Terry Duffy, whose company sponsors the LPGA Tour’s season-ending event, has called the decision not to show live coverage of the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship, “bulls**t”.
The CEO of the CME Group was clearly not impressed that Saturday’s third round will be shown on a tape delay, from 4-7pm ET on Golf Channel.
When asked for his comments about the LPGA Tour’s decision, the American businessman gave a very short reply.
“That's (BS), isn't it?", stated Duffy to The Palm Beach Post, comments that LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan would have had ringing in her ears.
Samaan speaks to the media prior to the CME Group Tour Championship
CME announced a two-year extension prior to the season-finale to continue sponsoring the event, with Duffy adding: “I think that it's inappropriate for a tournament of this magnitude to be on tape delay.
“I have told Mollie I don't like that. I will leave it in her hands to see where that ultimately ends up.”
The CME Group Championship started on Thursday at Tiburon and the winner will receive $4 million, the largest single prize in women's golf history.
The Tour also announced on Wednesday that more than $131m will be distributed in prize money in 2025, the largest in its 75-year history and an increase of $62 million in four years.
Amy Yang won the CME Group Tour Championship in 2023, securing $2 million in the process
Despite this being a significant boost for the women’s game at the top level, the fact that the third round will not be televised live is something of an own goal.
World No.1 Nelly Korda, who has won an incredible seven times this season, agrees: “I think we need primetime TV," said Korda, winner of the 2024 Rolex Player of the Year.
“We need more hours on TV. I mean, we have a great product out here. We have so many amazing stories. We just need to be on primetime TV.”
Nelly Korda at the 2024 LPGA Awards
The PGA Tour's RSM Classic will air live Sunday from 1-4 pm on Golf Channel, where a number of players are battling it out for their playing rights next year.
“If you are going to continue to build women's sports, you have to give them the same billing as men and stop the nonsense of saying we have to show the men's tournament because they're the men,” added Duffy.
It's not the first time Duffy has been left peeved. Two years ago, he said he was “extremely disappointed” when reportedly not a single player turned up to a dinner event hosted by CME Group.
“It’s an embarrassment to a company of my size and an embarrassment to me personally,” he said, two days after the event.
“I am exceptionally disappointed with the leadership of the LPGA. They better get their act together because they’re going to lose people like me over stuff like this.”
