Live Under Fear Of Expulsion: Monahan Rolls Out New Fan Code Of Conduct, Finally Addresses PIP In The Room

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Having managed to evade any hard Q&A sessions since The Players—we don’t count Strategic Alliance pressers here—PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan answered questions on an array of pre-Tour Championship topics. He made news with a new fan code-of-conduct-policy, a mix of news related to the Asia swing, and finally answered questions about the Tour’s secret Player Impact Program, aka, the in-house trust fund for favorite sons.

Given that Monahan ushered in the PGA Tour’s relentless Live Under Par campaign early into his tenure—come out, get drunk, be a young demographic we’re desperate to court, express your inner douchey bro, make yourself part of the event by being loud, and share it all on social—I expected a trace of remorse. Not even a hint of responsibility accepted for deteriorating fan behavior.

But you don’t make $9 million a year taking blame or even acknowledging anything is actually wrong.

With that, let’s go to the transcript, starting with this from his prepared remarks:

Looking ahead, the PGA TOUR is in a position for unprecedented growth over the next 10 years, starting with the 2021-22 season. Next season official prize money will increase by approximately $35,000,000 and the FedExCup Comcast Business TOUR top-10 bonus pool combined will grow by $15,000,000 to $85,000,000. This total of $633,000,000 in comprehensive earnings marks an 18 percent increase year over year.

But we couldn’t wait to use the pandemic to lay off some low-paid people. Wonder what else those people who just had to go shared as a trait?

Anyway, buried the lede there on the Comcast thingy getting a purse bump. Really great news for fans. Imagine if we could just get Comcast to take some of that money and put tracer on the 18th tee of a playoff event? The game would really grow!

We're also excited to kick off our new domestic media rights agreements with CBS, NBC Golf Channel, and ESPN in 2022. These media companies share our vision for the future and these landmark partnerships that run through 2030 will be a major win for our fans as we expand and innovate our content and its delivery.

That’s pretty light on detail.

The golf industry is working together like never before and despite the challenges of the pandemic, the continued growth we have seen in recreational participation and in growing and diversifying our sport, our global game has never been stronger. Thank you, and thank you all for your coverage throughout the year. On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I and we appreciate all you do and the sacrifices you make to cover us throughout this year, especially across this Super Season.

Yes, all eight of you invited to the call.

Wait, is there a tension in the air? Is someone looking more uncomfortable than normal?

Before I open it up, Laura, to questions, I just, I wanted to take a minute to address a topic that's been top of mind lately for our players, fans, and of course, for those of you in the media. I'm talking about fan behavior and the interaction with our athletes, when that behavior crosses the line and what we should all be doing to address it when it does.

Bet on the next Baba Booey with a preferred PGA Tour gaming partner? Wrong!

It's been a long season, yes, but it's been a fantastic season. 50 events, THE PLAYERS Championship, six majors, the Olympics, these four consecutive playoffs, two to start the FedExCup playoffs and here we are at the TOUR Championship. It's been historic and compelling at every single turn.

Your honor, direct the witness to answer his own question and to please specify between Playoffs and sudden-death playoffs.

All of that on the heels of a lot of pent up demand with people stuck at home separated from their favorite sports and athletes like never before due to COVID and the various and necessary health and safety protocols in place to ensure we can get back to playing. It's been frustrating at times for all of us and then we get the opportunity to finally engage with our favorite sports or teams or players.

And we’ve taken living under par too far?

Well, I think we can all agree that we have seen issues as of late across the sports landscape where that pent up demand plays out in an ugly way. Golf is not immune from unfortunate and disruptive behavior, although I would say that we do have the very best fans in the world. This is about just a few bad actors. And for the record, this isn't about any one particular player or one particular incident,

Of course not, no one thought of such a thing…

but in some situations it's apparent that we have gotten away from the very civility and respect that are hallmarks to our great game.

Where could fans get the idea they were were as much the story and should come out to tournaments and share their lamest yells, taunts and even record it?

We began working on an updated fan code of conduct program in 2020, but put it aside last summer when we were playing without spectators and needed our focus to be on implementing the complicated yet necessary health and safety plan.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttt.

Once we began returning to normal capacity, we made it the highest of priorities to reinforce an environment at PGA TOUR events that allows for everyone to enjoy in a safe environment, and that is spectators players, volunteers, literally everybody.

New slogan: Talk Under Your Breath But Please Bet.

We have to be intentional about our expectations for fan behavior and I believe our fan code of conduct does that.

Intentional! Well, at least we know legal got their hands on these remarks.

By coming to a PGA TOUR event, you're expected to contribute to a welcoming and safe environment by refraining from and reporting any unsafe, disruptive, or harassing behavior. Comments or gestures that undermine the inclusive and welcoming nature of the game will not be tolerated, nor will any harassment of players, caddies, volunteers, officials, staff, or other spectators.

Media, too, right?

Fans who breach our code of conduct are subject to expulsion from the tournament and loss of their credential or ticket.

Live Under Fear of Expulsion!

Now, I would ask our fans, again, the very best fans in the world,

Yeah we got that the first time…

to take a moment and think about what it means to be a golf fan and to enjoy a PGA TOUR tournament. We're going to be leaders in this space. We're going to show everyone how easy it is to enjoy yourself at an event while also respecting the athletes in the field of play and the fans around you, many of whom are families with young kids who have a chance to be lifetime fans of the game themselves.

No you tried to take a new lead on that front and failed, miserably. Judging by the Live Under Par firesale and bon fires, you’re reassigning the folks who approved that, right?

Quite honestly, we should expect nothing less from each other, whether we're at a golf tournament or elsewhere in life.

The PGA Tour leading the way on civility after years of tolerating mashed potatoes and whitewashing the rare player run-ins with incivility? Rich!

Now to the questions…

Q. If I can just follow up on your last as it applies to the very real world situation with Bryson, would "Brooksie," would that qualify as [harassing] behavior?

JAY MONAHAN: I'm sorry, you broke up there.

Q. Sorry. Would "Brooksie" classify as harassing behavior when it's said to Bryson on a golf course?

JAY MONAHAN: Yes, and the reason I say yes is, you know, the barometer that we are all using is the word "respect," and to me, when you hear "Brooksie" yelled or you hear any expression yelled, the question is, is that respectful or disrespectful? That has been going on for an extended period of time. To me, at this point, it's disrespectful, and that's kind of behavior that we're not going to tolerate going forward.

Just think, some day historians will be looking at this transcript and saying, wait, “Brooksie” was grounds for ejection? Was that like some sort of dirty word? And why wasn’t it Brooksy?

Q. To follow up on that, have you talked with Bryson and Brooks and have you asked them to sort of ratchet down the, you know, kind of the back and forth that's going on here for the last few months?

JAY MONAHAN: I've had conversations with both players. These observations go back to pre-COVID as it relates to general concern around code of conduct at our tournaments and they certainly exist prior to that analysis that the team had led,

Teams were leading this long before the pandemic. Teams!

and so -- and I've been out over the last, at a lot of our tournaments this year, particularly since our return to play, and this issue isn't specific to one or two players.

And it sure seems like those pre-COVID chats you had with Brooks really resonated.

I think it's an opportunity to reassess overall civility at our tournament and fan behavior and reset the expectation through our fan code of conduct.

That's something that we have identified. It's something that I've talked to not only those two players, but a lot of our players about. It's something I've talked to our partners in the industry about, and we have all agreed that together we have got to come together and demonstrate what is truly exceptional about our game. And if you go back to the history of the game, the values of honor, integrity, respect that have been central fabric to the game since the point in time, our expectation is that that's what we're going to experience at our tournaments.

You see, problem is, lots of people recognized this but you wanted to chase a younger demographic and you surrounded yourself with too many marketing flacks who don’t really even like golf, thought it needed to become a party lifestyle brand, and it spiraled.

And I made the point earlier about families and kids, and we have volunteers that are giving so much of their time, and the game has never had more people coming into enjoy the game and experience it than we have had really over these last several months, and we want more people to come in. We just want to make certain that everybody can have a safe, healthy, and enjoyable experience, whether you're inside the ropes or outside the ropes and that's what we're intending to do.

Well that’s great, something most of us knew a few years ago and as it should be at a golf tournament. Let’s hope you catch the culprits behind that whole other dark chapter that led to this mess they put you in.

Let’s move on to Brooksie…Bryson.

Q. What are your concerns about having a player in Bryson, who very well could win this thing and who is one of the biggest stars on TOUR, not, not communicating with the media now, and what are his responsibilities in addressing some of the issues that you've addressed as far as fan conduct or anything else that comes up over the course of a tournament?

JAY MONAHAN: Yeah, listen, I think that as it relates to Bryson, listen, Bryson is a star. He has fascinated golf and sport fans around the world since our return to golf. He's also a young man that's growing and evolving, not just on the golf course, but off the golf course.

Yeah he’s building a new home, designing his 2022 Bentley, losing the weight he quickly gained, reading up on MRNA…

And I would just say to you that I look at this as a point in time. I don't think this is the way things are going to be for a long period of time. I'm hopeful that we'll get back to a steady cadence of communication that he'll have with the media.

Steady cadence of communication. Take that Finchem!

But he's working through some things and he's going to have my and our support as he continues to do so.

Well, can’t blame the media for violating his privacy.

Let’s take a break from the heavy stuff and read some good old fashioned gobbledygook.

And, listen, I think that as it relates to general fan behavior and any individual's role in it, I take it, I take that on as an organizational responsibility. We have had challenges in the past. We'll have challenges as we continue to go forward. And so long as we build the right systems, we effectively communicate with every one of our tournaments, we are planning and preplanning effectively, the marketplace knows the expectation when we're on-site, I think that we're going to, you know, we're going to get back to, we're going to get back to a great environment. We have a great environment. We'll continue to improve our environment at our tournaments going forward.

The shot clock expired at marketplace, sir. Back to the serious stuff.

Q. Have you ever considered, as they do in tennis, any type of a fine for players not fulfilling media obligations if they are indeed media obligations?

JAY MONAHAN: I would just say to you, in any instance, we're always going to focus on the player, the relationship with the player, understanding the player, trying to work with them to get to the right place and try and understand what's going through their heads.

You’re a golf tour, not a psychiatric hospital. But at least these independent contractors get hands-on support from their workplace.

And so a fine, I'm not sure what that is going to do for us in the long run.

Raise a little more for charity?

Ultimately we want the player presenting his best self when he's in front of the media, when he's in front of fans, and that's ultimately the goal for any player that's in a situation like that.

Lofty goals.

Q. It's my understanding that the player impact program will run through the end of the year, that it won't be a seasonal thing. I'm curious, without giving a specific example of a player, but I'm sure you've seen the list, can you give me an example of maybe content or an engagement that counts as added value when it comes to the metrics that you're using?

JAY MONAHAN: Well, we're using five different criteria, to all of which are equally weighted. And you look at Nielsen, your Saturday and Sunday time on television, to Google Search to Meltwater, to MVP Index, and to, bear with me here, it's at the back of my head, I'll come up with it. But each of these areas lead up to a player's ranking. And the bottom --

Q. Q Rating.

JAY MONAHAN: Sorry?

Q. I believe Q Rating was the one you were thinking of.

JAY MONAHAN: Q Rating, yes.

Who needs a Q rating when you have a Meltwater and MVP Index?

We really need to get clarification if that Saturday/Sunday time includes Playing Through and Eye On The Course time. Could swing the race!

The bottom line is when you look at any of those metrics, it's all about, for us, it's all about getting our players to engage in our game, help grow our TOUR, and help grow their own respective brands. And if you look at what drives engagement, it's on-course performance, and that's, that is part of the basis for the way the Player Impact Program was developed. You've seen how everybody's performed this year, and I think as we look at it and you think about the way that fans and the major story lines on the way fans have engaged, players have engaged fans through those channels, I think it's fairly intuitive.

Great, can’t wait for you to share the standings!

The point I would make is that we're up, you know, this year we're up 41 percent when you look at cross-channel consumption. We're up across every metric.

Let’s just all pause for a moment and remember our friend Tim Finchem who, in his prime, with his hair at its most dialed-in shade of North Florida auburn, never dropped a cross-channel consumption on us. Special moment here in PGA Tour history. Go on…

And I think that's, first and foremost, because of the quality of play, but I also think we're benefiting from some really powerful engagement from our players day-to-day and doing the things I just described.

Agreed, Brooks has been amazing this year.

Q. You kind of touched on some of this earlier, still having to endure the pandemic issues. Any consideration to bringing testing back for the players and support people or whatever on-site when the new season begins?

You get more cases if you test, haven’t you heard?

JAY MONAHAN: I think that the easiest way for me to answer that is that we're at, we need to respond to the realities of the pandemic and ultimately for us, that's a matter of working with our medical experts,

It went on and on. The answer was a no testing. Not even for bilateral pneumonia.

Let’s move on to the WGC HSBC, officially cancelled for 2021 according to Monahan, but the ZOZO will return to Japan after a one-year stop at Sherwood.

And about those World Golf Championships?

I think, to answer your question, you know, I see the WGCs continuing to play an important role in our schedule, but I also think you know that when you add our European Tour strategic alliance, when you have an organization that's continuously challenging itself to improve its product, improve its schedule, continue to provide the single greatest platform for top players in the world, everything becomes in play when you're going through how you might get there.

So, unfortunately -- with certainty, I can tell you that those two events are carrying forward, and long-term, I just think that we're going to continue to make them an important part of our consideration.

“For our consideration” is the new RIP.

Q. Could you confirm what Rex said, that the PIP is going to be through the end of the year? I'm not sure you really answered that part when he brought that up. And also, is the quote/unquote winner of this or the people that are in the money, so to speak, is that ever going to be made public?

JAY MONAHAN: It is through the end of the year, and we don't have any intention on publicizing it.

Such brevity!

Q. Why is that?

JAY MONAHAN: To us, it's a program that we created, was created by our players, with our players, for our players, and that's, that's what we decided that we were going to do when we created it.

For our players, by our players, to make our stars not leave us for another tour.

Q. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being not at all and 10 being the apocalypse is upon us, how concerned are you that there could be a renegade tour starting in the next year or so?

I would have gone Defcon but then I can never remember if it’s 1 to 5 or 5 to 1. Anyway, he went the “I’m just focused on the business of my tour” which is, of course, total nonsense…

JAY MONAHAN: I'm a hundred percent focused on our business and excited to be here at the TOUR Championship to complete this unbelievable season, to go into 2021-2022 with not only an incredibly strong schedule with great committed tournaments, but to be fully sponsored coming out of, coming through a pandemic, for us to have record consumption over the course of this year, taking that momentum into next year, for the value of the platform that these players are continuing to play on, for that to continue to grow, for the close work and relationship we have with our players and the way that we're going to continue to not only evolve our TOUR, but also evolve our game.

No, you stay out of the game. Other folks have it covered. We have strong proof you are not to be trusted. #liveunderpar

So that's what I, you know, that's what I have been focused on, that's what I'll continue to be focused on and I think in life you always have to be cognizant of, No. 1, there should be zero complacency to anything you do and No. 2, someone is always going to try and do, someone is always going to try and take, compete and take something away from you. And I've operated that way every day of my life and I think that's why, with the great team I have surrounded by me, we're going to continue to grow this great TOUR.

Q. Would that be a not at all?

JAY MONAHAN: I told you what I'm focused on. So it's, yeah, that's what I'm focused on.

Don’t get chippy! We’ve got a new code of conduct.

Ratings: Playoffs Off To Their Usual Non-Robust Start, '21 Women's Open Up

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Sunday’s exciting final round of the 2021 BMW—elevated to the level of all time greatness because that’s the fuel a culture built on narcissism needs—drew pretty much the same rating as last year (2.23 in 2020 to 2.28 in 2021).

The bad news? The audience grew older (gasp!) as the younger set focused on the Little League World Series. But hey, the BMW beat the kids this year!

With the final round drawing a 2.28 to a 1.57 for the LLWS—take that you little wannabes—we’ll ignore that the baseball ended long before the BMW’s Cantlay-DeChambeau six-hole playoff. One mostly played on the 18th hole where, incidentally, they didn’t have a shot tracer and it kind of stood out given the prevalence of a really fake creek players tried to avoid. Live drone shots would have been stellar with the huge and loud stadium setting on 18, but maybe BMW needs to make one first, then provide it free?

Anyway, the 2021 sports weekend numbers from ShowBuzzDaily.com and the 2020 ratings by comparison:

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2020 Northern Trust and Women’s Open numbers:

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And reminder 4,934 that the PGA Tour and TV networks have jammed majors together in a March-to-July window, all for the Olympics every four years and below average playoff ratings.

Living Under Par Has Become Reality And Players Aren't Liking What They're Hearing

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After losing a six-hole playoff, Bryson DeChambeau was on his way up the hill and presumably to a cold shower. ESPN.com’s Kevin Van Valkenburg explained what happened next:

A patron waited until DeChambeau had walked by, but was not out of earshot, then sneered from over the rope line, "Great job, Brooksie!" DeChambeau spun around in a rage and began briefly walking in his direction.

"You know what? Get the f--- out!" DeChambeau yelled. He had rage in his eyes.

But then, Van Valkenburg writes, crisis averted.

Thankfully, DeChambeau paused, angrily motioning for a police officer to handle the heckler, then continued his march up the hill. The entire exchange took less than 10 seconds. The PGA Tour declined comment when asked about the incident by ESPN. But we've been building to something like this all summer. And I don't know what the endgame is.

Oh I do!

We knew this day was coming when the PGA Tour went from These Guys Are Good to Live Under Par.

From a golf tour filled with supremely talented and generally good guys to being all about YOU! The fan.

The PGA Tour, ever desperate to lower the average viewer demographic from 65, became a wannabe lifestyle brand where you come, hold up your phones, get drunk and are as much a part of the action as the players.

In case you forgot since your bookmarks to LiveUnderPar.com no longer work, the rollout:

The slogan has been iced due to the pandemic and hopefully never returns. But the philosophy remains the same: do whatever we have to do to get younger, cooler, and less Villages-y and more TikToky.

Throw in once-secret incentive for players to make money for mentions—PIP!—and we get a little rivalry brewing that gives fans a side to take. Now, of course the ad geniuses and Commissioner Jay Monahan cannot be blamed for failing to anticipate fans returning from the pandemic with pent-up energy. But they still should have considered the ramifications of encouraging general obnoxiousness and making fans think they are as much a part of the product as players.

GolfChannel.com’s Brentley Romine talked to players about the DeChambeau heckling before the above incident was reported on by Van Valkenburg. The comments of Harry Higgs from Romine’s story were picked up by several outlets:

“I think it’s wildly inappropriate what goes on,” Higgs told GolfChannel.com on Saturday. “The he and Brooks thing, I don’t really understand it … and neither one of them has acted as they should at times, but you know, no one’s perfect, either. I watched Memphis and it affected Harris, it affected Bryson, and I don’t understand why someone who buys a ticket to an event thinks that they get to have a hand in how it plays out, and there’s starting to be a few too many people who are doing that, and then a lot of those people are following Bryson.

“It’s not in the spirit of the game, it’s not how any of us grew up, it’s not how any of us were ever told to act while at a golf course or competing.”

Except, it was the PGA Tour that told a lot of people to make noise. Live under par. They built an entire image around a campaign inspiring people to act loud and proud. Good luck reeling them in.

Ryder Cup: Teams Take Shape

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I watched the BMW Championship with a keen eye on the Ryder Cup race. I’m hear to report: it’s amazing what a week can do.

Because it sure seems both Captain’s are down to one tough decision based on points races, recent play and recent Tweets about driver shafts.

I cover all of that in today’s Quadrilateral for all to read, though only paid subscribers get to make their nominations for those last picks.

Rory On Jaded Fatigue, 7:20 Pro-Am Times And Hurling Drivers Onto The New Jersey Turnpike

It’s an honor and a blessing to have Rory McIlroy in the $9.5 million BMW Championship interview room today, so here’s a softball you can out of Camden Yards: charm us laddie. Regale us with whatever’s on your mind Vice Commissioner, we’re here to fawn. An update on the green reading book ban would be awesome too.

Anyway, go on Prince of Golfpass:

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I think I feel like a lot of guys feel right now, a little jaded, a little tired. End of the season, there's been a lot of golf. Yeah, so a lot of travel.

So yeah, I'm just sort of getting through it, to be honest. I'm going day by day and just trying to get through it as best I can and try to make it to next week. After that, two weeks off before the Ryder Cup.

Yeah, just taking it day by day. The game feels pretty good, okay. Energy levels are somewhat sort of trying to dig deep at this point, but yeah, try and keep going and try and put in a good finish this week to make sure I'm in Atlanta next week.

Almost saved it, almost!

It’s not often the Tour comes to Baltimore so charm the local scribes with a fun anecdote or two.

Q. Just wondering your impressions of Baltimore in general. Not sure if you've been able to see much of the town or where you're staying, but curious what your thoughts are there.

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I saw the airport for about 10 minutes yesterday and then I drove straight here and I'm staying on property, so I don't -- I can't really give you much of an answer on that one.

I can tell you that Caves Valley is beautiful and where we are this week, but haven't -- I've never been to Baltimore before, and I haven't made it downtown yet this week. Hopefully at some point I will.

Uh no that’s not happening.

Q. When it comes to late summer, kind of dog days like you were talking about, what is the most tiring or monotonous part of the week-to-week preparation?

What makes your life so, so, sooooooo hard?

RORY MCILROY: I don't know. I think just the -- I mean, this morning, I was tired. Look, we all had a long week last week, as well, but even just summoning up the effort to get out of bed and go get to your 7:20 pro-am tee time, it look a little more effort today than it usually does.

But yeah, just everything. It's a lot of golf. It's hard to feel fresh at this time in the season. It all just sort of catches up with you. I don't know if I could pinpoint one particular thing. It's just sort of everything blended together.

I can pinpoint! I can pinpoint!

Too many events in a short time spread across the globe.

If only you knew people in a position to address this!

Q. Is there one particular thing you're looking forward to once you do get a break?

Emergency Policy Board conference calls to fend off the Saudis?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I mean, just not traveling for a little bit. I'm going to take a bit of time off after the Ryder Cup, and that'll be nice.

It's been a -- since we came back after the sort of COVID halt, I guess, when we came back in Colonial last year, I think this is my 33rd event since then. Next week will be 34 and then Ryder Cup 35. So all that in a space of 15 months, it's a lot of golf. It's probably too much for me. I've played more than I probably should have and feel like it's just sort of all caught up with me.

Who could have seen this coming!

Q. You were on the range for like ages yesterday working really hard.

Like ages?

Just curious what those practice sessions look like and what you're working on.

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, so I needed to try to get into a new 3-wood and into a new driver. I threw my 3-wood onto the New Jersey Turnpike off the 9th hole yesterday, or on Monday, and so I was without a 3-wood coming here.

The driver I just felt was spinning a little too much last week, so I just needed to get into something that wasn't spinning as much, and that was really it. So going through a bunch of different heads and shafts as you saw yesterday, and feel like I landed on a good driver and got a pretty good 3-wood, too.

That was the purpose of yesterday's range session.

Confirmation of crankiness! But the FedEx checks do clear so…

Q. You said the 3-wood went where exactly, on the New Jersey turnpike?

RORY MCILROY: I mightn't have reached the road but I threw it into the trees off the 9th tee at Liberty National, so if someone wants to go get a 3-wood, there's one in there somewhere.

But the session ends on a good note: he’s thought beyond the playoffs and even though the European Tour’s BMW PGA is not on his schedule now, McIlroy is going to be ready for the Ryder Cup. You know, stuff that really matters to him…

Q. Just talking about kind of the energy deficit you feel right now, it occurs to me that you learned at Hazeltine and I guess all the way back at Medinah that playing a Ryder Cup in America takes a ton of energy, and it can be incredibly taxing. Is that of concern to you at all?

RORY MCILROY: No, I think having two weeks off after the TOUR Championship is going to be nice. Like I sort of was planning to go over to Wentworth to play the BMW, but it's just too much travel, and with what's coming up with Ryder Cup -- yeah, that's a long week, no matter if you're in Europe or the States, especially I haven't missed a session yet. So say I play five sessions again, yeah, it's a really long week. So the two weeks off after the TOUR Championship are going to be well needed, and I'll go in there nice and refreshed and ready to give it my all.

Sam Harrop's "The Day That Tony Finau Won Again"

Sam Harrop took to the piano after Tony Finau’s second PGA Tour win. This time, Harrop’s channeling some REO Speedwagon’s Can’t Fight This Feeling to seranade Finau.

Harrop said when he originally released "When Will Tony Finau Win Again", Tony “requested a remix when his next win came.” Wasting no time and on point again…

Whew: The Commissioner Acts To Protect FedExCup Playoff Integrity!

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Would be swell if such serious language was used in addressing green reading books, distance, slow play or low-budget productions.

But, we have massive bonus money to be handed out and it’s the Big Apple (well close enough)! Maybe this gives the New York Times to notice the end of a long PGA Tour run?

From GolfChannel.com’s Rex Hoggard:

New York, New York: What Happens When You Can't Make It Here?

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With Hurricane Henri postponing the final-final round of The Northern Trust’s to Monday, I figured the New York papers would have the lowdown. Or, at least, use Sunday editions to say sayonara to 54 years of PGA Tour events in the area (a streak dating to 1967 ended when last year’s Norther Trust was played in Boston).

Perhaps with the PGA Tour in town they’d look back at the best of the Westchester Classic/American Express Westchester Classic/Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic/Buick Classic/Barclays Classic/The Barclays/The Northern Trust?

I know the papers aren’t what they used to be, but in New York they’re still doing better than most. They’re still seen and read. They matter, still.

The Times has not found The Northern Trust fit to print or to even cover online despite sitting just across the Hudson. “The Paper of Record” is not documenting this playoff event so far.

To round out my Saturday night fun, I mapped the journey over to Liberty National (above) in case they’d like to send a writer over for Monday’s “playoff” finale where there are massive Ryder Cup ramifications.

Same with the Daily News. No story online despite a 60 by Cam Smith under relentless PGA Tour Playoff pressure.

Not even an AP story with a mullet-referencing headline? Nope.

The Wall Street Journal is also in the region, has a readership that likes golf, and hasn’t had a golf tournament story posted since The Open last month.

But at least there’s the Post and longtime writer Mark Cannizzaro there to cover the event and Smith’s third round course record.

If you can make it here you can make it anywhere. But what if you can’t make it in New York?

Shock: Golf Ends A Bunch Of Events Around The Same Time, Ratings Stink

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Even with the suspense of a Comcast Business Solutions No-Show Top Ten and a six-man playoff, the rain-expedited Wyndham ran on tape for CBS. They barely crested the dreaded 1.0 barrier as viewers rested for week’s Playoffs.

Or maybe the U.S. Amateur syphoned viewers as the Champions Tour played out on Golf Channel, with the Korn Ferry Tour regular season finale looming. A lot of good stuff for August but once again, golf jams most into a Sunday when people are trying to enjoy the outdoors. A Saturday or Monday finish apparently is too much to ask for.

Anyway, nice to see Mitch Metcalf and Showbuzzdaily back so we can see Americans would much rather watch Little League World Series regional games than the PGA Tour or U.S. Amateur. Not that it’ll humble the golfers. Ball goes too far.

It should be noted: Metcalf reports no numbers for Sunday’s U.S. Amateur mutiple-channel switch/infomercials-matter-more fiasco, except for Sunday’s Golf Channel window that managed to sneak out a win over Weather Channel’s Weekend Recharge, the 11 a.m. edition. However, the Am was no match for some NBA summer league games, reruns of awful movies, anything on the Hallmark Channel and a repeat of HLN’s Forensic Files II.

DeChambeau Hears It From Fans But Does It Amount To "Psychological Abuse"?

Bryson DeChambeau and Harris English unraveled during Sunday’s WGC FedEx St Jude, opening the door to Abraham Ancer’s playoff win over Sam Burns and Hideki Matsuyama. Getting put on the clock several times did not help the duo.

Seems Bryson heard it from fans and even pushed back some. I’m not sure it’s reached the level of “psychological abuse” GolfDigest.com’s Shane Ryan is claiming here, but he was there, and offered this account and it’s worth taking seriously:

Since then, it has evolved into fans calling DeChambeau various forms of Koepka's name, with "Brooksy" being a favorite. On the surface, this may sound ridiculous, minor, and even funny. In reality, when you follow DeChambeau for even half a round, and you see the faces of the people taunting him for a mean little thrill, it looks crueler and more intense than would come across on TV or in written reports. It clearly makes DeChambeau miserable, but he's locked into an unwinnable position where if he reacts, he looks thin-skinned and inevitably makes the abuse worse. Yet staying silent doesn't help, either. After staring down several fans throughout the course of play on Sunday—a long glare, accomplishing nothing, before he marched away—he finally broke down on the 17th tee when a female fan shouted, yet again, "Brooksy!"

"Good one!" he shouted back, but he looked bitter, and tired, and defeated, and the only thing you could feel for him in that moment was pity.

Dating to the days of the Morris’ vs. the Parks, golfers have been subjected to odd forms of heckling or abuse from fans. But it seems different now given a few factors: post-lockdown entitlement to be boorish and the specter of gambling.

The first part the PGA Tour has no control over other than booting fans who are abusive. The second part? I just don’t know how a bettor can trust the sport if a player can be so thrown off their game by hearing “Brooksy”. Imagine what will happen when there is real money on the line?

Anyway, the final round highlights of Ancer’s win, arguably the biggest by a Mexican golfer (though he was born in the U.S. but maintains duel citizenship):

Bryson's Rough Week Continues As Players Call Out Lack Of "FORE!" While Ryder Cup Vax Status May Become An Issue

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Bryson DeChambeau was asked last month about his propensity to not yell “FORE!” or signal to fans that an incoming Bridgestone was headed their way. His answer:

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU: I do shout fore. I don't know what you're talking about. There are plenty of people on the tee box that do shout fore. You're bringing up a very controversial thing, which is unfortunate, but 99 per cent of the time I do, and unfortunately people think I don't. But that's okay, they can say whatever they want.

But as Steve DiMeglio reports, the Return To Golf in Memphis has been a rough one and got worse after an errant tee shot headed for the crowd.

DeChambeau has only granted interviews to PGA Tour Live following his first two rounds. Two European Tour players who are not in the field, however, spoke up and took DeChambeau to task on Twitter for not yelling “Fore!” when one of his errant drives headed toward the gallery.

The players were all from the European Tour, now part of the Strategic Alliance. So, family.

And these two as well:

DeChambeau did find one supporter in Brandel Chamblee, who made this bizarre assertion:

After DeChambeau’s early week discussion about his COVID bout and vaccination comments, the topic appears to not be going away.

Quadrilateral readers may recall from this week’s edition my question about the prospects of a traditional Ryder Cup team room if there are vaccination holdouts. Given how team activities, team room laughs and passionate speeches are held up as a key part of players loving the event, it would seem necessary.

Well now we learn from Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch that just a day after DeChambeau’s comments, the PGA of America and Ryder Cup leadership “began reaching out to likely members of the team asking about their vaccine status and if they would be willing to be vaccinated in advance of the event.”

Only time will tell what the response is should a player say no.

But hey, at least he’s playing well in the final WGC to be played in Memphis.

Angel Cabrera Wears His Best Presidents Cup Jacket To Sentencing Hearing

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There’s nothing funny about former U.S. Open and Masters champion Angel Cabrera getting two years for assault against his former partner. Especially given this from the prosecutor, as reported by AP:

“His situation is much more complex than this, he has other charges for which there are arrest warrants, too. There are other victims,” prosecutor Laura Battistelli told TV channel Todo Noticias.

The first charges were brought by Torres Mana, and two other women then did the same.

The golfer traveled to the United States in July 2020 without seeking permission, which led the province of Cordoba to request his arrest.

But you have to admire his devotion to the Presidents Cup cause in choosing to wear his team jacket to court. A crowning achievement for the brand. What better way to impress a judge, right?

The Brooks Eye-Roll Comes Into Focus Again After Bryson's Caddie Split

Is this the moment Koepka hears Tim Tucker getting yelled at, Leading to the Man Feud with Bryson?

Is this the moment Koepka hears Tim Tucker getting yelled at, Leading to the Man Feud with Bryson?

Or is that a catty split?

Anyway, it’s been a mystery what made Brooks Koepka lose his train of thought, swear and stop a Golf Channel interview that is the most watched golf of the year and the stuff of Player Impact Program dreams. At least until the unintentionally viral video was (mostly) deleted online.

NFL writer Ian Rapoport has sources telling him what Koepka was “sick of” when hearing DeChambeau yapping away. If what he said on The Pat McAffee Show is true, this could solve one of golf’s great unsolved mysteries.

The clip:

Mickelson Generates Discussion About The Role Of Golf Media

Last week’s Phil Mickelson-driven backlash toward “golf media” lit up Twitter but seemed a tad misplaced given that the story in question

(A) was written by a Detroit News court reporter,

(B) was buried behind a paywall that only Detroit News subscribers could enjoy and therefore would have been largely unnoticed if not for Mickelson keeping it going by threatening to not return to Detroit.

(C) was a two-decade old unpaid wager that was not known about by most folks on the planet but sounds increasingly newsworthy given Mickelson’s inability to let the story go and the PGA Tour’s gambling push,

(D) that Mickelson was so willing to essentially say the role of journalists is to serve as a sort of in-house Chamber of Commerce/protective force/filter for players.

So it was refreshing to read Eamon Lynch’s Golfweek column replied to by Mickeson, who reiterated his stance on Twitter. Lynch writes:

Mickelson has every right to object to coverage he considers unfair, but underlying his response is a troubling expectation that media must function as cheerleaders when the Tour comes to town, and that failure to do so—by writing unflattering stories about him, for example—hurts the event and its charitable beneficiaries. Conflating his embarrassment with damage to the Rocket Mortgage Classic is preposterous, and accusing a reporter of deliberately hurting citizens in a deprived city by denying them the pleasure of his presence is bush league nonsense.

By Friday, Mickelson was gently backpedaling on his threatened boycott, pointing to a fan’s online petition promising 50,000 signatories imploring him to change his mind. “The people here were so nice that I’ll make a deal with them,” he said. “If he gets 50,000 and all of those 50,000 agree to do one random act of kindness for another member of the community, I’m in.”

Thus can individual churlishness be rebranded as communal charity.

(The petition has received 10,591 signatures as of this posting.)

Mickelson replied to the Lynch column:

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Mickelson later added this suggestion the media look at “their own”, though I can safely say few golf media members placed half-million wagers with the cast of the Sopranos.

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Lynch concludes by summing up the crux of the problem: “media that applaud and help sling product are good, media that pose awkward questions are bad. It’s the same binary equation beloved by bullshitters the world over. Not just in golf. And not just in sport.”

The issue of players viewing golf writers as a subversive force out to bring them down started with Tiger Woods following his 2009 scandal. Even though late night talk show comedians roasted Woods as golf publications avoided the story for days (and only reported salacious stuff first revealed in non-golf publications), Tiger retained a hostility toward golf press over the coverage. Yet he returned to those same late night shows to plug products and laugh it up with people who did far more to embarrass him than any golf writer.

For me, the most telling sign of trouble came a few years ago when I learned some players referred to golf writer Tim Rosaforte as “TMZ”. The implication being, he writes gossip and sleaze. The recent Memorial Tournament honoree and recipient of the PGA of America Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism.

This, even though Rosaforte diligently reported stories shared by families, agents and “teams” that enhanced player images. While he did report the less positive stories, the overriding majority of his reporting was helpful to the players. He told those tales in Golf World or on Golf Channel when people still watched the surrounding shows and they carried real influence. The “teams” often wanted to get their player’s story out through Tim and his audience heard reasons to root for golfers.

I sat next to Rosaforte several times in press centers, listening to him get every detail about Louis Oosthuizen’s love of tractors or some players’ ability to bench press some imaginary number, or a light story of barista butchering a player’s name and it helping the drone shoot 65. These stories got shared around the 19th hole and were the kind of details that delineated certain players and caused people to pay them endorsement money.

TMZ? Give me a break.

No one could dare try to pull off the “Insider” beat now. Relentless praise is not enough. Throw in the pandemic and some PGA Tour players are even more pleased to see decreased press access. Their “teams” are looking 24/7 for something to be aggrieved about and are on the lookout for the slightest non-positive remark to blow out of proportion, all to show their man they’ve got his back.

“How could they do this to the local charities, reporting you were late for your tee time? The media!”

This sad dance around a completely unfounded victimhood sensibility is why we’re subjected to American TV golf announcers piling on with an excessive compliments just minutes after having dared to say someone pulled a putt or looks like they’re nervous. And the announcers are making the right call. It takes just one player to decided he’s been wronged, even when it’s a player of no consequence whose disciplinary file is housed in the Global Home’s extra heavy-duty safe.

That Mickelson did not receive a public rebuttal from Commissioner Jay Monahan for dragging a sponsor into this was surprising. I’m fairly certain Tim Finchem or Deane Beman would not have tolerated Mickelson’s misunderstanding of media’s role or his regrettable decision to unfairly draw a sponsor and city into the the discussion. Especially when it’s a corporate partner as strong as Rocket Mortgage trying to revive Detroit and build the stop into a special event.

But times have changed. Players run the show. God forbid someone ask them why they layed-up on a par-5 or what they had for breakfast. Plenty of fans will agree with their victimhood stance. But just as many will find golfers to be soft, silly and out of touch with reality if they keep protesting over anything but a deep tissue shoulder massage.