The LPGA Tour has quietly accomplished something historic in 2026: for the first time ever, every single round of every LPGA event now features live television coverage. Combined with a massive expansion of shot-tracing technology and new drone footage capabilities, the women’s professional golf tour is experiencing a broadcast revolution that could reshape how fans engage with the sport.
The changes represent a dramatic leap forward from even a few years ago, when many LPGA events received minimal broadcast attention and fans often had to rely on delayed highlights or text-based scoring to follow their favorite players.
Every Round, Every Event, Live
The headline number is staggering: complete live coverage of every round across the entire LPGA schedule. This means Thursday and Friday rounds—historically underserved by television cameras—now receive the same broadcast treatment as weekend coverage. For fans of women’s golf, it’s a transformative development that puts the LPGA on equal footing with the PGA Tour in terms of accessibility.
The expanded coverage allows viewers to follow storylines as they develop throughout the week, rather than only tuning in for the final round. This deeper engagement with the tournament narrative is expected to build stronger connections between fans and players, which has been a long-standing goal for the Tour.
TrackMan Partnership Expands Shot Tracing
Alongside the broadcast expansion, the LPGA has quadrupled its shot-tracing capabilities through an expanded partnership with TrackMan. The technology, which overlays ball flight data onto live broadcast footage, has become one of the most popular features in modern golf broadcasting—and until now, the LPGA’s deployment has lagged behind the PGA Tour’s.
With the 4x expansion, viewers will see detailed ball flight information on a vastly greater number of shots throughout each broadcast. The data-rich overlay adds a layer of analysis that helps casual viewers understand the difficulty of shots while giving more knowledgeable fans the technical details they crave.
Drone Coverage Adds New Visual Dimension
The LPGA has also deployed an expanded fleet of drones to capture dynamic aerial imagery during competition. The drone footage provides sweeping views of course layouts, dramatic approach shots, and contextual views that traditional camera positions simply cannot achieve.
Golf has always been a visually striking sport, and drone technology captures the beauty and scale of championship courses in ways that enhance the viewing experience significantly. The aerial perspective also helps viewers understand the strategic challenges players face on each hole—particularly on courses they may not be familiar with.
Hyo Joo Kim’s Wire-to-Wire Win Showcases the New Coverage
The improved broadcast setup was on full display at the recent Fortinet Founders Cup, where Hyo Joo Kim held off Nelly Korda for a commanding wire-to-wire victory at Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club. Kim’s dominant performance—leading from start to finish against the world’s top-ranked player—was captured in full across all four rounds, allowing fans to follow every twist of the competition.
Under the old broadcast model, viewers might have missed Kim’s brilliant opening rounds entirely. The new coverage ensures that dominant performances like hers receive the attention they deserve from the very first tee shot.
A Turning Point for Women’s Golf
The broadcast upgrades signal a crucial turning point for the LPGA Tour. Women’s professional golf has long battled for parity in media coverage, sponsorship, and fan engagement. By investing heavily in production quality and accessibility, the Tour is making a powerful statement about the value and excitement of women’s golf—and giving fans fewer excuses not to watch.
If the early results are any indication, the investment is paying off. Viewership numbers for the first events of the 2026 season have been encouraging, and the combination of compelling competition and enhanced production values is creating a viewing experience that stands toe-to-toe with any golf broadcast on television.
