In a year filled with drama, the golf establishment on either side of the Atlantic is pulling all the punches to maintain the status quo. 72-hole championship golf is under attack. Shotgun starts, a 54-hole feast, an eight-event exhibition, no cuts, and a pile of oil money are all working to redefine golf and reshape the market for the game. raw is War.
It started rather smoothly. With the departure of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Louis Osthuizen, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia, the big tour was not going to budge in his shoes. Those slipping into the mid-career crisis, however, was just the beginning. The abandonment of Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and Brooks Koepka has turned up the heat quite a bit.
R&A excluded Greg Norman from the Festival of Champions on Monday. It decided not to ‘invite’ the CEO of LIV Golf to the Open Champions Dinner the next day. They also reached out to Mickelson in advance, suggesting that it was best for them to skip the festive events.
Tiger Woods got into an argument in the lead-up to the Open. He was sharp in his accusation. “I think he has turned his back on what he has done that has allowed him to take this position,” Woods told the media. “Greg (Norman) has done some things that I don’t think are in the best interest of our sport.”
It appears that the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the United States does not agree with Woods’ reading of the position. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan suspended all players who signed up with the LIV Golf Series. The DOJ launched an investigation on Monday to investigate whether the Tour’s behavior amounted to anti-competitive drills against its contracted players.
The battle is intense and complicated. Some players were put on hold by the PGA Tour’s suspension for attending the Scottish Open last week. More such clashes may occur because TOUR’s bylaws prohibit its contractors from playing other television programs that have come under scrutiny.
LIV is doing well for some of its players. Johnson and Talor Gooch are in the top ten at the halfway stage. Three more were inside the top 20, making the open cut with a total of eleven. But this is the last big match of the season. It is unlikely that either of them will play another ranking event this year. Meanwhile, the rafters of the Open are overflowing with excitement as fans return in large numbers to celebrate the game’s historic occasion.
At the age of 24, Woods completed his career Grand Slam at Old Course in 2000. As he climbed the Swilcon Bridge, perhaps for the last time, thousands of fans thronged to applause around St Andrews. It was a touching moment that reminded everyone of the importance of the great traditions and history of the sport.
Contrast couldn’t be stronger.
Rich history and famous traditions on the one hand, and impossible financial rewards on the other.
It is this association with tradition that makes many wonder whether LIV Golf can go ahead, especially as it moves into a 14-event series next year. Ranking points could be the next big milestone for LIV. The Official World Golf Ranking confirmed last week that it had begun reviewing applications for points.
But even if LIV golf receives formal acceptance in golfing circles, it is unclear how they can be adapted to proper championship golf. Playing in 54-hole events without any cuts is a far cry compared to the traditional stroke play format.
The Open champion will walk away with a $2.5mn check and provisional possession of what is of course the most valuable prize in golf – the Claret Jug. LIV silver doesn’t cost more than merchandise on Amazon. The trophy is contingent on the $4mn that Charl Schwartzell and Brandon Grace collected to win in London and Portland.
Money is at the heart of the problem for established tours, for which it is becoming increasingly difficult to raise financial resources. The LIV circuit is backed by billions of dollars from the Public Investment Fund in Saudi Arabia.
Traditional tours are as accountable as sponsors and broadcasters to stakeholders expecting a return on their investment. At least for now, RoI is the lowest priority for LIV Series supporters.
According to multiple reports, millions have changed hands to secure the participation of Mickelson, Johnson, Koepka, DeChambeau and the like. Each tournament on the LIV circuit offers a $25mn pot to 48 participants. And the season finale will reward them with a bonus of $50mn.
The PGA Tour is facing this head-on in conjunction with player suspensions with the announcement of an increased purse for 2023. It is expected that at least eight events will offer purses of $20mn next season, in addition to more money for FedExCup. weather.
Players willing to trade their LIV earn their ‘free agency’ at the expense of pride and legacy. Unless they care about career and their record. However, if the DoJ or OWGR confirm LIV golf through their actions, the game of golf could see the beginning of a tectonic shift in a new future.
The author is a senior journalist with over two decades of experience covering sports
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