Taking the International Crown From Good to Great

San Francisco weather patterns had their way with the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown this weekend, but that didn’t keep the event from shining brightly. LPGA Tour representatives from eight different countries showed out at TPC Harding Park, and like any team event, momentum swings played a big role. Team Thailand dominated in pool play, backing that up by overcoming a tough semifinal battle with the United States. There they met Australia, who impressed against Korea and Japan in pool play before cruising to a semifinal victory against a red-hot Swedish team. But it was all Thailand in the blowout final, as they swept all three matches by wide margins. In total, the team of Atthaya Thitikul, Patty Tavatanakit, Ariya Jutanugarn, and Moriya Jutanugarn combined to go 11-1 for the week, walking away with the crown (figurative) and the crowns (literal.)

The International Crown might be the most unique tournament in professional golf. The format is that good. But there are still a few tweaks that could help the event reach its full potential.

First and foremost, the LPGA Tour needs to get its schedule sorted out ASAP, as the International Crown is completely lost within a busy period on the calendar. The top players in the world had their hands full with the Chevron Championship and LA Championship the last couple of weeks. This logjam effectively relegated the International Crown, which should be one of the highlights of the year, to “just another week” status.

The International Crown would also benefit from a few tweaks to its own schedule. Three days of pool play means Thursday and Friday aren’t appointment viewing, even if the points earned on those days are crucial for who eventually advances. With eight teams, I’d love to see two days of pool play with the semifinals also played on Saturday. That would leave just the championship and consolation matches on Sunday, heightening each day of the event. If the current setup is a dealbreaker, the Crown could add two more teams to pool play, playing 36 holes both Thursday and Friday. That would leave just the semis on Saturday and the final on Sunday.

But these are small tweaks to a winning format. This event is phenomenal. It deserves every chance to become a big deal.

This piece originally appeared in The Fried Egg newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.