"The LIV Golf broadcast will be unlike anything fans have seen before"

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Where have we heard that before? Oh right, Fox Sports with Greg Norman as its lead analyst. We know Fox did end up innovating, raising bars and showing new ways to televise golf. Perhaps the LIV streams will do that, though given the complexity of televising golf on short notice, the first impressions could be rough.

In announcing their uninspired broadcasting team, the Chief Media Officer of throwing out a lot of superlatives instead of suggesting a goal of getting to new places.

“The LIV Golf broadcast will be unlike anything fans have seen before,” said Will Staeger, LIV Golf Chief Media Officer. “The innovations we are introducing to the sport will be distributed to existing and new audiences all over the world as we deliver golf coverage dedicated to entertainment and access. We’ve built a world class production team that has combined the industry’s best practices with a reimagined experience for viewers to create a one-of-a-kind broadcast. We’ve been counting down the days to Thursday’s start so fans can tune in and watch what we have been working on.”

The broadcast will be available on LIVGolf.com, YouTube and Facebook. 

Besides prying Jerry Foltz away from Golf Channel LPGA on-course reporting duties to be the analyst after Darren Clarke said no, the rollout suggests plenty in the golf broadcasting world passed. From Bob Harig’s Morning Read story:

Arlo White, the voice of the Premier League in the United States for nearly a decade, will handle lead play by play duties.

Foltz, who played professionally for more than 15 years, has spent more than two decades as an analyst, play-by-play host, studio host, instructional series host and on-course reporter. Foltz has been an on-course reporter for various tours, with a focus as a leading voice for the LPGA Tour. 

The three-person booth will be completed with Dom Boulet, a former player on the Asian Tour who is widely known throughout Asia as the voice of golf.

Well he’s got that going for him.

Su-Ann Heng, a former No. 1 ranked golfer of her native Singapore and six-time member of the Singapore Ladies National Team, will lead on-course commentating. An experienced golf analyst with networks including FOX Sports Asia, she has covered women’s major championships and hosted marquee global events for more than seven years.

Troy Mullins will serve as an on-course reporter and social influencer for LIV Golf. Mullins is a former Women’s Long Drive Record Holder (402 yards) and a regular contributor on the Golf Channel. 

White was expensive to pry away from his NBC duties hosting Premier League, reports Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.

And White, not surprisingly, will be paid very handsomely, according to sources. We do not have exact figures, but White has gone from making hundreds of thousands per year to millions in the move, according to sources. And we are told besides the eight-to-ten events for LIV, White is still allowed to add a soccer component to his duties. 

White had been NBC’s lead Premier League soccer play-by-player and has been the game-caller on Apple TV’s “Ted Lasso” series. (By the way, he will continue on “Ted Lasso,” The Post has learned.)

The shows will be run by former Golf Channel producer Keith Hirshland, the husband of current United States Olympic Committee CEO and former USGA executive Sarah Hirshland.

LIV Golf's London Fire Sale: Free Tickets For Anyone Who Wants Them!

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England’s Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter are the top stars returning to home turf for LIV Golf’s first event in London this week. To celebrate, they gave out a coupon code offering free passes to the first 100 fans using the codes POULTER25 or WESTWOOD25.

Days later the offer still works in Westwood’s case, while 24 hours in the freebies are still there using Poulter’s name. Note in the example above, I asked for the max of 8 and

Some just tried for fun, put in JOHNSON25, and also got a free pass. Or up to 8 if they want.

One player + 25 who did not work? MICKELSON.

Some Google searchers are also getting this 70% off ad when entering a query for the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia’s grow the game initiative:

LIV's Cutting Edge Talking Points: We're Here To Grow The Game

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One can only close the eyes to picture the jubilation that must have come over the LIV Golf executive team as they landed on the real mission of their scheme to get-rich off the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. Hoping to find their Think Different vision for the league and appeal to the young people who have not been wowed by modern game messaging, they brainstormed and landed on? Grow the game!

I’ve written about this virus before and its ability to keep going even as the game has grown substantially the last few years. But it’s such an elusive strain. So much so that LIV’s high-paid executives aren’t dialed in enough to know it’s a laughing stock amongst those in the coveted demo they are so hungry to sportwash on The YouTube.

You’d think a young, hip leader like Greg Norman would have known this.

Nice job by The Fried Egg to obtain and share these profound talking points which, unfortunately, were put in writing. Generally a medium not conducive to reaching the world’s leading golf professionals.

The fan stuff and how they reached their conclusions on format is, of course, extra ridiculous given that the blueprint and details for LIV Golf were stolen from the Premier Golf League concept.

Kevin Na Address His Lone Fan: I Must Resign From The PGA Tour

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In a blow to slow play and delusional entitlement, Kevin Na announced his resignation from the PGA Tour.

In a Tweet addressed “To my fan-”, Na tells his legion of one that he did not want to deal with PGA Tour sanctions for his future in the LIV Golf event and “the buzz it brings to golf.” He will not be missed. But don’t tell his fan.

In an interview with Steve DiMeglio, Na elaborated on this decision, saying he wants to play less and spend more time with his family.

"[LIV Golf is] something that doesn't represent the grind."

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Graeme McDowell explained his rationale for moving to the LIV Golf series and essentially admitted it’s an easy way out.

From Brian Keogh’s Irish Golf Desk report:

"It has been very demoralising, especially when you've got kids," the struggling world 376 told National Club Golfer of his struggles over the past 18 months.

"You look around and think, is this worth the sacrifice? It is worth the sacrifice when you're being successful and financially it's very lucrative. But when you're not successful and you're leaving your kids 35 weeks a year, you do ask yourself the question."

He added: "[LIV Golf is] something that doesn't represent the grind. The prize money is guaranteed, there are no cuts. It's new and exciting and it's given me a shot in the arm from an energy point of view. It's come at a perfect point."

The item also includes some comments from Paul McGinley. This stood out:

"There's no doubt that this will go down as a historic moment in the game. If this Saudi league does gather a head of steam and it does challenge the established two tours, considering the background and who's involved and the whole ideas of team events, it could turn golf upside down and on its head."

Darren Clarke Turns Down Lucrative LIV Broadcasting Due To Threat Of Champions Tour Sanctions

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Alex Miceli reports that former Open Champion Darren Clarke was offered a three-year deal to be lead analyst for LIV Golf’s broadcasts but chose to protect his playing career.

Miller Brady, the president of the PGA Tour Champions, delivered the bad news to Clarke in a phone call on Tuesday, stating that Clarke’s involvement in the broadcast would be a breach of regulations and would be subject to disciplinary actions.

“I really enjoy my time on the Champions tour and didn’t want to jeopardize it,” Clarke said in a call with SI.com/Morning Read from the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines. 

Clarke would not disclose the amount of the offer but was clear that the offer was considerable.

The initial tournament in London is expected to be exclusive to YouTube barring a last-minute media rights deal.

Report: Dustin Johnson Got £100 Million Because Phil Hasn't Committed Yet

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So imagine if James Corrigan and Tom Morgan are correctly reporting that Greg Norman lured Dustin Johnson away from the PGA Tour after Phil Mickelson refused to fully commit what Phil is worth now?

After all, Johnson’s not exactly P.T. Barnum in the sales department so Mickelson must be worth double to make the LIV Golf thing go, right? A spot awaits Mickelson for next week’s event and now it seems this has been less about wishing to remain reclusive and more about Phil wanting to get the best deal.

Meanwhile, Johnson and Graeme McDowell were dropped by RBC, sponsor’s of next week’s Canadian Open they were probably contractually obligated to play.

McDowell told Steve Carroll it was a business decision for him and he managed to avoid invoking a “grow the game,” which was nice.

“It was a very difficult decision. It’s a difficult decision as a player when there’s so many unknowns. We don’t know what the reaction is going to be.

“It just boils down to the fact that I am a business and I’ve operated all over the world for 20 years. This is a compelling opportunity. It’s a fun format and there are some guarantees there.

“It wasn’t a decision I took very lightly. I realised the consequences could be far ranging. But I felt like it was the right decision for me and my family – to be able to take an opportunity like this and play on something new.

“At the end of the day, it’s another golf tour, which we’ve operated on all over the world for the last 20 years. I feel like I have the right to do that.”

LIV Lands DJ For First Event Filled Out Mostly By Once-Greats, A Lot Of South Africans And Mostly People You've Never Heard Of

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The LIV field lives! It took a while but the June 9-12 event finally has a field, almost.

There’s so much to shake your head at and so much to laugh at who will play for gobs of undeserved money next week in London.

Dustin Johnson is the headliner for now and despite being a well-know RBC team member obligated to play the Canadian Open—one would think—he will likely lose his partnership based on this RBC statement obtained by Adam Stanley:

Johnson’s participation is silly on so many levels. Besides the lack of loyalty to the PGA Tour and a sponsor like RBC that puts him in ads despite being a less than eloquent pitchman, the 2020 Masters champion has been back and forth on his desire to grab the Saudi cash. In February he was out, but by May’s PGA he was looking forward to seeing how the event played out.

He’s all about the money.

The move rules out a future Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup captaincy. Ok those were not happening anyway. The Hall of Fame might be tougher now despite those two majors. Not that he cares. And definitely no Rolex billboard on Washington Road—that might actually matter to him.

From February:

What a brand!

As for others in the field, you have to wonder what’s going on in South Africa to make eight of their guys sign up, including Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace. The RSA’s are also wheeling out a Hennie Du Plessis and JC Ritchie who make Shaun Norris and Justin Harding seem like global superstars.

Decent PGA Tour players to make the leap include Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones. Not exactly folks anyone is paying to see.

Decent European Tour players include Sam Horsfield, Bernd Wiesberger and Pablo Larrazabal.

Aging stars like Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer probably ended any hopes of captaining a Ryder Cup squad to take the easy money.

Randoms include former US Am Champ Andy Ogletree, whose done nothing with the perks of winning that event, and the same goes for last year’s NCAA individual champ and current world No. 706 Turk Pettit. Then there’s former Titleist CEO Wally Uihlein’s son Peter Uihlein jumping ship.

Note to Jay Monahan: Taylormade makes a great ball now and ChromeSofts are getting better! Plus, the ball goes too far and straight.

The Friends of Greg division suggests the Shirtless Shark’s Rolodex is not filled with many Aussies. That contingent is led by the recently hapless Wade Ormsby (one top 10 in the last two years), another Aussie named Jediah Morgan and one more named Blake Windred. The latter won the Australian PGA this year.

Then there are the amateurs, including one competing in the NCAA final Wednesday as part of the Arizona State squad.David Puig sounds bitter he has not received European Tour sponsor’s exemptions but still dreams of playing the PGA Tour. He’s taking an NIL deal to appear, as Ryan Lavner reports after hearing Puig’s thoughts.

Current U.S. Amateur champion James Piot is also playing in London and teeing up in this week’s Memorial. Ah the spirit of Bobby Jones…is gone.

As for Phil Mickelson? Morning Read’s Bob Harig says this is still just a field of 42 and more openings means Phil’s probably just waiting as long as possible. You know, because that grey Old Tom beard will be tough to say goodbye to.

Nicklaus On Saudi Meeting: “I did it out of courtesy to them because we're doing a golf course for them."

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Jack Nicklaus offered a perfectly reasonable counter to Howard Milstein’s claim. Now we’ll have to see what the response is from the Nicklaus Companies head suing the company namesake.

From Bob Harig’s story at Morning Read:

“They obviously called me,’’ Nicklaus said. “And we’ve had a contract on a golf course in Saudi Arabia for over a couple of years. Essentially the same group.

“So when they called Jackie — my son Jackie organized the meeting, and they came into the Bear's Club (in Florida). We met a couple of guys. John Rees and Paul Stringer from the Nicklaus companies were there because we were doing the golf course, and they proposed this thing to me.

“I did it out of courtesy to them because we're doing a golf course for them. I've got zero interest in wanting to do something like that. I don't care what kind of money they would have thrown at me. My allegiance has been to the PGA Tour. I grew up on the PGA TOUR. I helped found the PGA Tour as it is today. My allegiance is there and it’s going to stay there.’’

In an interview with Michael Bamberger, Nicklaus claimed the offer was in excess of $100 million.

It remains a curious situation given how Nicklaus and Milstein both have no qualms about doing business with Saudi Arabia, but see a line crossing when it comes to supporting a rival golf tour.

Tiger On Legacy Golf, Where He Disagrees With Phil And Players Who Want Guaranteed Money

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Tiger Woods gave his most detailed set of comments to date on the PGA Tour v. LIV Golf and Phil Mickelson.

I have little to add other than the question and context.

On Mickelson not being at Southern Hills to defend his PGA Championship victory:

It's always disappointing when the defending champion not here. Phil has said some things that I think a lot of us who are committed to the Tour and committed to the legacy of the TOUR have pushed back against, and he's taken some personal time, and we all understand that. But I think that some of his views on how the Tour could be run, should be run, been a lot of disagreement there. But as we all know, as a professional, we miss him being out here. I mean, he's a big draw for the game of golf. He's just taking his time and we all wish him the best when he comes back. Obviously we're going to have difference of opinions, how he sees the Tour, and we'll go from there.

On Phil’s position:

“I don't know if he has to resolve it or not. You know, he has his opinion on where he sees the game of golf going. You know, I have my viewpoint how I see the game of golf, and I've supported the TOUR and my foundation has run events on the TOUR for a number of years.

“I just think that what Jack and Arnold have done in starting the TOUR and breaking away from the PGA of America and creating our tour in '68 or '69, somewhere in there, I just think there's a legacy to that. I've been playing out here for a couple of years over decades, and I think there's a legacy do it. I still think that the TOUR has so much to offer, so much opportunity.

“I believe in legacies. I believe in major championships. I believe in big events, comparisons to historical figures of the past. There's plenty of money out here. The Tour is growing. But it's just like any other sport. It's like tennis. You have to go out there and earn it. You've got to go out there and play for it. We have opportunity to go ahead and do it. It's just not guaranteed up front.”

He played this with a straight face but you have to think he was enjoying this question about rights fees, events and Mickelson’s brief and pitiful role as a tournament “host” in the old Bob Hope, now the American Express.

”I can't speak for him not knowing and understanding that. I'm sure he probably does have an
understanding of that because he was the host of the old Bob Hope. So since he was the host of the event, I'm sure he probably understands it, and plus, he hosts the event up there in Napa Valley. He understands it, and there is -- there is a rights fee to having events and understanding it. And we negotiate with the Tour and whether it's one-off day events like we have with matches under the lights like I used to do back in the old days, or it's regular Tour events, each tournament is different. Obviously there is right fees that have to be paid, and we understand that. Obviously we go in there as events and try and negotiate that down as low as possible, and try and make as much money as we can for the local events.”

And on whether he’s reached out to Phil:

”I have not reached out to him. I have not spoken to him. A lot of it has not to do with I think personal issues. It was our viewpoints of how the Tour should be run and could be run, and what players are playing for and how we are playing for it. I have a completely different stance on, and so no, I have not.”

Rickie Sure Seems To Be Leaning Toward A LIV Future

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While the World No. 146 ranking would suggest he’s not exactly dream LIV Golf material, Rickie Fowler likability and assumed devotion to all things PGA Tour may provide an intriguing turn in the effort of Saudi Arabia to make us forget about gas prices, human rights violations and sword-wielding men lopping heads off in public after sham trials.

As Bob Harig at SI.com says in the understatment of the week, Fowler would be a “great get” for Greg Norman’s upstart Tour despite the fall off in Fowler’s game. He’s the first legit fan favorite in some time to suggest he’d like to cash him some Crown Prince cash.

His full answer Monday at Tulsa where he’s playing the PGA Championship on an exemption thanks to 2021’s T8 finish.

Q. Have you been approached at all by the LIV Tour and if so, what's your stance on that?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I have. To be straightforward with you guys, I haven't necessarily made a decision one

way or the other. I've mentioned in the past, do I currently think that the PGA Tour is the best place to play? I do. Do I think it can be better? Yes. So I think it's an interesting position. Obviously there's the LIV and Premiere, as well. These tours or leagues or whatever -- however you want to classify or call them, they

wouldn't really be coming up if they didn't see that there was more opportunity out there. I've always looked at competition being a good thing. It's the driving force of our game. You know, being able to have games with guys at

home, that's how I always grew up is competing. I think competition ultimately makes people better, whether it's business, sport. So it's interesting, that's for sure.

Euro Tour Player On Playing For Saudi Arabia: "It’s time to stand up" And Boycott

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Journeyman Mike Lorenzo-Vera spoke out to Tom Kershaw about the question of taking Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia money. (Thanks to reader B for sending.)

His views were shaped after watching a BBC documentary on the war in Yemen.

“If you go to the players’ lounge at any time, at least one table is speaking about [the LIV Series],” he tells The Independent. “Even me, I’d love to play for that amount of money as well for my family, my passions, but there is a time when you need to stand up a little bit and be a human being. I know there are players who are uncomfortable with it but it feels like they are staying quiet just in case there’s a piece of the cake coming to them one day. Some players will speak but the crowd needs to boycott it as well, don’t go there.”

Lorenzo-Vera also mocked the format:

Until such a rival league is properly established, though, Lorenzo-Vera likens the invitational events, which will be played over 54 holes without a cut, to a “comedy show”.

“If you play like s***, you still take a hundred grand,” he says. “The guys at the top will be fighting but for the rest, it’s like a paid holiday. The format is not golf. It’s just a show.”

Peak Norman Narcissism: "I’m not sure whether I even have any gay friends, to be honest with you.”

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Following a series of interviews to promote the upcoming LIV Golf event outside London, the entity has sought to clarify Commissioner Greg Norman’s various idiotic and ignorant remarks regarding murder. Their statement:

"The killing of Jamal Khashoggi was reprehensible. Everyone agrees on that, including Greg, as he has said as such previously on many occasions. Greg also knows that golf is a force for good around the world and can help make inroads toward positive change. That is why he is so excited about LIV and that was the point he was making."

Clean-up on aisle 4 still needs cleaning up.

Norman was condemned by the widow of Jamal Khashoggi following his wave of interviews. You may recall that the journalist was at the Saudi consulate to get a marriage license when U.S. intelligence believe a team of Crown Prince bin Salman’s detail murdered Khashoggi, dismembered him with a bonesaw and disposed of his remains. From The Telegraph:

"Would you say that if it was your loved one? How can we go forward when those who ordered the murder are still unpunished, and continue to try to buy back their legitimacy?" Ms Cengiz said.

"We should not fall for their wealth and lies, and lose our morals and common humanity.

"We should all be insisting on the truth and justice; only then can we look forward with hope and dignity."

Ms Cengiz's statement was released by her lawyer, Rodney Dixon, the British newspaper reported.

The hits keep on coming, with more of Norman’s comments to a group of journalists getting their chance to settle in. Apparently, Saudi Arabia’s horrendous record on gay rights is not an issue for the Shark because, well, who could imagine this answer.

"I’m not sure whether I even have any gay friends, to be honest with you.”

Next he’ll be saying doesn’t have any friends who were chopped up by a bonesaw so, really, could it have even happened?

The New York Times’ Bill Pennington sums it all up and to the surprise of no one who has followed Norman’s late life buffoonery, he’s dragging the LIV effort down.

He’s now lost Australia’s greatest female golfer:

Greg Norman On Murder And Beheading Prone Saudi Arabia: "We've all made mistakes" And "I heard about it and just kept moving on"

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Apparently LIV Golf Commish Greg Norman hasn’t sat down to read the details of Jamal Khashoggi’s killing lately. But according to Rick Broadbent of The Times, he continued is case for murder as politics and committed his latest gaffe with regard to the LIV Golf tour/league’s financing.

Norman, the frontman for the series, said: “Everybody has owned up to it, right? It has been spoken about, from what I’ve read, going on what you guys reported. Take ownership, no matter what it is. Look, we’ve all made mistakes and you just want to learn from those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward.”

Hard to correct when the body has never been found and was dismembered with a bonesaw.

This answer was also stupendously bad even by the standards of someone who called himself the living brand.

The two-times Open champion, who said he had never met Bin Salman, was also asked how he felt when he heard about the execution of 81 men in Saudi Arabia on March 12. “I got a lot of messages but quite honestly I look forward,” he said.

Messages? Oh?

“I don’t look back. I don’t look into the politics of things. I’m not going to get into the quagmire of whatever else happens in someone else’s world. I heard about it and just kept moving on.”