Following Chevron Championship Setback, LPGA Tour Reshapes Authority Ahead of Next Major

Well, if you watched the 2025 Chevron Championship hoping for the electric vibes of the other majors, you were probably disappointed. It was a tough watch. What used to be one of the crown jewels of women’s golf—the Chevron Championship at Mission Hills in sunny Palm Springs—has been struggling to find its groove since relocating to The Club at Carlton Woods in Texas. And let’s be real, it’s not just the humidity that’s been heavy.

From the get-go, the move felt like a missed putt from two feet away. Sparse attendance, clunky logistics and a lackluster atmosphere, which didn’t exactly scream “major championship”. Even a dramatic five-way playoff (won by Japan’s rising star Mao Saigo) couldn’t fully mask the fact that something was, well, way off.  The tournament struggled to capture the thrill and grandeur expected of a major, and the low television coverage further highlighted this disconnect.

And then came the big announcement: Matt Chmura, the LPGA’s Chief Marketing, Communications and Brand Officer, will be walking off the green for good. His last official day will be May 23. Coincidence? Or did the growing chorus of fan discontent finally get too loud to ignore?

Did the Brickbats Get Too Much for Matt Chmura?

Let’s not forget, Chmura was recruited in 2022 by the then-Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who also quietly stepped down in January 2025. He worked closely with Samaan, and later with interim commissioner Liz Moore, to shepherd the Chevron Championship’s relocation to Texas—a move many fans are still trying to understand. So now, two years later and fresh off a lukewarm major, we ask, what made Chmura pull the ripcord now?

Apr 21, 2024; The Woodlands, Texas, USA; Nelly Korda (USA) waits to putt on the ninth green during the final round of The Chevron Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Well, according to this statement given by the LPGA to Golfweek, “Matt Chmura has resigned… to pursue other opportunities.” To fill the void, the LPGA is bringing Roberta Bowman (former LPGA Board member and Chief Brand and Communications Officer) out of retirement and into the clubhouse. She will take up the responsibilities of Chmura, while the organization completes recruiting a new commissioner. To her credit, Bowman has previously led the LPGA through some of their rougher stretches and will hopefully do more for upcoming tournaments such as the US Women’s Open Championship scheduled to begin on 29 May 2025.

The real issue isn’t just marketing, low ticket sales and low media interest in general, it is the soul of women’s golf tournaments. Here’s hoping the LPGA listens—to the players, to the fans, to the eerie silence echoing from the stands—and gives the next major to be played at the Erin Hills Golf Course in Erin, Wisconsin the respect and world stage it truly deserves. Women’s golf is better than this. We know it, and it is time for the business stakeholders behind the game to catch up.

Do you think we’ll see more spectators at the 2025 US Women’s Open Championship later this month? Drop us a line in the comments section below.

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