, Texas – No LPGA player has contributed more to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship than Stacy Lewis. The tournament’s establishment a decade ago was largely credited to the connection between Lewis and former KPMG chair John Veihmeyer.
As a two-time major championship winner and former world number one, Lewis’s critical observations about this week’s tournament reflect considerable consideration on her part.
Slow Play Issues
During the first round at Fields Ranch East, players like Lexi Thompson, Yealimi Noh, and Yuka Saso faced lengthy delays, with rounds taking over six hours. Notably, there were 25-minute delays at par 3s, and backups occurred on holes 8 and 13. Lewis attributed the slow play to course setup, which persisted into the second round.
Course Design Challenges
“Hole locations are problematic, especially on slopes,” commented Lewis, who won’t be participating in the weekend rounds. On the eighth hole, which played at 157 yards, less than 20% of competitors were able to hit the green in regulation.
After Lydia Ko’s unsuccessful attempt to hit the green on the eighth hole, NBC analyst Morgan Pressel noted that the challenging setup failed to reward accurate shots, stating, “Not my favorite thing to see.” Brandel Chamblee, a Golf Channel analyst, has criticized LPGA setups for being excessively long, suggesting that historically reachable holes for men become unreachable for women.
Player Perspectives
Lewis expressed indifference regarding the overall scores in majors, focusing instead on whether the course plays as intended. She emphasized that officials should prioritize suitable tee placements based on visibility of the greens. Furthermore, she suggested removing the distracting center fairway bunker on the 18th hole, which has led to more double bogeys than birdies.
The unique design of Fields Ranch East, which opened in 2023, features flexible “ribbon tees” that can complicate finding a flat teeing area. This setup was at 6,532 yards during gusty conditions but could extend to 8,000 yards for men in the future, indicating a modern approach to course design.
Mixed Reviews
Feedback from players like Madelene Sagstrom is varied; while she finds that the course punishes errant shots, she appreciates the condition of the greens. However, Ashleigh Buhai enjoyed the challenge, contrasting Angel Yin’s view, who found the conditions somewhat repetitive. Lewis noted the disappointment among players, advocating for setups that would better showcase women’s golf, especially on significant broadcasts.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Stacy Lewis blames six-hour rounds at KPMG Women’s PGA on poor setup
