Laura Frick's connection to golf started as a family affair. Her grandparents taught her the game at eight years old, and her sister played high school golf. She spent most Sunday afternoons on the course with parents and extended family.
By high school, she was working the counter at the local course. By college, she was designing her path through three strategic internships at Ferris State University. Now, she's the Championship Director for the 2026 KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club—and the first female PGA of America Member to serve in that role for a Spectator Championship.
"I definitely always dreamed of being in this role, but when I dreamt about it, I didn't realize there was a whole new path that I could forge for the future female PGA members that have these aspirations,"
Frick's career started when she began to notice everything happening around the course. Between shots, she’d observe the volunteers coordinating scorecards, the course setup crews, and the logistics teams making competition possible.
"I would lose focus on the actual sport I was playing, and look around and notice all the different behind the scenes efforts," she said.
She drew inspiration from her uncle with that mindset. He went through Ferris State's PGA Golf Management program and became director of golf at a prestigious California resort.
When Frick's mom showed her a video about the program, it clicked. The curriculum covered tournament operations, food and beverage, golf course management—everything that creates the experience she'd been watching from the fairway.
"Not only do I love playing this game, but I can also make a career out of the business side," she said. "I never looked back. Being able to peek behind the curtain and become someone who can make this game great was really enticing to me," Frick said.
Frick spent years working in junior golf, leading the PGA Jr. League Championships and collaborating with PGA Professionals nationwide to engage young golfers in their communities. She approaches those events the same way she approaches major championships.
Some of those juniors will become professional athletes. Most won't. What matters for Frick is that they stay connected to golf for life.
"I want juniors and their families to leave a championship feeling like that was a major life experience. I want it to be a memory, and to fuel their fire to support women's sports and enjoy the game of golf, whatever that means to them."
Frick still has the ticket stub from the first PGA Tour event she attended with her dad in high school. That's the experience she wants to create at Hazeltine—something people remember years later, and that keeps them engaged with the game and women's sports.
For Frick, being the first female PGA Member to serve as Championship Director for a Spectator Championship means something beyond the title. She didn't have a professional playing career. But she has a career showcasing the game.
"I love being able to show others that there is another path in the game of golf for women who want to be in leadership roles," Frick said.
The young girls who attend the championship in June will see 156 elite athletes competing at the highest level. They'll also see women leading behind the scenes—in operations, partnerships, and the work that makes major championships possible.
In 2025, KPMG elevated the championship's purse to make it tied for the top in women's golf. They continue to champion technology advancements and better experiences for players and fans alike.
"We're all moving in the same direction. We just want to be able to do as much as possible for these players and for those attending the championship," she said.
For Frick, Hazeltine's reputation precedes it. The 2026 championship marks Hazeltine's second time hosting the event. This return engagement reaffirms the club's ability to host elite championships and of the Twin Cities' support for women's sports.
"Hazeltine is a club that's built for major championships," Frick said. "And I think everybody in the area knows and recognizes that."
The 1,400 volunteers are organized into roughly 60 committees. Every committee chair is a member, and they're investing their time and effort into making the championship succeed.
That commitment extends into the Twin Cities community. Everyone has a story from the 2016 Ryder Cup or the 2019 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Everyone wants to create new stories.
"Luckily for us, everyone wants to come back and keep creating new stories," Frick said.
The Twin Cities also has strong women's sports alongside major men's sports—the Lynx, the women's hockey teams, and college programs.
"It makes us feel right at home as a women's major championship," she said.
Frick is bringing something new this year: Club PGA, a general public ticket option on the 17th hole. The venue features local food and beverage vendors—walleye fingers, wild rice patties, local beers and wines—celebrating the region's culinary identity while giving spectators a premium viewing experience.
"We're not just coming back because we love the community. We're coming back to invest even more in ways we haven't done before," she said.
It's another way to deepen the partnership between the championship and the community that makes it possible.
Laura Frick's grandparents taught her golf. Her family played together. Her uncle showed her a career in the game was possible.
Now she's creating opportunities for the next generation to experience what she experienced—a major championship, world-class athletes, and knowing there's a place for them in this sport.
The championship runs June 25-28. The best players in the world will compete at Hazeltine, volunteers will deliver Minnesota hospitality, and families will make memories.
And some young girls watching will realize there's more than one path in golf—including the one Laura Frick just opened.
Tickets for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship are on sale now, including daily and weeklong options. Up to four kids 15 and under receive free grounds access when accompanied by a ticketed adult, making it easier for parents to introduce their children to championship golf.