Major(s) News & Notes November 3rd, 2022

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Major(s) News & Notes October 27th, 2022

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The Majors Should Freeze Purses

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Quadrilateral: LIV Dies In Court

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Former PGA Tour Players Try To Explain Why They Took Saudi Cash And Remind Us Why They Won't Be Missed

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I should just post that photo and end the post there.

But you have to soak some of the wisdom shared by PGA Tour defectors and genuinely-hard-to-care-one-iota-about individuals.

From Bob Harig’s account of this LIV Portland prick conference.

Asked if there was something the PGA Tour could have done to thwart the LIV Golf effort or improve, Reed said: “Listen to the players for once.’’

For once! Maybe he didn’t know about Justine’s direct line to the Global Home.

This was nice from Perez:

“I don't think I did anything wrong,’’ Perez said. “Plus, I want the money that I earned from this year. I played 20 events. So I'm still entitled to my FedEx money and whatever this other money that we're talking about. I'm not resigning from anything.”

Another one who forgot his disdain for the whole Saudi thing until he didn’t.

And Koepka, the four-time major winner going from finding the whole thing shady, growing angry about questions during the U.S. Open, to signing on the dotted line.

“My opinion changed; that was it,’’ he said. “You guys will never believe me, but we didn’t have the conversation 'til everything was done at the U.S. Open and figured it out and just said I was going to go one way or the other. Here I am.

“Like I said, opinions changed. And I feel very comfortable with the decision I made. I’m happy, and I did what’s best for me.’’

In the just plain pitiful division, Matthew Wolff spoke repeatedly of missing college golf, 54 hole tournaments and the best years of his life, suggesting he’s been converted by the team aspect where he’ll join the Hy Flyers: Phil Mickelson, Bernd Wiesberger and Itthipa Buranatanyarat. The team van trips to mediocre courses will be just like the old Cowboy days!

I think, you know, it's hard when you're out there struggling and you've gotta play three, four weeks in a row, and you feel like you're in a rut. You feel like you just can't get out of it. And, you know, here, being able to really prepare, have more time. I mean, also, I know this is my job, but it's like on your off weeks, too, I mean sometimes when you're traveling for three weeks in a row and you got one week off, my coach, he lives in California. So it's like do I want to spend time with my girlfriend and my dog at home and enjoy my time off and sleep in my own bed or do I want to go travel again across the country and go work with my swing coach and then not have time for that.

The folks at LIV did seek to refute Brandel Chamblee’s suggestion players will be earning on-course money against their advances. Without seeing contracts we won’t know if the folks here are telling the truth.

The Alliance Strikes Back! PGA Tour And DP World Tour Announce Enhanced Partnership

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After rumors of a possible deal with Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf, the DP World Tour has leveraged the perceptions—all the media’s fault—to get a better deal with the PGA Tour. Namely, ten cards, several hundred million dollars and more joint events promised through 2035.

The situation remains bizarre that so much boilerplate language is thrown about with so few details after nearly two years of disruptive possibilities. Nor do the sides seem to be addressing the oversaturation of their products and market forces indicating a desire to tighten things up. The market may address that in time. For now, and For Immediate Release with interruptions:

DP WORLD TOUR, PGA TOUR EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN ALLIANCE

* Move is a significant boost to a global pathway for competitive golf 

*PGA TOUR to provide operational support and additional investment to the DP World Tour

* DP World Tour prize fund levels set to grow annually 

The DP World Tour and the PGA TOUR have moved to significantly strengthen not only their existing alliance but also help develop players to compete at the pinnacle of men’s professional golf, by unveiling a ground-breaking new 13-year operational joint venture partnership.

The partnership, through to 2035, builds on the success of the existing Strategic Alliance between the two Tours that was unveiled in November 2020 and which has already seen tangible benefits for members of both Tours, not least the co-sanctioning of the Genesis Scottish Open on the DP World Tour, alongside access for both memberships into the Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship on the PGA TOUR.

Such benefits that only a bunch guys departed for LIV Golf. But go on…

Collaboration has already borne fruit for the DP World Tour with the introduction of new tournament title sponsors such as Genesis and Horizon and new Tour partners such as Fortinet and Velocity Global.

Life changing stuff…for the people who got bonuses inking those deals.

In addition, working together to drive prize funds and commercial revenue will not only benefit the entire range of both memberships immediately, but also develop immense strategic opportunities for all members of both Tours for the future.

But will it be more interesting to watch? Bring more top players together on great courses?

As part of the new joint venture, the PGA TOUR will increase its existing stake in European Tour Productions from 15 percent to 40 percent, while utilising the DP World Tour’s recognised international credentials and global footprint to continue to coordinate a worldwide schedule.

Gobbledygook alert! Glad they found more millions found in the cushions! The PGA Tour spent $85 million for 15% so…

The DP World Tour will guarantee growth in annual prize funds to its membership for the next five years, all above the record 2022 levels unveiled as part of the DP World Tour title partnership arrangement announced last November. 

The new joint venture will provide additional competitive opportunities for professional golfers of both Tours and also establish a clearly defined pathway for top players around the world. Players from the Sunshine Tour and ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia, with whom the DP World Tour already has existing Strategic Alliances, now enjoy a formal pathway to the DP World Tour.

Now that’s a positive for developing players from other parts of the world.

With today’s announcement, DP World Tour members will now have direct and formal access to the very pinnacle of the men’s professional game on the PGA TOUR.

To achieve that, from 2023, the leading ten players on the end of season DP World Tour Rankings [in addition to those already exempt] will earn PGA TOUR cards for the following season.

Another positive. Key language: in addition to. So this is not some top 10 who already would have a PGA Tour card.

Furthermore, the DP World Tour will work closely on the development and implementation of the new international events announced by PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan last week at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, and DP World members will gain access to those events.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer of the DP World Tour said: “Building on the success of the existing Strategic Alliance between ourselves and the PGA TOUR, this move will significantly enhance the meritocracy that has successfully served the professional game on both sides of the Atlantic for more than 50 years. 

“It is a natural extension and progression of what we have been doing over the past few years and I passionately believe that this move is the right thing for our players, our Tour, our fans, and the game of golf in general.

“Our two tours have undoubtedly drawn closer over the past few years and today’s announcement strengthens both Tours for the betterment of both memberships.” 

And Jay, who did not include Pelley in last week’s scripted opening remarks, talks like he won this match on the 22nd hole:

Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA TOUR, said, “It was clear from the outset that our Strategic Partnership with the European Tour Group was a powerful agreement for both sides, and we are thrilled with today’s announcement of this expanded partnership. 

“We will continue to collaborate on a global schedule and key commercial areas as we draw our organizations and memberships even closer together while innovating to provide the most entertaining and compelling golf possible to fans around the world. On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I want to credit and commend Keith Pelley and his team at the European Tour Group for their incredible commitment to this effort.”

It may be a tiny semantics deal, but it’s curious he keeps referring to the European Tour group and avoids DP World Tour.

As always, we’ll see what the two sides come up with. That they already had a partnership and yet no fall schedule plan suggests one side was distracted instead of pinning down details for Fall events. Which side? We don’t know.

"LIV Golf faces hurdles in applying for world ranking points"

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In his weekly notes column, AP’s Doug Ferguson details the issues facing the LIV golf quest to get world ranking points for players, vital for its younger stars to earn access to major championships.

While there are currently conflicting reports on whether an application has been submitted by LIV and received by the OWGR, Ferguson notes all of the ways the 54-hole, limited field size schedule will not qualify.

One is that every tournament be contested over at least 54 holes with a 36-hole cut or be in line with eligible formats. LIV Golf has no cut.

The OWGR guidelines indicate a standard format of 72 holes, with 54 holes acceptable “for those tournaments earnings fewer than 12 minimum first-place points.” In other words, a steady diet of 54-hole events is typically for developmental tours or offseason series, such as the Vodacom Origins of Golf in South Africa.

Guidelines also state that tournaments must average a 75-man field over the course of the season.

Other than that…

LIV can expand and tweak if this is of importance to its players. Given how many still have major exemptions or are simply taking the easy money, perhaps OWGR status will never matter to the league.

The Strategic Alliance Is Alive! DP World Tour Gets Around To Sanctioning Defectors

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The PGA Tour’s “strategic alliance” with the DP World Tour seemed on thin ice after Wednesday’s presser where Jay Monahan did not include them in his opening remarks.

But a day after it was expected, the Tour formerly known as European fined defectors to LIV Golf and will not allow them to play in three upcoming co-sanctioned events with the PGA Tour, including the prestigious Genesis Scottish Open.

A Press Association piece noted this distinction between the Tours (on top of announcing fine amounts), which could suggest the Europeans are buying time while negotiating with LIV’s Saudi sugar daddies.

While the PGA Tour immediately indefinitely banned all their members within minutes of the players teeing off at Centurion Club a fortnight ago the DP World Tour delayed making a decision until now.

Pelley consulted the organisation’s wider membership before the decision was taken to sanction the involved players, who in addition to the Scottish Open - traditionally used as a warmup for the Open Championship the following week - have also been banned from PGA Tour co-sanctioned Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship next month.

The full release:

DP WORLD TOUR CONFIRMS MEMBER SANCTIONS

The DP World Tour today confirmed the sanctions to be taken against members who breached Tour regulations and participated in a LIV Golf event at Centurion Club from June 9-11, despite not having received releases to allow them to do so.

Such actions contravened the conflicting event Regulation laid down in the Members’ General Regulations Handbook as well as the Code of Behaviour Regulation, of which the members have been reminded on a number of recent occasions, and has led the Tour to take the following steps, which have been notified to all members concerned.

  • They will be fined £100,000*

  • They have been advised that they are suspended from participating in the following DP World Tour tournaments - the Genesis Scottish Open and Barbasol Championship (July 7-10) and the Barracuda Championship (July 14-17) and have been removed from the entry lists of these events where applicable.

It is important to note that participation in a further conflicting tournament or tournaments without the required release may incur further sanctions.

*Money raised from the fines will be shared equally in two distinct ways; (i) it will be added to prize funds of upcoming tournaments on the DP World Tour, to the benefit of Members of the DP World Tour who have complied with the Release rules and (ii) it will be distributed through the Tour’s Golf for Good programme to deserving charitable causes in the communities that the DP World Tour plays.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said: “Every action anyone takes in life comes with a consequence and it is no different in professional sport, especially if a person chooses to break the rules. That is what has occurred here with several of our members.

“Many members I have spoken to in recent weeks expressed the viewpoint that those who have chosen this route have not only disrespected them and our Tour, but also the meritocratic ecosystem of professional golf that has been the bedrock of our game for the past half a century and which will also be the foundation upon which we build the next 50 years.

“Their actions are not fair to the majority of our membership and undermine the Tour, which is why we are taking the action we have announced today.”

Monahan Rolls Out PGA Tour Revamped Tour: Wraparound Goes And Several Events Get $20 Million Purses

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A lot of folks summed up Jay Monahan’s presser.

David Dusek’s interpretation of the answers hits on the key points.

Dylan Dethier also singles out the main takeaways and tries to answer some anticipated questions.

The full transcript is posted at ASAPSports.com.

There were obvious omissions in today’s slapped together reaction to LIV Golf:

  • After all this time of disruption, this is the most creative you’ve got? More money to events already in good shape, smaller fields and no cuts (except The Players)? All those fancy pizzamakers, perks and fancy offices producing a WGC concept light on the world or originality?

  • What is going on with the updated DP World Tour alliance details that were close to being unveiled?

It’s easy to sympathize with Jay Monahan’s dilemma. He’s trying to retain the current PGA Tour structure while funneling more money back to players who would rather get appearance fees. But he’s largely putting forward solutions that veer closer to LIV Golf’s exhibition-vibe format and still building everything around an August playoff that gets mediocre ratings.

At the same time, the Global Home’s refusal to take outside forces seriously—until it was too late—is a key driver of this mess. No one could have imagined the Saudis sending silly money to never-weres and has-beens, but you still have to plan for worst case scenarios. No?

Anyway, on to Monahan’s opening statement.

As I said to our members yesterday in a player meeting, we will ultimately come out of the current challenge stronger because of our loyalty and support of our players and fans, the best in the world, as well as our planned future growth and with our values as our North Star.

And as I also said to the players yesterday, let me be clear. I am not naive. If this is an arms race and if the only weapons here are dollar bills, the PGA TOUR can't compete. The PGA TOUR, an American institution, can't compete with a foreign monarchy that is spending billions of dollars in attempt to buy the game of golf.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

We welcome good, healthy competition.

No you don’t.

The LIV Saudi Golf League is not that. It's an irrational threat; one not concerned with the return on investment or true growth of the game.

Currently no one organization owns or dominates the game of golf. Instead, the various entities, be it Augusta National or the USGA or the LPGA or the PGA TOUR or the PGA of America work together to meet our own respective priorities, but with the best interests of the game overall at heart.

I knew it was Barzini. Maybe “DP World Tour” was in the speech and the shine off Jay’s Daytona blinded him when he got to the part where the strategic alliance partners get a mention.

But when someone attempts to buy the sport, dismantle the institutions that are intrinsically invested in its growth, and focus only on a personal priority, that partnership evaporates, and instead we end up with one person, one entity, using endless amounts of money to direct employees, not members or partners, toward their personal goal, which may or may not change tomorrow or the next day.

Finally, we might get the Crown Prince named by a golf organization. Progress!

I doubt that's the vision any of us have for the game. Now, I know legacy and purpose sound like talking points that don't mean much, but when I talk of those concepts, it isn't about some sort of intangible moral high ground. It is our track record as an organization and as a sport.

On the PGA TOUR, our members compete for the opportunity to add their names to history books, and, yes, significant financial benefits, without having to wrestle with any sort of moral ambiguity. And pure competition creates relevancy and context, which is what fans need and expect in order to invest their time in a sport and in a player. That's the beauty of the PGA TOUR. We have and always will provide a global platform for members to compete against the very best, earn their stardom, and become household names.

Yeah but the kids today…oh sorry, shame on me criticizing the coveted demo. Go on…

You just heard from Exhibit A, Scottie Scheffler's meteoric rise over the last four years: Korn Ferry TOUR Player of the Year in 2019, PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year in 2020, Ryder Cup Rookie in 2021, World No. 1, FedExCup leader, having won four times in six weeks, including the Masters tournament. His journey is that of a true meritocracy. If you're good enough, you will rise to the top; and if you don't continue to earn that top spot, someone else as hungry and as talented is right there to take your place. Again, that's the unique beauty of what the TOUR has and always will offer to fans. It's damn good and it's worth fighting for.

Back to the kids today part. You know, the greatest generation of athletes to ever descend on golf course? They really believed the hype.

Now finally and most importantly, I want to talk where the PGA TOUR is headed. We don't expect to overcome this current challenge by relying on our legacy and track record alone. We've been on a path for a number of years to strengthen and evolve our product for the benefit of our fans and players alike.

Money, money, money!

Those plans are obviously accelerated in light of the current environment and we have some exciting developments coming out of yesterday's policy board meeting that will further secure our status as the preeminent golf TOUR in the world.

This includes moving forward with our future product model for the 2022-23 season and beyond, a return to a calendar year schedule beginning in 2024, with the FedExCup contested from January to August, culminating with the FedExCup playoffs, and followed by the fall events, which will determine the top 125 and finalize eligibility for the next FedExCup season.

Gee, who could have seen the need to do that? No details goes missed at the GH.

Revised field sizes for the FedExCup playoffs in 2023 and beyond of 70 players for the FedEx St. Jude Championship, 50 players at the BMW Championship, and 30 players at the TOUR Championship.

The 70 players who qualify for the first playoffs event will be fully exempt for the following season, including the invitationals.

Oh so like, a playoff that’s actually a playoff. Kinky!

The creation of a series of up to three international events to be played after the conclusion of the fall schedule, which will include the top 50 players from the final FedExCup points list.

Those were going to be out alliance partners but, well, maybe not now?

Alongside these changes, the policy board also amended the resource allocation plan to increase purse sizes at eight events during the 2022-23 season, with an average purse at 20 million dollars.

Where have I seen that number?

Again, there is more work to be done and details to confirm, but implementing substantial changes to our schedule gives us the best opportunity to not only drive earnings to our players, but also improve our product and create a platform for continued growth in the future.

I know that's a lot to digest.

Actually not enough.