Five Families Fun: U.S. Open Purse Jumps To $12 Million

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The PGA Tour and PGA of America joined forces in 2013 to match and increase their signature championship's purses as part of a new collaboration. The move by two of the five families significantly bumped payouts to The Players and PGA Championship winners, and eventually pushed the USGA to the $10 million mark.

But as Joel Beall reports for GolfDigest, the USGA's announced move to $12 million should the attention of players.

"When you look at the USGA championships, by and large just about any way you look at, they’re the most important championships not only in the U.S. but in the world," Mike Davis, USGA executive director/CEO, said on Saturday prior to the USGA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. "And we talked about that and said the purses really should reflect that.”

The winner's share will see a significant raise as well. Last season, Dustin Johnson received $1.8 million for his efforts at Oakmont. This year's champion will take home $2.16 million.

The doubling of the purse since 2003 makes the U.S. Open, at least for now, the richest prize in major championship golf. The move also will bolster the U.S. Open ahead of an anticipated schedule shakeup that could permanently place the PGA Championship ahead of the U.S. Open.

Will the Tataglia's and Barzini's of Florida raise their $10.5 million purses perhaps sooner than planned?

Hey Siri: Rules Of Golf Figure To Look Different In Two Years

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Ryan Herrington reports for GolfDigest.com on the likelihood of seeing a vastly revamped, simplified and codified Rules of Golf by January 1, 2019, a year earlier than expected.

Surprising, however, are the plans to take the visual and technological presentation of the Rules to a different level.

In aiming to make the Rules more easily understandable, the modernization project has focused on using visuals to help articulate the Rules in a more impactful way than mere words. Bodenhamer said that the use photos, images and even video to provide greater explanation has been explored and is likely to be implemented.

Davis, too, stressed a need for technology to help update and deliver the Rules in the 21st century.

“How come we can’t have an instance where someone can [take their phone and] say ‘Siri, I hit my ball into a water hazard. What are my options?’ ” Davis said.

It pains this Apple fanboy to say it, but Alexa would probably do better on the Rules of Golf test.

Dawson: Tiger Puts In Dubai Time After Back Spasms

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I'm not sure how to read this Rex Hoggard story for GolfChannel.com from Dubai. The obvious takeaway is that Tiger, feeling bad about taking a huge appearance fee, put in a little sponsor time while in discomfort. Wise and good move for sure.

But if he was having more back spasms and chose to sit with Peter Dawson for a Q&A (painful!), does this mean the injury was not serious? 

Either way, Hoggard talks to Chief Inspector of Dubai Golf, former R&A Chief Peter Dawson, who reports on Tiger's many efforts to promote Dubai golf, including post-WD time with sponsors.

“When he withdrew, he and [manager] Mark Steinberg discussed it and thought, 'What a shame we haven’t done everything the tournament was hoping for,' and they offered to do it, which was nice,” Dawson said.

The Q&A, which was emceed by Dawson, lasted about 20 minutes for an estimated 60 sponsors and officials.

“He came in clearly in a little bit of pain, but sat down and soon had a smile on his face and we had a few jokes,” Dawson said. “He responded well, cracked a few jokes, he’s a pro.”

Wasted Open Wrap: The Ugly Side Of The Madness

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Play was almost impacted by the 16th hole "cauldron" Sunday when eventual Waste Management Open winner Hideki Matsuyama had to back off a shot just before taking the club away. Otherwise, the 16th hole seemed like its usual noisy-but-fun self and remains a great attaction to the tournament.

But it's the behind-the-scenes activity in Scottsdale that sounds like it's bordering on unsavory. From Brian Wacker's GolfDigest.com story reporting on the 16th hole scene not so readily discussed:

It takes not much longer to confirm through a police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he’s not authorized to speak on such matters that last year one female had passed out from intoxication near a porta potty having defecated on herself. That was the least of her problems as she had a certain white, powdery substance around her nose that is illegal in all 50 states.

Speaking of the porta pottys, more than one officer also confirms the biggest complaint from fans is people having sex in them. Later, I overhear this very complaint from a woman to a friend after returning to her seat. The officers also confirm these will actually be the least of their problems among the liquefied masses of 204,904 at TPC Scottsdale this day, a record crowd for the event.

Golfweek.com's Dan Kilbridge posted random observations from the Wasted Management and included these two:

*Bag room attendants placing bets on what time they will see their first stretcher of the day.

And...

*One concerned spectator checking the pulse of another spectator who had passed out in his bleacher seat Saturday afternoon.

An unbylined Golf.com story noted that the tournament is at least offering free breathalyzer tests at the exits of TPC Scottsdale. Though it sounds like what happens inside the gates may becoming more dangerous to public safety.

Well, except this guy...