2022 PGA Tour Thread

[Strange Brew]

Agree with the above. If the Harlem Globetrotters start offering gigantic money to all the NBA stars, I’m not going to start watching them more. It would just kill my interest in the NBA.

Forget about the players who are on LIV. There is nothing about 54 hole tournaments, guaranteed money and team competition that interests me. If the PGA tour adopted this, I wouldn’t watch that either.

The fact that the money they’re taking is sourced from the Saudi monarchy just makes it easier to hate the whole thing.

At least other rival leagues in other sports were promoting competition.

[DoubleK]

Feherty to LIV

[Senator Clay Davis]

Feels more and more like the PGA is gonna have to compromise here and try and co-exist. I would imagine by year end at least half of the top 30 or so will be committed to LIV. And at that point is the PGA gonna ban half or more the top 30 from the tour? As much as LIV is a complete joke, it's also only 8 or so events. The PGA can't really afford to ban too many top guys, at some point even if you view it as "better" competition than LIV, LIV will simply have most of the best players, and that matters most, especially to the casuals TV networks want watching.

I think in the end the biggest loser here will be most of the secondary events that aren't like Memorial or Pebble Beach. I would think we're going to see most of those just die off as they will be impossible to make money with mid-level (or worse) fields.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Feels more and more like the PGA is gonna have to compromise here and try and co-exist. I would imagine by year end at least half of the top 30 or so will be committed to LIV. And at that point is the PGA gonna ban half or more the top 30 from the tour? As much as LIV is a complete joke, it's also only 8 or so events. The PGA can't really afford to ban too many top guys, at some point even if you view it as "better" competition than LIV, LIV will simply have most of the best players, and that matters most, especially to the casuals TV networks want watching.

I think in the end the biggest loser here will be most of the secondary events that aren't like Memorial or Pebble Beach. I would think we're going to see most of those just die off as they will be impossible to make money with mid-level (or worse) fields.

For now, it is all about Smith and Cantlay. It's hard to read which rumors come true and which don't. I imagine Rory and others are pushing them pretty hard to stay if they really are thinking of leaving. As long as DJ is the best liv player at #16, then pga doesn't have to do anything.

I don't really know what co-existing would look like. liv would probably have to scale down to 4 tournaments and maybe be what the WGCs were trying to be. Players aren't going to play the 9 required liv events and the 15 required pga events.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Yes there still needs to be more big names coming before the PGA has anything to consider. But logically it was always going to happen after the majors, with more at the end of the FedEx Cup, then the remaining Europeans who make Ryder Cup bailing after that. In the end even though it is blood money, there also really isn't that much "bloodless(???)" money either, and guys will justify it that way. Lot of these guys saying no the LIV have already took the appearance money for Dubai and Abu Dhabi events, so deep down they're cool with it in the end.

But if it comes to a place where LIV has half or more of the top guys, then LIV doesn't have to compromise at all. They have the hammer in their unlimited budget and ability to incur significant losses. Once the PGA starts losing money it will be pretty much be the end of the tour, whereas Saudis can lose $10 billion and not even care. Without control of the majors the PGA is always going to have no leverage. Like I said I would think the PGA will essentially have a "Super Series" of their own with elite events with mixed fields, and the mid-level events will greatly suffer as a result.

[Strange Brew]

Although the PGA tour doesn’t control the majors, they do have a strangle hold on how guys qualify for the majors. Unless it’s going to be a thing that guys aspire to win a major so they can bolt to LIV.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Although the PGA tour doesn’t control the majors, they do have a strangle hold on how guys qualify for the majors. Unless it’s going to be a thing that guys aspire to win a major so they can bolt to LIV.

I think the DOJ will solve that problem soon.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Although the PGA tour doesn’t control the majors, they do have a strangle hold on how guys qualify for the majors. Unless it’s going to be a thing that guys aspire to win a major so they can bolt to LIV.

I'd expect them to play Asian Tour events to get OWGR points.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I'd expect them to play Asian Tour events to get OWGR points.

I don’t see how they could earn enough ranking points to get in the top 50 or so needed for the majors. Does the Asian tour even have anyone in the top 100? The strength of field of those events isn’t going to get them much.

Pga championship has already said the liv players won’t be eligible and the masters is hinting at the same.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Pga championship has already said the liv players won’t be eligible and the masters is hinting at the same.

They can try, and will be enjoined, just like DP was ahead of the Scottish Open.

Re: Asian Tour, strength of schedule is relative, if the highly ranked LIV guys show up there are more points on offer.

I think Augusta needs to tread very carefully here. They aren't a sanctioning organization and really have no authority over anything aside from one tournament. Guaranteed there is a lawyer that would love nothing more than to take a run at them.

This rift is going to continue to widen and deepen until everyone can decide on a compromise and move forward.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I'd expect them to play Asian Tour events to get OWGR points.

Play a bunch of events in Asia? That’s the exact opposite of what these guys want to do.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I think the DOJ will solve that problem soon.

I am very skeptical that the DOJ probe amounts to anything. But can’t see anything happening “soon”.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Play a bunch of events in Asia? That’s the exact opposite of what these guys want to do.

The list of tours offering points is quite long, it will be a bit of a farce if they don't allow LIV to get points.

The Asian Tour has the same minimum point value as the KFT, it's definitely an option for the LIV golfers. Paul Casey basically said as much. Nobody ever said they'd go play a bunch of non-LIV events, but having the option of playing where you want when you want without having to ask Shady Jay for a release is a thing.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

The list of tours offering points is quite long, it will be a bit of a farce if they don't allow LIV to get points.

The Asian Tour has the same minimum point value as the KFT, it's definitely an option for the LIV golfers. Paul Casey basically said as much. Nobody ever said they'd go play a bunch of non-LIV events, but having the option of playing where you want when you want without having to ask Shady Jay for a release is a thing.

I think it is pretty easy to argue that an invite only, exhibition tournament shouldn’t count towards world rankings. You seem to have an appreciation for the meritocracy aspect of the pga tour. I’m not sure why you are rooting for a tour that wants to destroy that aspect. Calling him shady seems pretty childish and off base. He’s trying to protect the tour and players.

[Senator Clay Davis]

The PGA needs to be careful though to avoid being too militant in it's approach to trying to beat LIV. If they go too hard they will alienate a lot of international players and fans. I still contend the best way to beat it is to let it exist and just die on it's own. It will take a while, for sure, but I still get the sense that there is little to no actual interest in LIV as anything other than a sportswashing side show as opposed to a legitimate entity.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

The PGA needs to be careful though to avoid being too militant in it's approach to trying to beat LIV. If they go too hard they will alienate a lot of international players and fans. I still contend the best way to beat it is to let it exist and just die on it's own. It will take a while, for sure, but I still get the sense that there is little to no actual interest in LIV as anything other than a sportswashing side show as opposed to a legitimate entity.

That's risky though. The Prince has unlimited funds and eventually will re-coop some of it back. He can stage events anywhere to draw anyone.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

The list of tours offering points is quite long, it will be a bit of a farce if they don't allow LIV to get points.

The Asian Tour has the same minimum point value as the KFT, it's definitely an option for the LIV golfers. Paul Casey basically said as much. Nobody ever said they'd go play a bunch of non-LIV events, but having the option of playing where you want when you want without having to ask Shady Jay for a release is a thing.

How are they qualifying for majors by playing an occasional non PGA tour event?

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

How are they qualifying for majors by playing an occasional non PGA tour event?

They need to play events to keep their divisor up and hopefully offset decay.

Even if LIV gets OWGR points those players will still need to find a minimum of 6 starts per season to get to the 20 event minimum. (10 LIV + 4 Majors + 6 others).

Justin Rose is top 50 in the world right now on 2.2784.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

They need to play events to keep their divisor up and hopefully offset decay.

Even if LIV gets OWGR points those players will still need to find a minimum of 6 starts per season to get to the 20 event minimum. (10 LIV + 4 Majors + 6 others).

Justin Rose is top 50 in the world right now on 2.2784.

So we are back to where we started.

These guys want to play less golf for more money. Guaranteed money.

There aren't 10 LIV events. And they don't qualify for OWGR points.

So I don't see the basis for the argument that LIV players will start heading to the Asian tour. They aren't going to Asian tour to offset decay. They have already cashed in.

[DoubleK]

Found the article I was referencing.

https://www-skysports-com.cdn.amppro...d-major-status