Overtime, or “OT,” is an opinion column series where the Collegian takes national sports headlines or polarizing topics and gives them a Butler-centric angle.
Following a summer full of incredible PGA Tour and LPGA events, the month of September is all about team competition, with the Solheim Cup contested from Sept. 11-13 in the Netherlands and the Presidents Cup held near Chicago from Sept. 24-27.
These events are intended to be a fierce competition between elite golfers representing different nationalities but for many casual fans, they often go unnoticed or unappreciated.
The Solheim Cup, which is the Ryder Cup equivalent for the best female American and European golfers, saw the Europeans dominate the Sunday singles matches and claim the cup for the third time in the last four events. However, American viewership lagged, as only 179,000 fans watched the Sunday session even though it began as an eight-all tie.
Meanwhile, the Presidents Cup — the U.S. vs world competition held during non-Ryder Cup years — is known for its American domination, as the international squad has only won the cup once, in 1998 at Royal Melbourne. Viewership for the Presidents Cup also stumbled in 2024, as the Sunday singles session drew only 1.37 million viewers, compared to the 5.3 million peak last year’s Ryder Cup experienced on Sunday.
In a year where many tournaments experienced an increase in viewership on Sundays, the lack of fan support should be a wake-up call for PGA Tour commissioner Brian Rolapp and LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler. There is a need for them to craft a tournament that appeals to fans of both the men’s and women’s games. Additionally, the 2028 Summer Olympics will contain a two-day mixed-golf event in between the male and female competitions. This makes it more pressing for the creation of an event that will reinvigorate fan support and draw casual fans towards an event they may not have been interested in.
There is no equivalent competition to the Presidents Cup on the female professional golf circuit, but 15 of the top 20 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings would be classified as international players — including world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul from Thailand and world No.3 Haeran Ryu from South Korea. Therefore, a competition between the best female American and international golfers would most likely result in a landslide win for the international team.
Since there are twelve players on each team in the Presidents Cup, an easy way to create a fair competition is to have six males and females on each team.
While there may be disparity in driving distance, accuracy and the different course lengths for professional male and female golfers, there is some belief that having at least one session of fourball and foursomes with one male and female — similar to what the format will be in the 2028 Olympics — could add a different element to a game full of strategic decisions.
Junior biology major Grant Ipsen is among those who believe having at least one mixed session would help fans not only see more incredible shot-making, but also the different strengths of each player.
“I think [having a mixed] alternate shot session is [a] great start,” Ipsen said. “The driving for the men is obviously where they’re going to flourish but I honestly think the women chip and putt better; the spin [female players] can put on the golf ball is unbelievable. And honestly, the women are straighter drivers off the tee and they are [more] consistent.”
A mixed event in the professional game can work because of the success of mixed events on the collegiate circuit. The Arnold Palmer Cup has been contested annually since 1997 and starting in 2017, became a mixed event featuring 48 golfers — 24 male and 24 female collegiate players. The event features mixed sessions as well as gendered competitions, both of which could be utilized in a new-look Presidents Cup format.
There are examples in other sports of mixed events also working well and providing a mingling of star power. Mixed doubles tennis is a fixture at every Grand Slam tournament and this year’s U.S. Open saw two icons — Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams — pair up with one another. While they did not win the tournament, having a mixed event allowed the two to play together and use their respective skillsets in a different type of competition.
Junior sports media major Michael Knobel contends that the creation of a mixed team event accomplishes the goal of drawing casual fans in because of the opportunity to see the game‘s best compete against each other.
“I think what appeals the most to a casual fan is any chance to see the best players in the world competing against one another,” Knobel said. “Any time [golf] can promote that this is [the fans’] chance to see the best players in the world compete [against each other] is good for the game.”
There are team events on both the PGA Tour and LPGA that have the best players in the world competing with one another, such as Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry in the Zurich Classic and Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang in the Dow Championship. Additionally, the TMRW Golf League (TGL) has carved out a place in modern-day golf as a low-stakes, high-energy, team-based golf league that shows off different strategies for success — such as Chris Gotterup’s stinger with a one-iron.
Furthermore, the TGL will be adding women’s teams this upcoming season which will compete against one another. Featuring players like Charley Hull, Lottie Woad, Linn Grant and Michelle Wie West, the league has the star power to succeed.
Sophomore pre-pharmacy major Marisol Kasper believes there is a market for mixed golf and the TGL is missing an opportunity to further expand on their different approach to a centuries-old game.
“They already pushed the envelope by doing TGL, [so] why not just keep pushing that envelope?” Kasper said. “There’s no reason to stop.”
Additionally, Kasper asserts that if the TGL or any other event added a mixed component, it will help the players become more accustomed to each other’s style and abilities.
“[This would] get the men and women used to playing together, which will make the Olympic [competition] smoother and more entertaining,” Kasper said. “If they get used to playing with each other now, it is just going to grow their bond and [allow them to play] off each other’s strengths.”
There has been discussion about making golf more accessible and allowing all people to play the game. By reformatting events or leagues that are not the crown jewel of the game, fans can be exposed to players they may not have watched before and grow their love for golf as a whole.
If the leaders in golf are serious about growing the game, they should be all for incorporating a mixed element to a competition that has been anything but competitive.