LPGA to add more cameras, TrackMan and live TV coverage in 2026 with new FM partnership
Four years ago, as Michelle Wie West walked outside the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, she marveled at the amount of money that’s poured into men’s professional sport. The now retired LPGA star and mother of two said she was shocked the first time she went to a PGA Tour event.
When people argue that LPGA purses are lower because of lower viewership, it’s an unfair comparison, Wie West said, because of how much is invested.
“The men’s sports create a better product just on the number of cameras alone,” Wie West told Golfweek during that San Francisco interview. “Our game looks slower, our players look slower when in fact, we’re not slower at all. It’s because we don’t have the ability to switch back and forth, so you end up watching the players’ entire routine, which people now don’t have the attention span for that.”
Wie West dabbled in on-camera work when she was away from the tour, giving her even more insight into the discrepancies between the men’s and women’s game. Back-to-back U.S. Opens at Pinehurst in 2014 – where Wie West won – were eye-opening in that regard as well.
Four years later, the LPGA has announced a significant step toward helping to solve this problem thanks to a new multi-year agreement with property insurer FM.
Already a title sponsor of one of the biggest purses on tour, FM is now also an official marketing partner.
Beginning next season, non-major events will have a 50 percent increase in the total number of cameras used to cover an event, increasing hole and shot coverage capabilities. Slow-motion cameras and three times more microphones will be used to help further enhance coverage. There will also be a heightened focus on athlete storytelling with more walk-and-talks with players and caddies.
In addition, a new partnership with Trackman, combined with additional cameras, will quadruple the number of shot-tracing capabilities in 2026.
And, most importantly, fans will get to see all the bells and whistles live, as for the first time since Golf Channel began televising the LPGA in its inaugural year of 1995, every LPGA round will be shown live, with select weekend rounds being shown live on CNBC.
“The commitments from FM, Trackman and Golf Channel are a game-changer for our athletes, our fans, our partners and our Tour,” said LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler in a release. “Starting in 2026, fans will immediately see and feel the difference: more cameras, better technology, richer storytelling and more ways to appreciate the unbelievable skill of our players, fully live. We’re grateful for the shared vision and investment from FM, Trackman and Golf Channel. This is a major step forward for the women’s game, and it’s only the beginning. The next chapter for the LPGA is going to be something special.”
The FM Championship, held at TPC Boston, had a purse of $4.1 million, making it the largest purse on the LPGA outside of the majors and CME Group Tour Championship.
"We are proud to take our partnership with the LPGA to an even higher level by supporting the transformation of the LPGA Tour’s broadcast, athlete and fan experience for the 2026 season and beyond,” said Malcolm Roberts, chairman and chief executive officer of FM in a release. “Through offerings like FM Intellium, we are helping our clients build resilience into their operations as they embrace the opportunities of the rapidly evolving and growing AI ecosystem. This collaboration with the LPGA and investment in state-of-the-art technology and equipment is right in line with FM’s belief in innovation and progress.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: LPGA to add more cameras, TrackMan and live TV coverage in 2026
