Looking at the LIV Golf Saudi Arabian backed Tour, just seems like a huge pay day, for many middle aged golfers on the wain. How greedy some are. Phil Mickleson is reported to have been offered $200 million to join in the money train trough. Good luck to them, I won't watch a shot or attend an event. With our nation in financial crisis, I shall chose carefully who gets my hard earned attending events.
Looks pointless. Few people will care, other than those at the stage in their career where retirement cash trumps trophies.
That and the world cup are on the ever expanding personal boycott list.
I'm no fan of what appears to be driving this series/concept i.e. shitloads of cash, but I do think there is some mileage in the broader concept of mixing up professional golf which is quite staid and repetitive for 75% of the season.
The combination of very well known ageing golfers mixed with a few names none of know is actually very similar to the average PGA Tour event and by using Teams and not having a cut at least keeps the interest in the better known golfers.
I really dislike the platitudes from dullards like Dustin Johnson and Westwood about "growing the game", "doing something exciting" and worst of all "doing what's best for my family". When you've earned $75M just from playing golf your family does not need any more Ferraris or private jets.
I just want them to be honest and admit that it's really just about getting richer for doing less as without those bigger risk free pay packets they wouldn't even be considering it.
To be fair Louis and McDowell did almost say this in the 3 handed interview yesterday but again lets not pretend any of them couldn't retire today and be very very comfortable for the rest of their lives. Couldn't they just play less PGA tour events?
Most supporters response is that you/we wouldn't turn down the paycheck if it were offered to us and maybe that's true but it doesn't make it right or more importantly a better way to improve golf.
But hey I'm both a Newcastle fan and a golf fan and I'm so conflicted I can barely type!
It looks bonkers!
The format looks like it was dreamt up by some marketing people who saw the success of the IPL and thought 'I know what golf needs, more everything!'
The team element looks really contrived as they don't know who's actually going to play in each competition, they have to have a draft the week before each event. So each team will change from week to week?? I'm guessing they're assuming that it won't matter as you'll only have heard of a maximum of 12 of the golfers.
Also, the team names look like they were chosen by teams from the Apprentice... Smash, Punch, Crushers, Torque, Fireballs... really?
I was offered tickets to go along to Centurion for the first event but politely declined.
Last edited by Meesterbond; 8th June 2022 at 14:48.
I’m a member at a club in Hertfordshire and was asked to go along to the Centurian as a volunteer but declined. I kind of don’t blame the Westwoods of this world making a few final massive pay cheques but as mentioned above all of the BS they’re spouting about this sticks in the craw somewhat.
I won’t be watching.
It is pretty unedifying watching all these golfers state that they are against human rights violations, per se, without uttering a word of criticism for the Saudi regime, and whilst pocketing as much cash as they possibly can.
The ludicrously rich, getting much richer, whilst sportswashing a country that murdered and dismembered a jounalist inside their own consulate.
The world of golf may need shaking up. But not like this.
I was quite shocked at DJ’s resignation from the PGA yesterday, but today rumours are that Bryson, Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler are also playing.
Good for you I'd do the same. I've been part of trying to raise the profile of Disability Golf in this country for over 10 years. Apart from Justin Rose, Ian Poulter and bless him Mark James. Not one single Tour pro has offered any help or time.Originally Posted by Meesterbond
Last edited by wildheart; 9th June 2022 at 11:21.
The PGA tour is stagnant and the product not that great week to week. If the guys playing LIV can still get in the majors then i can see it becoming very difficult for the PGA tour to continue in its current guise. Rory and JT will soon change their mind if they are the only ones left on the PGA.
It will be interesting to see how this all pans out but the PGA Tour maybe should have taken both LIV and PGL a little more seriously.
Ross
https://www.pgatour.com/news/2022/06...-releases.html
Battle lines are drawn!!
It looks an abomination, I watched Mickleson squirm over Human Rights issues and then try and justify this new competition. It is 100% about the money and greed. There looks like potential challenges and sanctions from the PGA. I hope it crashes and burns and these greedy a-holes are all ostracised. It is not too dissimilar to the football super league. All about the cash.
I find it interesting for various reasons. Firstly, by signing up DJ and Bryson they’ve got at least two relevant players to attract potential fans, although Poults and others giving away 100 tickets each doesn’t bode well. Aside from that the rest of the players aren’t regular winners and I just wish they’d be honest and say they’re doing it for the money.
However, I’m not a fan of some of the journalists ripping these players for taking money from Saudi when the PGA Tour were happy to sanction the Saudi Invitational and haven’t gone anywhere near Jack Nicklaus for taking Saudi money for designing golf courses. Not to mention PGA events in China whose own human rights record is diabolical. The hypocrisy reeks.
I don’t blame people like Kaymer, Poulter and the others for taking huge payments just to take part. They’re self employed and they have to live with their conscience.
The main thing this is where LIV sees itself in the future. Can they really pull the big names away from the other tours and have something tangible, if they don’t attract the big names who’s going to want to see past their best players (DJ and Bryson aside) on a regular basis. Centurion is only 15 minutes from me and I’ve no desire to watch the event.
Ok the Saudi and numbers aside, this is the PDC darts breakaway all over and that went well.
Maybe the PGA becomes a feeder series to the big money.
I think it’s odd the criticism of the pay being offered, maybe if the players gave 50% to charity if would be tremendous all around.
Same for me, and given what went into filling the ground under that golf course I imagine it stinks almost as bad at LIV golf tastesI presume they've warned Poulter not to light up a cigarette.
I liked Rory interview today "I've found that doing things just for the money doesn't tend to end well"
Last edited by Chicken Pox; 9th June 2022 at 10:18. Reason: Rory quote added
Cockroaches
Really liked Poulter and Westwood before this but I'd happily boo them at a tournament now.
I understand why anyone would be tempted by the mega cash on offer but given where it's coming from I hope the venture fails big style.
We really should be standing up to bad guys and not letting them sport wash their reputations.
Interesting to see the PGA have put the flags in centre of every green for the final round of the RBC so they can prove the best golfers still play on the PGA as they are all shooting low 60s, normally flags are tucked away in the final day but not today
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Just shows what money can buy. They're professional sportsmen so I recognise their right to choose but it's sad to see sports being bought solely by wealth regardless of morality and I include all the boxers, F1, football teams etc in that.
Plenty in the media are using the sports washing element to attack LIV Tour whilst seemingly turning a blind eye to all the other Saudi PIF connections with golf. Latest I’ve read is Collin Morikawa could be jumping ship so it will be interesting to see how much venom is directed his way. Koepka is no surprise. Hugely talented player but comes across as a real douche frat boy.
For the PGA Tour this is purely about the potential damage to their product. In reality, and source of funds aside, there should be nothing wrong with having the two tours coexist. The LIV Tour is just eight events. I think the PGA Tour see that once the bigger players make the move the LIV Tour will likely take on more events etc so that the damage to the PGA Tour could be immense and that’s why they are suspending players already.
The real power lies with the four majors. If the breakaway players are allowed to continue to compete in them then the PGA Tour is in real trouble.
Morikawa "pending" and Koepka now confirmed as leaving the PGA Tour.
https://www.skysports.com/golf/news/...ational-series
And Abraham Ancer too....
Koepka is reportedly getting $150 million. Very sad, especially after watching Fitzpatrick’s amazing win. This LIV will tear the guts out of professional golf.
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And the PGA Tour's response to LIV Golf this week after rubbishing the format?
https://www.golfdigest.com/story/pga...-fall-schedule
Pretty much copy it......talk about lame.
Watch out for the PGA Tour press conference later today but pleased to see that the R&A have taken the right approach for The Open entrants here;
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/61894178
The sacking of Henrik Stenson as Captain is now going to have massive ramification for the Ryder Cup. Liv is now starting to tear up Professional golf tournaments. Hell of a shame....but money talks.
And blood money at that. Stenson claimed the captaincy was "a dream" - pull the other one. Just goes to show, these players are only out for themselves and for money.
Of course they're out for themselves and money. They're professional players and someone's offered them a huge pile of wedge to play in some relatively meaningless tournaments. There's already golf played in the Middle East, in China and until recently Russia had an event on the European Tour. They're all already taking place in sportswashing, but now LIV have come along with even more money.
It's a battle of the wallets, certainly, but hardly good vs evil.
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