Golf

[The Big Richo]

Quite shocked DJ signed up.

Be interesting to see what sanctions are imposed on him from the various tours as previously threatened.

Can't see them denying him entry to tournaments, he is just too big a draw card.

Yep and that's where I reckon it will just take one to open the floodgates. The rest of the players aren't just going to sit back and watch if he makes squillions of Saudi money and still plays the rest of the schedule.

Pretty soon the PGA tour will erode into just the big events.

 

[jb03]

Yep and that's where I reckon it will just take one to open the floodgates. The rest of the players aren't just going to sit back and watch if he makes squillions of Saudi money and still plays the rest of the schedule.

Pretty soon the PGA tour will erode into just the big events.

Going to be interesting watching all this unfold. A lot of washed up European/British players. Might be some money making opportunities as I reckon only a dozen or so players can win.

 

[Redford]

Quite shocked DJ signed up.

Be interesting to see what sanctions are imposed on him from the various tours as previously threatened.

Can't see them denying him entry to tournaments, he is just too big a draw card.

Nah I'm not Don. I called this a few times over the last couple of months. The PGA Tour has a far bigger problem on its hands than its prepared to admit. You can have all the media sycophants' going on about LIV being untenable and this reason and that reason for players not to support it, but if there's one thing I know about professional golf, its that pros follow the money trail.

You add to the fact that the PGA Tour doesn't control the majors, a bunch of the more popular players are on the older side and don't give a rats about the PGA Tour's threats, that Jay Monahan is a complete ahole and above all .....a restraint of trade item is in scope, then you can look forward to many more players thumbing their nose at the PGA Tour.

PGA Tour has a massive issue on its hands and will need to be far more flexible than it currently is with its members if it wants to navigate all of this successfully.

 

[Redford]

Looking at the 42 of 48 players announced, this goes waaaaay beyond DJ's decision. There's a number of steady, regular PGA Tour players in addition.

Guys like Talor Gooch, Australia's Matt Jones, Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Na, Charl Schwartzel.

At the PGA Championship Chamblee and Faxon were trying to pump up the PGA Tour and belittling the LIV and that they couldn't see a half decent field etc etc. They were wrong.

I won't be surprised if there's a couple more big names in the remaining 6 to be announced.

 

[Mopsy]

Looking at the 42 of 48 players announced, this goes waaaaay beyond DJ's decision. There's a number of steady, regular PGA Tour players in addition.

Guys like Talor Gooch, Australia's Matt Jones, Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Na, Charl Schwartzel.

At the PGA Championship Chamblee and Faxon were trying to pump up the PGA Tour and belittling the LIV and that they couldn't see a half decent field etc etc. They were wrong.

I won't be surprised if there's a couple more big names in the remaining 6 to be announced.

Agree with your previous comments Red, there was always going to be big names signing up, but I kinda thought the top players would sit back and suss out the repercussions for the lesser names before making a call one way or the other.

That the current world No.1 has become the biggest profile guinea pig is what surprised me most.

Ballsy by DJ, but I’m sure he has been advised that the chances of being denied entry to tournaments, especially the Majors, is minuscule.

The flood gates will open, and the best of the best will sign on too if the threats from the PGA etc prove to be nothing more than empty threats as TBR said.

 

[Redford]

Monahan and the Tour have been too myopic. Needed to have looked outside the USA much more, developed a genuine world tour with more prize money, and not be so obsessed with everything in America. They’ve been caught napping. LIV is effectively trying to create the F1 of golf.

 

[Mopsy]

As an aside I bet Norman is sitting back tonight sipping a fine scotch, sucking on a big cigar with a content smirk on his dial.

 

[Redford]

As an aside I bet Norman is sitting back tonight sipping a fine scotch, sucking on a big cigar with a content smirk on his dial.

He’s been a protagonist for a World Tour for a loooong time and doesn’t like the PGA Tour model.

 

[angle ankle]

Yep and that's where I reckon it will just take one to open the floodgates. The rest of the players aren't just going to sit back and watch if he makes squillions of Saudi money and still plays the rest of the schedule.

Pretty soon the PGA tour will erode into just the big events.

good.
most of their courses are crap & they think no one else exists.
dont get me started on their commentary including ibf...shut up while theyre swinging.
way prefer the euro tour.

 

[Mopsy]

He’s been a protagonist of the Tour for a loooong time.

Yep, he will be enjoying this, picturing the PGA hitting the panic button.

 

[Mopsy]

good.
most of their courses are crap & they think no one else exists.
dont get me started on their commentary including ibf...shut up while theyre swinging.
way prefer the euro tour.

Yep, their tv coverage leaves a lot to be desired.

Gotta love the Euro commentators, especially the English, they bring a much better all round package, with some great humour thrown in as well.

 

[Redford]

Yep, he will be enjoying this, picturing the PGA hitting the panic button.

Well, the PGA Tour is talking about lifetime bans. Beyond the restraint limitations of that, it’d be commercial suicide as well to be banning the likes of DJ, Sergio, Phil etc because even though a few of them are on the older side, they’re still some of the most popular and well followed players.

 

[Mopsy]

Well, the PGA Tour is talking about lifetime bans. Beyond the restraint limitations of that, it’d be commercial suicide as well to be banning the likes of DJ, Sergio, Phil etc because even though a few of them are on the older side, they’re still some of the most popular and well followed players.

They will soon realise they are on a hiding to nothing now.

Its a fight they can’t win, whichever way they go they lose the PR battle regardless.

Surely they back down quietly, otherwise public opinion/favour/sentiment will be with LIV, something quite unfathomable not so long ago.

 

[scottyturnerscurse]

As an aside I bet Norman is sitting back tonight sipping a fine scotch, sucking on a big cigar with a content smirk on his dial.

Will be drinking alone.

 

[tigerman]

Will be drinking alone.

Yep, drinking alone, naked and in awe of himself.

 

[Redford]

Womens US OPEN at Pine Needles. Minjee Lee going well again.

Course looks great. As Don knows, Pinehurst is a great part of the world.

 

[Redford]

Good start by C. Smith.

 

[Mopsy]

Womens US OPEN at Pine Needles. Minjee Lee going well again.

Course looks great. As Don knows, Pinehurst is a great part of the world.

Heaven on earth for golfers Red. Brilliant.

Will be tuning in for a look for sure.

 

[hutstar]

They will soon realise they are on a hiding to nothing now.

Its a fight they can’t win, whichever way they go they lose the PR battle regardless.

Surely they back down quietly, otherwise public opinion/favour/sentiment will be with LIV, something quite unfathomable not so long ago.

I don't see it playing out this way at all. First, the restraint of trade thing is *smile*. They are independent contractors but that doesn't mean they automatically have access to any tour they want. Ultimately, players are invited to join the tour and agree terms when they join. They don't have a right to play and no one's making them. The tour doesn't need to ban them, they just don't send them an application for membership next year. The PGA tour raises a great deal of money for local communities and junior golf, I don't see the USGA staying too neutral on it for long either, though banning players from an open entry tournament would be much more legally challenging.

Second, on the PR front, the PGA Tour is pretty clearly winning the battle. People don't like Norman, which is understandable, and they don't like the Saudi's - surprisingly people haven't forgotten 9/11. Players screwing the sponsors who have supported them for years isn't a great look either. And when the sponsors start getting angry and threatening to pull their prize money and TV advertising money, the pressure on the rebels will be pretty intense from the whole professional golf community. I think they'll be about as popular as the rebel cricketers and rugby players in the 80's.

Anyway, we will see. If I was Dustin, I'd probably take the 100 million too. It's a tough one.

 

[kyuss]

I really think Cam Smith would benefit from some mindfulness coaching. He may already do. Just seems like he’s got the talent to be easily best in the world. Just seems to let the pressure get to him. Even though he won at sawgrass, very nearly blew it in those last to holes.
Regardless love watching him and is now easily my favourite player. His chip in out of the thick lie in round 2 was ridiculous.