Fact or Fiction: The LPGA Commissioner Has Earned a Contract Extension

Our writers debate Patrick Reed’s 59, amateurs at Augusta National and the future of LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan.

Samaan congratulates Nelly Korda after winning The Chevron Championship earlier this year. / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, an hors d'oeuvre before Thanksgiving’s main event.

Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.

Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.

Patrick Reed shot 59 on Saturday at the Asian Tour’s Hong Kong Open with “preferred lies” in effect, so the round isn’t officially recognized as a record by the tour (John Catlin shot 59 earlier this year under regular conditions and has the record). The PGA Tour recognizes all sub-60 rounds in its records regardless of conditions, and that’s the right way to go. 

Bob Harig: FACT. Put an asterisk if you like but the conditions are the same for everyone. And it’s still rare. Don’t forget that the very first 59 shot by Al Geiberger in Memphis saw preferred lies. It was still a monumental round. 

Jeff Ritter: NEUTRAL: This feels like a spot where a good, old-fashioned record-book asterisk could be handy. Reed’s 59 was shot, it was recorded and it propelled him to the lead on Saturday afternoon. So it should go into the history books. But preferred lies happen from time to time—it wasn’t Reed’s decision—and that can obviously contribute to low scores. So I’d make Caitlin the record-holder with Reed’s round right there next to it, but not necessarily equal to it.

John Schwarb: FICTION. “Play it as it lies” is golf at its core. Tournament golf can be a different animal and at times the PGA Tour plays ball-in-hand to stay on schedule and protect the fairness of the field in less-than-perfect conditions. Yes, you still have to hit the shots to break 60 but there’s a massive difference with ball in hand.

Jacob Skov Olesen (British Amateur champion) and Wenyi Ding (Asia-Pacific Amateur) turned pro and therefore may not compete at the Masters on the exemptions earned from those amateur wins. But given the state of golf where turning pro quickly can be more lucrative than ever, players earning those exemptions should still be allowed to use them.  

Bob Harig: FACT. Have them play for no prize money if that is the big holdup but it seems outdated now to deny the spot. The Masters wants to reward these guys for the accomplishment and it seems a way to highlight these initiatives.

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. The Masters was founded by Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur of all time, and the club has always placed a heavy value on the amateur game. It wants the top ams in the world to play the Masters. Because he chose to turn pro, Olesen is no longer a top am—I’m good with Augusta sticking to its roots on this. 

John Schwarb: FACT. Officials from Augusta National helped create the Asia-Pacific Amateur 15 years ago and surely don’t love seeing the winners turn pro and forgo the prestigious Masters invite. But why not let them play without the ability to earn prize money? Would Bobby Jones approve?

LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan sounded a positive note in her press conference at the season finale, pointing to increased media engagement numbers, staff size and ticket sales as signs that the LPGA is thriving. Her contract is up in 18 months and so far she’s done enough to earn an extension. 

Bob Harig: FICTION. There’s still plenty of time to figure out where this is going. Numerous strides have been made but it is troubling that Korda’s success has not brought a higher level of interest. The Solheim Cup spectator debacle was also a major miss for the tour during such an important week. 

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. The LPGA is making gains but I’m not sure there’s been enough exposure, particularly via improved TV deals, to make an extension a slam-dunk. The LPGA has the new star it’s been waiting for in Nelly Korda—why isn’t she anywhere even close to as omnipresent as Caitlin Clark?

John Schwarb: NEUTRAL. The LPGA remains on an uptick—next year’s schedule has a record prize fund and 33 official events again—but it’s hard to ignore the undercurrent of frustration from players and the lasting administrative memory of 2024 will be the Solheim Cup shuttle mess. Samaan needs a better 2025 before any extension talk.