Mike Whan Teaches Leadership During Crisis

Presenting calm in crises is the first lesson of leadership. In our game, at this time, there is no calmer and clearer voice than that of LPGA commissioner Mike Whan.

On Wednesday, the LPGA Tour announced a schedule update that moved the tentative 2020 restart to July 15. The projected first event is now the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in Midland, Mich., followed immediately by the Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio; the ShopRite LPGA Classic outside Atlantic City, N.J.; and then the Evian Championship in Évian-les-Bains, France. From there the forecast marches on, week after week, until the CME Group Tour Championship before Christmas. The only breaks come for Masters week (Nov. 12-15) and Thanksgiving.

But Whan is also cautious, letting everyone know that this is one of three or four plans he has sketched out depending on what health officials say.

“One thing that has become clear is that there will be no ‘opening bell’ regarding a return to safe play in this new normal,” he said. “To be honest, being ‘first’ has never...