Every good premiere starts with the red carpet treatment — and Sunday afternoon at the WTGL was no different.
As the first six women to participate the new golf simulator league arrived at the Sofi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., they launched the beginning of a new league tradition: the red carpet entrance. One by one, each of the six competitors gathered to show off the day’s adaptations, which ranged from designer options to a very special tribute to LPGA history.
Later – after each of the six players changed into their uniforms and competed in the first WTGL match in the league’s history, a 3-1 victory for LAGC over the NY Golf Club – the stars of the first red carpet treatment opened up about the idea behind the new tradition, which they say was inspired by tennis star Naomi Osaka.
“Yeah, I think it’s about Naomi Osaka in tennis and I think it’s so fun,” LAGC’s Gaby Lopez said. “Every time she comes out, everyone talks about her outfit. Everyone just kind of sees and embraces what she’s done. I think being able to do the same on WTGL is probably one of the key elements to expressing yourself out there.”
As Lopez said, golf is one of the few sports without a “stadium entrance” tradition — which meant LPGA stars never got to experience what it was like to walk the red carpet before a big day.
“It was so much fun,” said Michelle Wie West. “Obviously I had a lot of fun with it as WTGL as well, and I just thought — I don’t get a lot of opportunities to dress up like that, so it was a lot of fun. I’ve never done that come to a golf tournament before.”
Silly as it may seem, the “walk-in” has earned a place on the mantle of sports culture in the 21st century, especially as the athletes of the major professional sports leagues have leaned on fashion as a means of expressing their personality. In recent years, that movement has grown beyond a passion project for a few select athletes into a series of major league initiatives. In 2024, the NFL cemented this effort with hiring the league’s first “fashion editor,” Kyle Smithwhich helps league players express themselves through fashion throughout the season.
Recently, the passion has spread to women’s sports as well. The WNBA and women’s tennis have been part of the movement to bring fashion to the forefront for female athletes — a movement that added a new league on Sunday.
“I think that’s a fun element,” Wie West said. “I hope the players really take it because I think it can be another way we can really show our history through fashion. I think it’s so fun.”
Wie West won honors for most unique opening day form. She showed up wearing an “LPGA Founders” graphic t-shirt made especially for the occasion. But she wasn’t the only one to be surprised by how much she enjoyed the experience.
“Like Michelle said, rarely these days do I get my makeup done, hair done and heels all at the same time,” said Wie West’s LAGC teammate Alison Lee. “I think it’s been a couple of years since that happened.”
Lee, who wore a denim two-piece a Gucci Sylvie baghe said the whole experience was a reminder of one of life’s simpler pleasures.
“It was nice to get my picture taken, I’m not going to lie,” Lee said.
