"The tricky business of restarting the European Tour"

GolfDigest.com’s John Huggan considers the state of the European Tour and Chief Executive Keith Pelley’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis. The quieter and less predictive approach from Europe is a product of style and relying on government experts to green light any tournament dates.

Later in the piece he gets into Sky Sports’ relationship with the Tour and possible business issues looming there as well as the ability of players to make a living if reduced purses come.

But this on Pelley’s handling from Lee Westwood highlights how some players see the PGA Tour’s push to return in June.

“I think Keith has actually made a lot of good decisions,” says European Tour veteran Lee Westwood. “In contrast, the PGA Tour’s plan to play in June is very ambitious. No one has ever seen anything like this. So we have to be so mindful of what is going on in the world. Forget about golf. Yes, we’d all like to have live sport on television, but is that really so important compared with what is going on in society worldwide?

Westwood believes that by holding out on announcing a formal plan, what the Pelley and the European Tour have done is give themselves a bigger window of time to assess the situation and give integrity to what would remain of the season. “There is an opportunity to schedule events at the end of the year,” Westwood says. “The longer you wait, the more chance you have of actually making things happen. And I look at the biggest events and think, if you have to hold them, do it 100 percent. Do them right, or not at all.”

State Of The Game Episode 104: What Will Become Of The European Tour?

As we recorded, Paul McGinley’s warning of lower purses and other issues with golf’s hoped-for return was on our State of the Game minds. Since then the ominous news from European Tour Chief Keith Pelley to his players surfaced in this James Corrigan Telegraph story. Namely, smaller purses and way fewer tournament build-out perks.

So professional golf on hold for the foreseeable future we explore what the pro game might look like on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, we consider whether the European Tour can survive the current crisis and if not will it the PGA Tour or the Premier Golf League become its savior?

To flesh this out, we are joined by sports business expert Richard Gillis on Episode 104 of State of the Game. Embedded below or wherever you get your pods.

For more from Gillis, check out his excellent Unofficial Partner podcast and blog covering global sports.

McGinley: Playing Rescheduled Tournaments Dates Is Unlikely

Longtime player, broadcaster, winning Ryder Cup captain and European Tour board director Paul McGinley took to SkySports.com to prepare us for the worst. The newly rescheduled fall 2020 majors and PGA Tour events look unlikely.

I continue to try to be positive but, deep down, most of us would probably agree it is unlikely.

The R&A has probably done the shrewdest thing and cancelled The 149th Open until July 2021, but what of the other majors and the Ryder Cup?

The very early talks on the lifting of lockdown are revealing some of the realities we are likely to face. Government regulations are expected to continue to restrict and monitor large gatherings of people as we come out. Strict social distancing guidelines are likely to endure for a while yet.

As we begin to become accustomed to our own new rules of social engagement, many are likely to continue to be reticent to gather in large groups at least in the short term. With this in mind, it seems probable then that the playing of any big sporting event will, if and when played, be either behind closed doors, or even where players and those involved will have been quarantined and tested before play commences.

McGinley also appears to be sending a signal to players: the European Tour is going to adapt, and so will your expectations for purse growth whenever play resumes.

These are unique times. The world is likely to be a changed place when we come through this pandemic and if sport has to reinvent itself in the short term let us all prepare to embrace that for what it is. The financial models that all sports are based on can readjust.

Sunshine Tour Chief: "I think there are going to be different priorities going forward."

While it’s way too early to be fussing over finance as the world faces another day of pandemic carnage, perhaps Sunshine Tour commissioner Selwyn Nathan’s remarks will help the professional golf world retain some perspective about the sport that will greet them when some form of normalcy returns.

Nick Said of Reuters spoke to Nathan, who has been talking to corporate sponsors and sees purses possibly returning to 2000 levels. He also says there will be “different priorities” going forward with “a lot of haircuts.”

“I don’t think guys will be playing for between 800,000 and 1.5-million euros (as a first prize) any more.

“In my opinion, and after speaking to people around the world, we could be winding the clock back to 2000.

“And for now that might be the smartest thing in sport, to go back to something that is more palatable for partners.”

And this…

“I think they will need us like oxygen, and we will need them also to give our players something to play in.

“But nobody is going to be walking around as gung-ho as they were, not in any sporting sphere around the world.”

"I thought it would be amusing to commentate on my dogs eating dinner--next thing I know, it's gone viral"

Today in much needed virus distraction news, The Telegraph’s James Corrigan catches up with the BBC’s Andrew Cotter about the sports broadcaster’s unintentionally viral dog-dining commentary. (8.2 million views as of this post.)

Golf fans should recognize his voice and his work in the podcast sphere (including a new just recently dropping co-hosted by Eddie Pepperell). And if you haven’t seen it…

I was bored. pic.twitter.com/bVoC0hyNzC

— Andrew Cotter (@MrAndrewCotter) March 27, 2020

Roundup: Majors Jockeying For Fall Positions, PGA Tour Aiming For Mid-May Restart, Irish Open Postponed

Given the fluidity of the situation and the overall unlikelihood of a significant event being played for some time, I find the hope of at least seeing some tournaments later this year a decent diversion.

Ron Green covered all of this in his Global Golf Post look at the best case scenario planning, including the challenge of the majors trying to be played on television against the NFL and college football games that could resume.

Television factors into the equation as well, with the behemoth that is the NFL seemingly still ready to re-emerge in September. CBS, which televises the Masters, and Fox Spots, which airs the U.S. Open, would have serious scheduling issues.

GolfDigest.com's Joel Beall and Brian Wacker have tried to decipher sources and tea leaves to figure out a possible major schedule that starts with a late July PGA, a September Open Championship, an October U.S. Open and an early November Masters. The latter two would have to reduce their field size given the length of days and time it takes to move a field around.

This schedule, admittedly a best-case-scenario situation, would appear to be working around the PGA Tour’s playoff events. However, it’s hard to imagine many outside of Ponte Vedra Beach would prefer to see the playoff events contested over majors, particularly if the Grand Slam events have to reduce…playing opportunities by playing when the days are shorter. Graeme McDowell has already echoed the sentiment that majors take priority over all else. Common sense says the playoffs should come after the majors.

Green in his GGP column also featured this quote from Kevin Kisner regarding the PGA Tour’s thinking on a mid-May restart.

“The No. 1 thing we need to do is get back to work. They may try to expand some fields so guys can catch up with playing opportunities but it all depends on when we go back.”

The intention to return in mid-May at Colonial was echoed in this Daniel Rappaport story about the PGA Tour’s loan program for players based on their FedExCup status.

Meanwhile, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open has been postponed, meaning the earliest restart in Europe would come in June.

The European Tour’s statement:

Postponement of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

The European Tour today confirmed the postponement of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open due to the continuing threat posed by the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The tournament was scheduled to be the European Tour’s second Rolex Series event of 2020, taking place at Mount Juliet Estate from May 28-31, with Major Champion Graeme McDowell as host. 

Keith Pelley, European Tour Chief Executive, said: “The decision to postpone the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open follows consultation with all stakeholders and was made with public health and well-being as our absolute priority. Our thoughts are with everyone right now and we are all united in trying to fight the spread of the pandemic. 

“With this in mind, we will continue to evaluate all aspects of our 2020 European Tour schedule, and discussions on the rescheduling of postponed events will remain ongoing until we have clarity on the global situation.”

And the Tokyo Olympics have been rescheduled for next July 23 to August 8th, meaning we get to do schedule “compaction” all over again next year. Oddly, that tedious topic seems refreshingly quaint these days.

European Tour's Finest: "I am not your hero"

With their fingers on the pulse of the world and not their pocketbook, some of the European Tour’s finest chime in for a perfectly timed message as thousands suffer and brave souls try to help them. Thanks to reader Shotmaker for highlighting this…

Thank you to our real heroes. Stay safe everyone. pic.twitter.com/cuSpew8yqc

— Tommy Fleetwood (@TommyFleetwood1) March 28, 2020

Seven Events Down, European Tour Suspends Sales For Its Promoted Events

Not that anyone is in the buying mood, but just in case, the European Tour stepped back a bit more for the foreseeable future with this this message from Chief Keith Pelley.

So far, seven tournaments on our 2020 International Schedule have been postponed or cancelled. Due to the current ongoing uncertainty, we are suspending ticket and hospitality sales for all 2020 European Tour promoted events until further notice.

This is a temporary measure but one we feel is proportionate in the current circumstances. If there are any changes to the status of any of our tournaments, we will communicate this to you in due course.

According to Martin Dempster’s report for the Scotsman, the other events…

Other events promoted by the European Tour include the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in September and the Betfred British Masters, which is due to be hosted by Lee Westwood at Close House, near Newcastle, in July.

Third Missed Event: European Tour Postpones Kenya Open

The Magical Kenya Open is already off the schedule

Next week’s Magical Kenya Open has been postponed by the European Tour after a Coronavirus-fueled government advisory, meaning the Hero Indian Open is the next scheduled European Tour event.

The Kenya postponement/cancellation joins the Maybank Championship in Malaysia and the Volvo China Open as events lost this year.

The European Tour statement on the Kenya Open:

Due to the threat posed by the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Government of Kenya has this morning advised of their decision to postpone all meetings and conferences in the country of an international nature, a suspension which will be reviewed in a month’s time.

This means the Magical Kenya Open Presented by Absa on the European Tour, scheduled for the Karen Country Club in Nairobi next week from March 12-15, will now not take place.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour said: “We understand and totally respect the decision made by the Government of Kenya in these difficult times.

“We are looking into the possibility of rescheduling the tournament at some point later in the season, but that remains simply a possibility right now – we have no definitive plans at this stage.

“I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Kenyan Government for their unwavering support, alongside Kenya Open Golf Limited Chairman Peter Kanyago and Tournament Director Patrick Obath for their strenuous efforts and commitment. We look forward to returning to Kenya in due course.”

Poor Europe, Files: Rory Says "PGA Tour has given me a platform...to turn me into this golfer and athlete than I am"

Following an opening 66 in the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Rory McIlroy joined the Golf Channel set to discuss his day.

Rich Lerner opened with a question about the Premier Golf League. (Rory said he was “out” on in Mexico City, yet validated a good portion of the proposed league’s ideas yesterday.)

Thursday at Bay Hill, McIlroy was emphatic about what the PGA Tour has done for him over winning majors or his early years on the European Tour.

The full clip is below, the text:

I’d like to think I’m quite a loyal person, and I think the PGA Tour has given me a platform to showcase my skills, to build my brand, to turn me into this golfer and athlete than I am. I think Jay Monahan and his team do a wonderful job with the tour.

Someone else got his Limited Edition Live Under Par puzzle from the Commissioner!

And look, the reason I said what I said was because, we were in Mexico and some people decided not to go. But that was their choice. That was the freedom that they had. They have autonomy over their schedule and they can pick and choose when and where they want to play. Where if we go to this new way, that’s not going to be the case. You’re going to play 18 events. They’re going to tell you where and when you should be there. As a golfer and an independent contractor, I didn’t like the sound of that.

McIlroy then made clear the league’s Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund money did not sit well, even though the Premier Golf League backers say they have 60 investors.

Didn’t really like where the money was coming from, either. I wanted to be the first one to speak out against it and I’m glad that I have.

And he has, though few others have been as forcefully opposed as McIlroy.

Either way, feel for the European Tour today. McIlroy’s view of what the PGA Tour has meant for his career had to sting.

Azinger Tries To Walk Back European Tour Slight And Sticks To His PGA Tour Partiality

Paul Azinger’s on camera comments regarding the value of a PGA Tour win over worldwide play in Europe did not go over well with international players. The mix of the condescending remarks (on-camera) and referencing “that” tour and “all that” international golf, Azinger certainly sounded more demeaning than likely intended. Then again his walk back (bottom of this post) suggests he’s holding his ground. I love Ryder Cup years!

Here is the clip where Azinger is explaining why getting a PGA Tour win would mean so much to Tommy Fleetwood, third round leader of the 2020 Honda Classic:

A good example of why I wouldn't advise watching PGA Tour golf with the sound on pic.twitter.com/rQEHjY5cTa

— Garrett Morrison (@gfordgolf) March 1, 2020

Prominent players and Ryder Cuppers chimed in:

I like @PaulAzinger a lot. And get on with him great. But Paul please do not condescend or disrespect the @EuropeanTour and our players like that. We have slapped your arse in Ryder Cup for so long 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆I know you captained a win but seriously that was embarrassing today.

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) March 2, 2020

One minute Paul walks down the range wishing you good luck before you play the next he’s condescending to the tour you play on and disrespects the tournaments you’ve won around the world. I’ve won in 19 different countries over 4 decades. That is disrespecting a lot of people!

— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) March 2, 2020

It was so easy for @PaulAzinger to say that @TommyFleetwood1 has won around the world and is a world class player. Now the time has come for him to prove that on the strongest tour in the world.
He was at best ignorant, at worst arrogant in delivering that.
Bring on September !

— Thomas Bjorn (@thomasbjorngolf) March 2, 2020

Besides the European’s recent Ryder Cup dominance, the comment also disregarded field strength in Europe, particularly in weeks when Fleetwood has won:

Zinger: “You can win all you like on that @EuropeanTour... but you have to win on the @PGATOUR”

As per @gfordgolf:

Strength of field for Fleetwood's 3 biggest @EuropeanTour wins:

‘18 Abu Dhabi: 351
‘17 Abu Dhabi: 330
‘17 French Open: 270

Honda: 261pic.twitter.com/HEmv63gsvA

— James Byrne (@jamesbyrne89) March 1, 2020

JuliaKate Culpepper at Golfweek received this attempt at calming the waters and Azinger isn’t budging.

Azinger told Golfweek he and Poulter exchanged multiple text messages Sunday night.

“I wasn’t trying to be malicious. I didn’t mean to disrespect anyone,” Azinger told Golfweek. “But professional golfers choke for two things: cash and prestige. And the PGA Tour has the most of both.”

The man loves his PGA Tour!

Let the Ryder Cup bickering begin!

Two Italian Golfers Quarantined On Eve Of Oman Open

A bizarre and surreal AP story details the Oman Open WD’s of Italians Lorenzo Gagli and Edoardo Molinari amid reports they have been isolated due to possible coronavirus exposure.

From the report:

Gagli tells Italian newspaper La Nazione that a European Tour doctor told him at breakfast Wednesday to return to his room. Molinari, his roommate for the week in Oman, was moved to another room.

Gagli said he was given a test and told the result would be available in two days, but that he would have to remain in the room until next Wednesday, meaning he also would have to withdraw from the Qatar Masters the following week.

''It's an inexplicable decision,'' Gagli said. ''Only us two have been excluded from the tournament, but I arrived in Muscat last Sunday and over the last few days I've worked out in the gym with dozens of other players. I ate with them and traveled by bus with them.

''If there was a risk of contagion, then they would have to isolate dozens of golfers and cancel the tournament.''

The European Tour has kept their comments to acknowledging the WD’s were on “medical grounds.”

A frequent presence on Twitter, Molinari has not posted anything since February 22nd.

Tiger, Rory, JT Passing Up Honda Suggests The Model Isn't Working

Friday’s news offered a fascinating juxtaposition of stories unless you live in the 32082.

There is this AP story by Doug Ferguson on Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas all passing up next week’s Honda Classic, even though they could play and sleep at home sweet home.

And despite a pretty compelling second round down at the WGC Mexico City, where Bryson DeChambeau fired 63 and a good leaderboard should make the weekend interesting, look at Golfweek’s homepage:

This was all set against the Premier Golf League’s Andy Gardiner making the rounds: talking to me exclusively here, to Golf Digest’s Max Adler, and most compelling of all, on Rick Shiel’s podcast where you can finally put a voice to the concept.

While I think you’ll get more specific details from the interview I posted, anyone listening to Gardiner talking to Shiels can hear an earnest view about how professional golf’s current schedule and excess of “product” is not working. Gardiner is able to lay out a vision that is strong, refined and ably rebuts some of the more compelling criticisms of the concept.

After the nearly 90 minute chat I was still left with questions about the proposed league’s details, but my ultimate conclusion was unexpected: the Premier Golf League lays out a smart future for professional golf after Tiger.

There has been much focus on whether Woods will commit and a curious glee at the prospect of Rory McIlroy invoking Arnold Palmer to reject the PGL—a curious example given Palmer’s flirtations with disruption in the early 1960s and 1980s.

Yes, both players could make the league take off and Woods could certainly torpedo the PGL’s chances of starting in 2022 by declining. But the vision laid out by Gardiner, and surprising no-shows at events like the Honda, also explains why Woods said last week that he expects regular runs at the PGA Tour model going forward.

He said that because whether it was Gardiner, his agent or just Woods’ overall vision telling him what is becoming increasingly clear: the professional golf model is broken. And when Woods retires, it may recede into a very small corner of the sports universe.

The PGL’s revision of the “tour” model would prevent something like we saw Friday: next week’s non-commitments overshadowing this week’s tournament. Their guarantee of top fields, a January-August schedule and a very intriguing team component bring new life to the pro game, presenting a refreshed vision for the sport long after Tiger has hung up his Nike’s. For that alone, the Premier Golf League is worthy of everyone’s attention.

Five Families Early Polling: Rollback 3, Distance Sells 2

A case could be made for the LPGA Tour and European Tour bringing golf’s power family total to seven, but let’s be realistic: there are still only five families with a prime seat at the table.

The USGA, R&A, Augusta National, PGA Tour and PGA of America all have the power to sway votes and alter the course of history.

Only one of those aforementioned families carries a vote capable of doubling or tripling in times of regulatory crisis, and that’s Augusta National.

So as we assess reactions to the Distance Insights Study and consider the language suggesting action is needed to end expanding distance cycles, maybe we should start caucusing the families.

The USGA and R&A can safely be registered as votes after statements made in the “Conclusions” document.

The PGA Tour and PGA of America have indicated they are opposed to change in recent years, but at least took a slightly less hostile approach in the report’s wake.

And Augusta National, home of the Masters?

When contacted, the club offered no new statement regarding the Distance Insights Study, but instead pointed to past remarks by Chairman Fred Ridley as indicative of their position.

From the Chairman’s press conference in 2019:

“Although we now have options to increase the length of this hole, we intend to wait to see how distance may be addressed by the governing bodies before we take any action.  In doing so, we fully recognize that the issue of distance presents difficult questions with no easy answers.  But please know this:  The USGA and The R&A do have the best interests of the game at heart.  They recognize the importance of their future actions.  You can be assured that we will continue to advocate for industry‑wide collaboration in support of the governing bodies as they resolve this very important topic.”

A year prior:

“We have been consistent in expressing our confidence in the governing bodies, and we will continue to support their efforts.  Although differing views may well, in fact, exist on the subject among golf's major stakeholders, we hope and strongly encourage all who are a part of our sport to work together in the best interest of the game as this important issue evolves.”

Note the jump from advocating togetherness in 2018 to a full endorsement of the USGA/R&A in 2019.

Therefore, Augusta National would appear to support the notion of breaking “the cycle” of increasingly longer hitting distance and of efforts to restore “a broad and balanced set of playing skills” as the primary determinant of success.

I believe that puts things at 3-2, with those three votes representing the three most prestigious championship titles in golf. And while playing those under a different set of equipment rules would not be ideal, a splintered scenario has happened before and could be the outcome should the Tour’s and PGA of America decide to hold their ground.

Guardian: World Cup Eyed As Possible $10 Million Mixed Event

The Guardian’s Ewan Murray says the biennial World Cup may get a purse bump and female professionals joining the event. It’s not clear if they would compete as a mixed partners event, though that seems likely.

Origin Sports Group, where the multimillionaire Sir Keith Mills is a director, has been integral to the World Cup project. Australia hosted it last November but even the event’s place in the golfing calendar may be subject to change, with venues in Europe and the Middle East expressing interest in the World Cup under a fresh guise.

Nothing is expected to be in place by the time the World Cup tees off this year – with Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry to defend the trophy on behalf of Belgium – but alterations for 2022 are entirely plausible.

With this week’s Vic Open and the European Tour’s mixed event hosted by Stenson and Sorenstam, it would seem only a matter of time before a big purse and established name such as the World Cup makes this long overdue move.