KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 27, 2021

Renee Powell

Michelle Wie West

Roberta Bowman

Atlanta Athletic Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're here with the brain trust here, the three great brains behind the LPGA Hoodie For Golf project. In the middle we have Renee Powell, former LPGA player and owner/operator of the Clearview Golf Club. We have Michelle Wie West, who thought up this crazy cotton candy tie-dyed sweatshirt, and Roberta Bowman, the LPGA's chief brand and communications officer, kind of the brains behind the logistics of it all.

I think this is the first time the three of you ladies have been together in person. Renee, we're so happy to have you here with us. What has this day, these past couple months been like for you?

RENEE POWELL: You know, it's been absolutely thrilling. When we started talking about the hoodie project, I had no clue what it was going to be like. I have just been so overwhelmed by everything and the support of people and how everybody wants to have a hoodie. It's the thing. It's been absolutely amazing, and then working with Michelle, and the fact that she came up with this idea of something that was going to really help to not only change the face of golf but also with two charities of which of course I'm very much involved with and then talking to Roberta, so you're right, the three of us have been on calls, but this is the first time we've actually met each other person to person, face to face.

THE MODERATOR: Michelle, I know Kenna is the number one baby and maybe the dog is right up there, but this has got to be up there with it. I would think it's got to be great for you, having talked to her over Zoom a lot, but to finally get to meet Renee, the woman behind this, does that make it feel even better for you?

MICHELLE WIE WEST: Oh, it's been so special today for all three of us to be in the same room. I feel like with Zoom and everything these days, it really felt like we were in person, but just over the years, very inspired by our founders and Ms. Powell and everything that she's done.

Representation matters. I've experienced it for myself how important that is, and what this hoodie has done, like she said, it's been overwhelmingly amazing, and it's been a whirlwind so far. Excited to see what more we can do.

THE MODERATOR: Roberta, what's it like to see this all come together, just the germ of an idea and how fulfilling it is for to see it coming together?

ROBERTA BOWMAN: It absolutely is, and it just goes to show the power of partnerships and vision. We went into this not knowing what would happen, and to think that over 10,000 people have bought these hoodies and more importantly that we've raised $225,000 through that for these important organizations that are changing the face of golf, I know all of us at the LPGA are so proud and grateful for this effort.

Q. Renee, we've got quite a benefit going on tomorrow. Can you tell us a little bit about tomorrow's excitement?

RENEE POWELL: I am so -- to know what was going on, I didn't know what it was going to look like in the beginning, and then I kept getting updates and updates, and it was like, oh, my gosh. Something that my association has been involved with putting together, and then to have the KPMG behind it, too, something is completely different. To feel the excitement and the enthusiasm of everybody, and again, I talk to people on the phone and then to meet everybody in person and just -- I think it's a passion that, again, with Michelle and the hoodie project, that campaign, and then everything that's been happening to pull together the -- well, actually Roberta insisted on calling it the Renee Powell Clearview Legacy Benefit, and I'm thrilled with that.

It's going to be something that's going to -- it was 75 years ago my father began building Clearview Golf course, and the first nine holes he literally built by hand. If you can imagine somebody with a hand seeder around his neck, turning it and walking every step of the way down the fairway, it's hard for me -- I see it every day, it's hard for me to even comprehend, but this is going to benefit so many things that we do.

It's a 501(c)3 foundation there. It's the Clearview Legacy Foundation for Education, for the preservation and turf grass research. The 75th year, what a perfect year.

I only wish my mom and dad were here, but gosh, they would be older.

But I know that they are looking down and watching, and the whole legacy of what Clearview is all about, it's such a significant part of American history. And to be able to -- and I've always tried to do different things, but to have a partnership, as Roberta said, as what we're doing is so important. So we have some hefty goals to get to by the end of the year.

With everyone working together, I think we're going to get there.

Q. What's the day-to-day like at Clearview and how concerned were you that your father's love that he put into that project was not going to be preserved?

RENEE POWELL: Do you know what? I feel this way. My whole family, they made so many sacrifices so that I could do what I did. My dad taught me the game of golf, and to be able to go on tour, to travel the world while they were at home in the trenches keeping that golf course alive, I just feel a strong sense of responsibility and obligation. They gave me an opportunity to do the things that I did.

The one thing my dad, the one word that I always remember my dad used was "opportunity," that everyone should have an opportunity to play the game of golf. And they gave me an opportunity, so now it really is my responsibility to make sure that 75 years from now and beyond we can all look down and see that Clearview is doing what my dad had designed it to do, and it was to make golf inclusive for all people.

ROBERTA BOWMAN: I just wanted to say, I was late to understanding what Clearview was and what it represented, and one of the wonderful things about this hoodie project and Michelle's relationship is we're being loud about Clearview and what it represents because in many ways, it is the promise of what golf can be: A true melting pot for people of all ages, both genders and just people that love the game. So thank you for all that you and your family have done.

Q. You got to meet Mariah Stackhouse today and watch her play. What was it like to meet her face to face as well as so many other people that look up to you?

RENEE POWELL: Well, I had met Mariah's mother before but had never met Mariah. The videos Mariah has done, I was just so impressed with listening to her and her feeling and everything came out in the words that she used. So to see her, I felt like I knew her already, but to be able to embrace her and to thank her too for what she is doing and taking things forward, so I think we have a mutual admiration.

Q. Renee, you and I are old enough to remember tie dye the first time around. What was your impression the first time you saw the hoodie?

RENEE POWELL: Oh, my gosh. You know, I saw it, and what I liked, too, was the fact that it says LPGA and established in 1950, because I actually was fortunate -- you're right, I was old enough. I was fortunate to know 11 of the 13 founding members. I've always been one to really feel that we should continue to promote our founders because the only reason we all have LPGA behind our names is because of them, and so when I saw the hoodie project, I had no idea that it was going to explode like it did.

The fact that in three hours it sold out, and it sold out to everybody, to males and females and people that -- a lot of influencers and in other sports. So when you have athletes in other sports, that's pretty good.

Q. Roberta, what's more difficult, selling carbon credits or bringing hoodies to market?

ROBERTA BOWMAN: Carbon credits without a doubt. The hoodies were easy.

MICHELLE WIE WEST: We make Roberta's life hard from time to time.

ROBERTA BOWMAN: We've all become experts in retail, and I'll tell you, retail doesn't get the respect it deserves; it's really hard. We have terrific partners in Ouray Sportswear and Fanatics, which are the back office of our sales and distribution, and they've been true champions in this process.

Q. This year we had a great conversation with Lee Elder at Augusta. It's great to have you here.

RENEE POWELL: Thank you.

Q. It looks like African-Americans had to overcome things in golf which were kind of the same things they had to overcome in real life. I wonder what was your experience, in a few words, and what were the most important things that you had to live through?

RENEE POWELL: Well, the same things that happened to Lee Elder happened to me, too. Because golf has not been a big minority-oriented sport, to go into it and to break barriers -- it's not always easy to do, but you just have to learn to put one foot in front of the other because of the fact that we all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, and so we have to continue to move on so that we can continue to open doors and break down barriers.

Lee and I have been friends for a long time. I think I met him first when I was a teenager, and then when we had some mixed team championships and tournaments, Lee Elder and I played as partners.

Q. Do you believe, Renee, that at one point golf can claim itself as a diverse sport, and what are some of the barriers that still need to be overcome as well as some more things that people should be doing to one day have that goal be reached?

RENEE POWELL: Well, of course I think that we can get there, otherwise I probably wouldn't stay in it. I think that everybody has to -- you always have to keep hope out there, and you have to believe that things will change, otherwise they probably wouldn't change.

Things that I would like to see are continue to grow the game of golf but also continuing to grow diversity within upper management in our industry. There's, what, about seven or eight organizations that run golf in this country, and to see those things and those areas open up, I think it will also help to change a lot of the things that we're trying to do and diversify our game.

ROBERTA BOWMAN: One of the things I've always been impressed by with Renee is her unending optimism, and optimism is really a gift. I will say we've got some very talented players coming up through Girls Golf and on the Symetra Tour today, so with continued good play, we're going to continue to see progress.

RENEE POWELL: You're right, those numbers have really grown, and it's good to see, and it's really been in more recent years.

Q. Michelle, what were your initial goals here, and what's it been like to watch it take off? Why do you feel it has such traction?

MICHELLE WIE WEST: We were just talking about that on the way here and I was thinking, if we raise 50 grand for the charity, that would be great. But $225,000 so far, it's wild. It's beyond our wildest dreams.

The same support of dads out there and people that you normally -- people that I didn't know played golf, athletes that I didn't know played golf, nonetheless watched our Tour, so it's been so much fun to see people show their support, and like Roberta, I didn't know unfortunately about Clearview until we started this, and just really learning about it has been incredible, just the stories and all of that. So it's been eye-opening to me. It's been an educational journey for me, as well.

Like Renee and Roberta said, making this game inclusive, it's a beautiful game, it's a stressful game at times, but a beautiful game and the opportunities should be given to all those who want to play it.

ROBERTA BOWMAN: If I can just add, though, that we've done merchandise before, but usually it's LPGA with a whisper. I think with this logo and this hoodie, it's LPGA with a shout. To see the people proudly wearing it has been, I think, one of the most gratifying aspects of this.

MICHELLE WIE WEST: Oh, yeah, totally.

Q. So all proceeds from the hoodie go towards both Clearview Legacy Foundation and the LPGA Renee Powell Fund. Renee, I know you had a chance to meet some LPGA USGA Girls Golf members today as you were following Mariah and Michelle, so can you talk a little bit more about the mission, just the mission to change the face of golf?

RENEE POWELL: Well, I for a long time was sort of a lone ranger out there when I played on the LPGA Tour. I met so many young ladies out there who walked up to me and actually knew who I was, so they were following. It felt really good to see these young ladies that are into golf, and talking to them as to how long they've played the game and the fact that they love it. They love it, and their parents are there supporting them.

As I see things, with the whole mission that this is creating, I mean, it's just getting that word out there. People are talking. I meet people everywhere that know about the hoodie project. I'll say, Do you know about the hoodie project with Michelle Wie West? They say, oh, yeah, I've read about that.

It's great. But to see little girls and young girls, and somebody who's 11 year old and taller than me actually, but to see these young girls that love the game and look like me, that have great ambitions to continue to play the game, to eventually play on the LPGA Tour, it's wonderful to see. They are so positive, which is good.

They have goals, and they're competing. I have never seen so many young girls of color that are playing the game and loving the game, so it makes me feel really good about it.

MICHELLE WIE WEST: Yeah, it's pretty awesome. Even just playing out here and seeing the young girls come out, the number of girls that have come out I feel like has increased a lot. Before you saw a lot of dads and sons, and this week I think the majority of them were young girls following, and that was so cool to see.

Representation matters. I remember watching 1998 watching Seri Pak win the U.S. Open. It's different. It's different when you see Annika win. It's different when you see other people win. But when you see someone that looks like you on the TV doing the thing that you want to do, it changes everything because for some reason it makes you think, oh, I can really do this. It's not just a dream or another person's dream, it becomes your dream.

Golf, like I said, is such an amazing sport, and whether these girls end up playing on Tour or not, just to be introduced to the game, I think it's a huge win because as we all know in the business world, it's such a great commodity to have. It opens a lot of doors for women in general that know the game in the business world.

I think just having the opportunity to get introduced to the game is a huge win.

RENEE POWELL: I want to add something. I first saw Michelle when she was, I think, 12 years old at Westfield in Ohio playing the PGA Junior. The thing that impressed me was that she was standing -- she was right around the green where you could chip and whatnot, and it was rough. It was rough there, right, and she chipped three balls in the hole, one right after another. It was like, Oh, my gosh, this young girl!

So to see where Michelle is now and watch her mature and finally actually meet her face to face has been pretty good. You left a big impression on me back then.

MICHELLE WIE WEST: Oh, thank you.

Q. We were talking about Lizette this week about her experience as a Latina in golf and as the daughter of immigrants, and I wonder how special it is to see how everything connects, how the African-American experience, the Asian-American experience, the Latina experience connects, and how many things do you have in common in the process?

RENEE POWELL: Yeah, and I think we do have a lot in common because we're out there, we have goals, and there have been difficulties at times. But yet still, nobody gives up. You continue to work, and I think it does create a bond between you because you all have something -- you do have something in common.

Certainly being able to -- golf is this incredible sport where the only thing that matters is getting that golf ball into the hole and shooting the lower score.

I think that whether it's all diversities -- we all have challenges but yet I think that different groups feed off of others, too, and it shows that you can do it. You can move forward and just having those goals in front of you.

Q. I wonder if you could share your experience as the daughter of immigrants, which is an experience you share with Lizette and other players here.

MICHELLE WIE WEST: Yeah, I am very proud to be the daughter of immigrants. I am a first-generation Korean. Having that culture and kind of living it and being very proud to be Korean American. My parents gave up so much to come over here, especially to provide not only education but for golf. As we all know, golf is not a cheap sport, and especially living in Hawai'i and having to come over the mainland every time to play golf, my parents sacrificed so much.

Like Renee said, you owe people so much that you keep fighting to give other people opportunities. That's what it's all about. It doesn't matter how good you are. It doesn't matter how talented you are. If you aren't given a golf club, if you aren't given the opportunity or access to the sport, it doesn't matter, you can never showcase it and whatnot.

If I didn't have that opportunity, if that opportunity wasn't given to me, none of this would have happened to me. It's kind of my responsibility to give opportunity to the future, to the kids.

ROBERTA BOWMAN: If I may, though, if you're a woman in golf or if you're a woman in pro sports, we're all on the same team. There's huge opportunity for us for representation and inclusion, and our journeys may be different, but our goals are the same.