When Craig Kessler took over as LPGA commissioner earlier this year, he admitted changes needed to be made.
One of his main focuses was improving the schedule.
“Optimizing the schedule so that it makes sense,” he said. “It’s rational. It allows our athletes to perform at the highest levels and to recover as opposed to zigzagging the country or the world.”
It appears the tour is inching toward that goal.
The LPGA released its 2026 schedule on Wednesday ahead of the season-ending Group CME Tour Championship.
There will be 33 events in 13 states and 13 different countries with a record total prize fund of $132 million.
The season will begin in the final week of January with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Fla., before going on its first Asain swing of the season. The tour will return to the U.S. in mid-March for the Fortinet Founders Cup, which will be played in Menlo Park, Calif., for the first time.
After what could be characterized as a West Coast swing, the circuit will play on the East Coast and Midwest through July; though, after the week after ShopRite in New Jersey, the U.S. Women’s Open will be in California, followed by the Dow Championship in Michigan.
Two notable course changes come at the Mizuho Americas Open in New Jersey and the Kroger Queen City Championship in Cincinnati. Mizuho will move from Liberty National Golf Club to Mountain Ridge in West Caldwell, N.J., which hosted the 2021 Founders Cup. The Queen City Championship shifts from TPC River’s Bend to the Donald Ross-designed Maketewah Country Club.
The year’s first major, the Chevron Championship, is reportedly moving from the Club at Carlton Woods to Memorial Park, still in the Houston area. However, the LPGA hasn’t yet confirmed the location change.
Regardless, it appears Kessler’s vision for the tour is coming to fruition, especially after the announcement Tuesday that each tournament will be broadcast live for the first time in history with enhanced production.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built, and even more excited about where we’re headed,” Kessler said in a statement.“This schedule reflects the work we’ve put into elevating our courses, improving our routing, and continuing to grow purses. Coming off our 75th anniversary season, we wanted a calendar that gives our athletes great stages, better flow, and even more opportunity—and I think 2026 delivers that. We’ve made real progress, and we’re clear-eyed about where we can keep getting better in 2027 and beyond.”
View the full schedule below:
🚨 THE 2026 LPGA TOUR SCHEDULE IS HERE 🚨
— LPGA (@LPGA) November 19, 2025
The 2026 schedule features 33 events across 13 different countries and 13 different states with a total prize fund of over $132 million, the largest prize fund in the Tour's history. 👏
FULL SCHEDULE ⬇️ https://t.co/Y54SSSrkcd
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as LPGA Releases 2026 Schedule As New Commissioner’s Vision Is Coming to Fruition.
