LPGA to comp tickets for angry Solheim Cup fans, explains new shuttle process

The LPGA scrambled to do some major damage control late Friday after reports earlier in the morning that fans were leaving the parking area after there were not enough shuttle services to adequately get them to Robert Trent Jones Golf Club for the first day of the Solheim Cup.

With a third of the seats empty on the first tee for the morning foursomes session—a scene that is usually the most raucous anywhere in women's golf—social-media posts showed thousands of fans stranded at the staging area with priority spots on shuttle buses going to volunteers who had to get to their duty stations on the course. Many fans chronicled the events while waiting, saying it took several hours to get to RTJ.

“Somebody had one job and totally whiffed,” U.S. assistant captain Brittany Lincicome said. (The U.S., by the way, leads Europe 6-2 after dominating Day 1 matches.)

After acknowledging issues earlier in the day, the LPGA has unveiled a solution to make sure the next two days go much more smoothly. Gates at the golf course will now open at 5:30 a.m. for the matches that begin at 7:05. Shuttles will now begin leaving from the general parking area at 4:30 a.m.

The tour says that it has “significantly increased” the number of shuttles that will be available and has worked to establish a more efficient loading process. Volunteers have been directed to park at a different location and will have their own dedicated shuttles.

LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan sent a form email to fans late Friday that apologized for the transportation issues. She also said, “to express our regrets,” that two complimentary any-day tickets to the Solheim Cup have been loaded into fans' respective ticket accounts.

“We apologize again to any fans whose enjoyment of the event was impacted by transportation delays,” the LPGA said. “We appreciate the patience and understanding of our fans and look forward to a great weekend of spirited competition.”