Guardian: Premier Golf League Delivers Player Offer Letters, European Tour Talks Continue

There were glimmerings of possible Premier Golf League activity recently when Jon Rahm was overheard discussing something team-driven to Viktor Hovland (perhaps influencing why the world No. 2, on the cusp of moving to No. 1, did not make the Memorial Featured Group coverage).

Now The Guardian’s Ewan Murray reports several interesting developments: formal offer letters have been sent to players, the European Tour issued a soft non-denial denial over possible partnership discussions, hundreds of millions in guaranteed money are on the table despite the global pandemic, and Murray even references the PGA Tour’s new TV deal possibly funding “commercial incentives” to players.

Those who have been linked with the breakaway include Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler and Paul Casey. The PGL declined to comment on recent events when approached. Yet whether the PGL can convince elite golfers to offer a commitment against the PGA Tour in particular remains to be seen. As part of a recently agreed broadcasting deal, the PGA Tour agreed to offer commercial incentives to players who provide the greatest value.

The idea of directly paying some players would be a new path for the PGA Tour after remaining principally an independent contractor-driven organization.

Meanwhile in Europe, Chief Keith Pelley has been largely dismissive of the concept even though his Tour and the PGL seem like a potential partnership fit, particularly now that the pandemic has hit the Tour especially hard. This week’s British Masters is playing for 1,250,000 Euros.

As recently as June Pelley told the McKellar podcast that partnership conversations with the PGA Tour have never been stronger.

Intriguingly, Raine is also understood to have held talks with the European Tour. This at least infers an increased willingness to involve golf’s existing stakeholders in the PGL plan. When asked about such discussions, a European Tour spokesperson said: “For the past couple of years we have been proactively sought out by a number of private equity companies, all of whom recognise the strength and influence of the European Tour across golf’s global ecosystem.”

Hardly a denial.

The heightened efforts of the league’s backers were first reported here at GeoffShackelford.com in January and have been declared dead on arrival at various points after Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm all pledged their preference to play the PGA Tour.

Meanwhile, another Raine Group-backed enterprise, the Premier Lacrosse League, makes its second season debut tomorrow in the United States on NBC.

International Watch: Pepperell Passing On PGA Due To Quarantine Rules

With the PGA Championship in less than two weeks, player quarantining is a looming issue for the three postponed 2020 majors. Each may see defections on the international front, with potential questions about the legitimacy of the event without players either able to reasonably gain entry or get situated to play.

The PGA is in very good shape after a recent contender in several majors, England’s Tommy Fleetwood, put in two weeks and then went golfing in the Hamptons before turning up at this week’s 3M Championship.

Other major winners whose situations remain unclear: Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Francesco Molinari, along with Lee Westwood.

Eddie Pepperell is the first player to pass up his exemptions to the PGA at Harding Park and the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

Ewan Murray of The Guardian explains Pepperell’s thinking and includes this quote implying some players have not bided by the quarantine rules:

“Under the current restrictions on travelling to America, I won’t go because you have to quarantine for two weeks going out there and that’s not something I am interested in doing,” said Pepperell. “I am still on the entry list in case they change the rules, but I am not interested in spending two weeks in quarantine.

“Some players have clearly gone out there and not abided by the rules, but should I play this event there is no way that I can do that if there is anyone that cares to look at it, they would know I have broken the rules and I am not going to do that. The fact that it is in San Francisco and it is so far away I am not that interested in taking a 12-hour flight, that is way down on the list of priorities.”

More problematic is September’s U.S. Open situation where the state of New York requires quarantining for those entering from 31 states, including California where the prior week’s PGA Tour event is played. International rules are the same.

And the Masters, which covets international participation? Good news? There is plenty of time between now and mid-November. The bad news? There is plenty of time between now and mid-November.

Strange Mix Of WD's: DJ, Romo And Beef

Three tours, three famous golfers, all teed off and each stopped mid-round for reasons both normal and abnormal.

Most alarming with a major championship looming and having recently recorded a win at the Travelers was Dustin Johnson, who posted 78, talked about his round at the 3M and never mentioned a bad back that was cited for his WD.

From Brian Wacker at GolfDigest.com:

Johnson made no reference to his back in the post-round interview before pulling out of the tournament 30 minutes later.

What it means for him moving forward remains to be seen. Johnson has twice won at TPC Southwind, site of next week’s WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, and the 2019-’20 season’s first and only major, the PGA Championship, is the following week. Though it’s unlikely he will miss any time.

“He absolutely plans to play,” Johnson’s agent, David Winkle, told Golf Digest in a text message. “He was experiencing some tightness in his back, which requires rest and treatment, both of which he’ll get the next few days."

Johnson missed the cut at last week’s Memorial Tournament with rounds of 80-80.

Former NFL quarterback Tony Romo was playing in this week’s Price Cutter Charity Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour and played just four holes before withdrawing with more wrist issues. He recently injured his wrist during the American Century Championship July 4th weekend. From Joel Beall’s GolfDigest.com report:

“If I could hold the golf club, I’d still be out there playing,” Romo said. “I just can’t.”

Romo dropped out of the celebrity-driven American Century Championship two weeks ago with the same injury. Getting a field invite through sponsor exemption, Romo said he was still able to hit his driver “80 to 90 percent” early in the week with the ailment.

The most surprising came in Europe where Andrew “Beef” Johnston played nine holes of the Betfred British Masters that started Wednesday before his WD. According to Ewan Murray’s report, Johnston was struggling with hotel “lockdown” life and after nine around Close House, before deciding he wasn’t ready to be playing golf.

Johnston explained he considered not entering the British Masters . “I’ve been on-off saying I’m going to play, I’m not going to play, for months,” the 31-year-old said. “I kept changing my mind. But being here and being confined to the hotel, confined to the course and not being able to bring my family is ultimately not what I want and not how I want to live my life.

“We like to travel as a family and it’s just been very difficult to get my head around being stuck in those two places and then coming out and trying to compete. It just doesn’t feel right. I tried to come up here but I was leaving it later and later. I came up Tuesday morning to try to be away as small a time as possible, but it’s not good prep for a tournament and it shows I don’t really want to be here.

"So what will the Masters do?"

That’s the question Bob Harig asks at ESPN.com with the Tradition Unlike Any Other slated for a COVID-19 detour November 12-15th and an increasingly likelihood that spectators will be a tall task. Particularly to a club made up of CEO’s in industries or sports where they could be exposed to criticism for endorsing the Masters played one way, while conducting their businesses differently.

Harig concludes with this:

A Masters without spectators would be a huge disappointment. Ultimately, if it comes to that, it would seem Augusta National still wants a 2020 Masters. There are still enormous worldwide television rights fees to collect. A November Masters without spectators would still be compelling to a worldwide television audience. And if the PGA Championship can be played without fans, so can the Masters. Then you hope for the best in April.

But don't try to argue that it doesn't matter. The atmosphere at Augusta National helps make the tournament. Just imagine Tiger Woods winning last year ... in virtual silence.

Trump: Never Spoke To Ambassador About Helping Turnberry Get The Open

Trump Turnberry

Peter Baker reports on the Presidential COVID-19 briefing that also included a question about yesterday’s New York Times story regarding Trump Turnberry, The Open and Ambassador Woody Johnson.

“No, I never spoke to Woody Johnson about that, about Turnberry,” Mr. Trump said. “Turnberry’s a highly respected course, as you know, one of the best in the world. I read a story about it today, and I never spoke to Woody Johnson about doing that, no.”

Johnson took to Twitter to fend off allegations from another story, but it’s not clear if he was referring to Trump Turnberry here:

I have followed the ethical rules and requirements of my office at all times. These false claims of insensitive remarks about race and gender are totally inconsistent with my longstanding record and values.

— Ambassador Johnson (@USAmbUK) July 22, 2020

PGATour.com SponCon Gone Bad: Fans Would Rather Know About Driver Testing

There are too many layers to go into with this PGATour.com (unlabeled) sponsored content, or give-back, or whatever it is. I’ll start by having your top writer take out the trash as just one thing that comes to mind.

But there is actual comedy in a story looking at how pros paid to play the Callaway Mavrik driver (I know, what a scoop!). Given that exactly one year ago Xander Schauffele and Callaway were in the hot seat over an illegal driver, and that we’re seeing some freakish driving distances of late, you’d think this might be a good time to lay low.

SponCon here we come:

Henrik Stenson, the 2013 FedExCup champ and six-time winner on the PGA TOUR, noted in the July-August 2020 issue of Golf magazine that “the ball speeds off of MAVRIK are really high, and I noticed that almost immediately when I first tried it. If I hit it dead center or if I miss the sweet spot, I still know that I’m going to get the speed and distance I’m looking for.”

Having that confidence that a non-center strike can still be an effective shot is a huge advantage for any players, particularly those at the top level. And particularly on fairway woods, which can often be a pesky club to figure out – and a club that many weekend amateurs try to avoid as much as possible.

But I end with good news: the Twitter responses were almost unanimous in either mocking the silliness of such sponsored content from the Tour, or, outraged at the Tour’s complacency on distance via an array of comments. Or just generally disgusted by such an unnecessary intrusion with unmarked sponsored content.

Engagment, baby!

“Took me only three swings to know it was the right driver for me.” https://t.co/wbCXT2S6We

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 22, 2020

Golf Inside The NBA Bubble Will Make You Feel Better About Your Game

76er Matisse Thybulle has been posting warts-and-all videos from the NBA bubble in Orlando. Thanks to reader BB for highlighting volume 4 that shows how NBA quarantine golf looks. In a nutshell: you’ll feel very good about your game seeing what’s taking place down there—albeit with clubs not made for some of the best and tallest athletes in the world.

I’ve embedded a version that starts at the golf portion, but if you are one of those plot zealots who just has to see their reality shows from the start, you can go here.

Why? PGA Tour To Start Allowing More On Site, Including Spouses And Sponsor Guests

Now, call me crazy, but the PGA Tour is back. It’s working.

Even with fields too absurdly big that in weeks like this one at the 3M, where you half expect to see a Mexican Mini Tour great like Club Pro Guy turning up, the PGA Tour is functioning. (For those counting at home, it’s a 197 from a record 803 strength-of-field drop this week).

Yes, there have been the inevitable hiccups, new rules on the fly, tweaks to COVID-19 guidelines and other madness that comes with a pandemic. But CBS and Golf Channel ratings keep getting better by the week at a time of year they always go down, and in spite of having no fan energy.

Increasingly, without locker rooms or droplet spewing contact to probably doom the return, along with Sanford providing on-site testing separate of local labs prioritizing sports leagues in other markets, PGA Tour golf is looking like one sport that can keep going pretty safely despite the ongoing pandemic.

So let’s see if we can screw that up!

GolfDigest.com’s Brian Wacker reports on the start next week of an increase humans on PGA Tour sites.

Basically, the bubble will now officially include wives/spouses/significant others/partners/nieces/step sisters and 50 or so Todd’s wearing Tod’s. They will be allowed to walk around the grounds under the “Honorary Observer” tag, or, in an apparent tribute to a gentleman’s club somewhere, enjoy “Hosted Experiences.”

Wacker writes:

In an email sent to players on Wednesday evening and obtained by Golf Digest, the tour said that tournaments and title sponsors will be allowed to have up to 50 guests per day Thursday through Sunday and that spouses and significant others would also be allowed on-site during competition days.

Guests of sponsors and spouses/significant others will not be subject to testing for COVID-19 but will be required to undergo a temperature check and fill out a questionnaire each day upon arrival. There will also be limitations on where they can go once on the grounds.

“These programs will be applied on a tournament-by-tournament basis, in accordance with state and local guidelines in place and at the discretion of the tournament,” the tour’s chief of operations, Tyler Dennis, said in the email.

Wacker says this will add roughly 500 or more to a PGA Tour site on any given week.

Understandably, sponsors want to know what they are getting for their money (though some reports say they are having to fork out less right now). And WAG’s want to travel again.

But is this addition of people who are not getting tested really worth the risk?

Women's Open It Is, With A Sponsorship Extension

Beth Ann Nichols with news that the Women’s British Open is now the AIG Women’s Open, aligning the “branding” with the R&A’s Open Championship.

The event is set for August 20-23rd at Royal Troon and will be sponsored by AIG through 2025.

“AIG proudly stands as allies with these accomplished players, and with women in business and society,” said Peter Zaffino, President & Global Chief Operating Officer, AIG in a statement. “In the face of challenging global circumstances, we are pleased that our increased support of the AIG Women’s Open will enable these dedicated professionals to compete and break down barriers that will provide a lasting example for future generations.”

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said the new name reflects the championship’s growing stature and broadening international appeal.

The use of “British” in the title was inconsistent with the R&A’s other major professional championship and the push since 2014 to call the Open Championship, The Open.

ESPN.com: PGA Championship Will Require Players To Test Negative For COVID-19

As the PGA of America gets ready to host the first major of 2020 at TPC Harding Park, they will be following the PGA Tour’s guidelines with one key exception, ESPN.com’s Bob Harig reports: negative COVID-19 test results.

Family members, agents and managers will not be permitted at Harding Park, but up to two coaches as well as a physical trainer and an interpreter (if necessary) will be allowed, subject to COVID-19 testing. No one will be allowed onto the grounds prior to getting a negative result, and all of the testing will be done away from Harding Park, starting on Aug. 2.

In recent weeks, the PGA Tour has allowed players continuing to test positive after experiencing some symptoms to play, or, in the case of some players, who’ve experienced no symptoms (and may have received a false positive test result.)

"European Tour creates a ‘bubble’ as the UK Swing gets underway at Close House"

The Scotsman’s Martin Dempster channels what most of us feel about these pandemic-era returns as the European Tour begins its reboot to 2020 with a six week UK-run of events, starting with the British Masters at Close House, a course renovated by host Lee Westwood with Scott Macpherson.

Regarding the European Tour’s efforts to return, Dempster writes:

The tour has spent £2 million plus in developing a health strategy for the rest of the year, and I have every faith that it will be a proper “bubble” compared to what the PGA Tour, at the start at least, had for its return last month.

Dr Andrew Murray, the circuit’s chief medical officer, has been one of Keith Pelley’s key advisors as he plotted these careful first steps and the Aberdonian will be ensuring that everything is carried out exactly how it needs to be at the moment.

“Although golf is back, as Keith Pelley has said, these will not – and should not – feel like normal golf tournaments,” said Murray. “It’s good that we are all back to work in a familiar environment, but things will be completely different with all the measures that we will be putting in place as part of our health strategy.”

New Quarantine Rules Shake Up 100th New Jersey Open

Amateur Mike Muehr of Virginia had to WD due to a change in quarantine rules

Thanks to all who sent Greg Mattura’s story on amateur Mike Muehr having to WD from the 100th New Jersey Open despite being in contention, all because he’s from Virginia. The state was added to New Jersey’s 14-day quarantine list Tuesday and officials phoned Muehr to inform him that even after two rounds, he must withdraw.

Golfers making the cut to Wednesday's final round will be required to withdraw if in the past two weeks they have visited states added to the list: Alaska, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Virginia, and Washington.

"A very difficult decision for us to make, but the decision already has been made," Kevin Purcell, executive director of the New Jersey State Golf Association, said late Tuesday afternoon. "The policy was in place, and there's already been people who have withdrawn from the event because they had played in the states that had been on the list at that time."

NY Times: Trump Instructed U.S. Ambassador To U.K. To Bring The Open To Turnberry

The New York Times’ Mark Lander, Lara Jakes and Maggie Haberman report that President Donald Trump asked his appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom to help steer The Open Championship back to Trump Turnberry Resort.

The course last hosted The Open in 2009 as Turnberry resort, and was purchased in 2014 by Trump, subsequently renovated, impressively upgraded (my review here for GolfDigest.com), and has since not returned to The Open rota.

According to the reporting, American ambassador and New York Jets owner Robert Wood Johnson IV, was advised against any attempt at intervening by his deputy, Lewis Lukens, who later was removed from his position.

Whether the idea ever got to the R&A, hosts of The Open, is unclear. However, according to the report…

But Mr. Johnson apparently felt pressured to try. A few weeks later, he raised the idea of Turnberry playing host to the Open with the secretary of state for Scotland, David Mundell.

In a brief interview last week, Mr. Mundell said it was “inappropriate” for him to discuss his dealings with Mr. Johnson and referred to a British government statement that said Mr. Johnson “made no request of Mr. Mundell regarding the British Open or any other sporting event.”

The White House has declined to comment on President Trump’s instructions to Johnson.

The Times story probes whether the request would have been a violation of the “emoluments” clause and the importance of securing professional tournaments at Trump properties to the bottom line.

As recently as February, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said Turnberry remained in the rota even as courses in the vicinity (aka Troon) will have hosted two Opens since Turnberry last did. Slumbers cited something about crowd size. No one is really buying it.

Just over a week ago, Scotland on Sunday’s Martyn McLaughlin reported that the Trump organization is working on plans to significantly develop acreage adjacent to Turnberry.

Ratings: 2020 Memorial Tops "Return To Golf" Events, Golf Wins The Weekend

CBS Sports Scores Highest Viewership Since Return to Live Golf with Final Round Coverage of @MemorialGolf pic.twitter.com/daT0UlvUCF

— CBS Sports PR (@CBSSportsGang) July 21, 2020

A few things stand out with the 2020 Memorial final round ratings: it scored an increase in viewership in July over the normal May dates. Generally fewer people are watching television this time of year.

Also, the final round 2.09 was registered going up against NASCAR. Furthermore, Tiger Woods was only briefly part of the rain-delay interrupted CBS window.

Golf Channel also did well with Tiger in the early weekend coverage provided by the CBS crew that has pulled off the return under complicated working conditions:

Record Viewership @MemorialGolf:

Sunday (1-3:30 pm): 1.47 million avg viewers, most-watched @GolfChannel lead-in telecast ever at this event & most-watched since 2019 Genesis Open in February.

Saturday (12:30-3 pm): 1.24M viewers, #2 sports telecast of the day in all key demos. pic.twitter.com/aiVdVJW7QE

— Golf Channel PR (@GolfChannelPR) July 21, 2020

According to ShowBuzzDaily.com, golf won the weekend too. While the competition is lighter than it will be in the coming weeks, there were more sports viewing options than a few weeks ago.

Commissioner For A Day: The Email That Should Be Sent To Players, Jon Rahm Penalty Edition

Sunday, Jon Rahm won the Memorial Tournament despite a 71st hole penalty assessed for causing his ball to move.

If I were PGA Tour Commissioner this is the email I’d send to PGA Tour players regarding the increasingly problematic tendency to excessively ground the club behind the ball in any kind of lie.

Dear Greatest Athletes In All Of Sport,

It’s been an incredible run since the Return To Golf (© pending) started and I want to thank you for your continued use of a mask when getting Chipotle take-out. Amazing first step. Don’t hesitate to extend that face covering stuff in hotel lobbies or if you have not taken up the special NetJets offer we’ve highlighted (CODE: FLYINGCOMMERCIALSUCKS).

Meanwhile, our positivity rates are as low as the scores you’ve been shooting. Yes, that’s an unfortunate segue to the point of this email you will not read.

This is about the mashing. The pulping, the grinding, the grating, the smashing, the crushing, the squashing, the scrunching and the general pulverizing of grass behind your ball. As you may know by now, last week’s amazing Memorial Presented By Nationwide champion Jon Rahm (500 more FedExCup points) placed his club behind his ball and it moved ever so slightly. He meant nothing by it. However, under a very strict application of the rules, our staff assessed Jon a two-stroke penalty.

I highlight this because Jon is not alone in this habit of getting in there and really testing out that grass behind the ball. While I certainly understand the desire to get your money’s worth, I’d like to tell you a story. See, way back in 1744, guys not nearly as athletic as you, played a lot of golf at this trench-filled place call Leith Links. It was no TPC. The course was in Edinburgh, which you probably drove by when flying in for the The Open. Anyway, those rulemaking mid-18th century non-jocks came up with the original rules of golf. There was a line about playing the ball “where it lies.” Long, boring story short (for the agents possibly still reading this), that language evolved quickly into kind of this, like, big, big rule of golf that shaped all others. Miraculously, the whole play it as it lies creed was a thing for a solid 250 years, with hiccups along the way.

Anything you can do to not test the ground, press down, shard, grind, levigate, triturate or in general, look like you are improving your lie, would be appreciated. Especially when you’re in a featured group on PGA Tour Live or on one of our network partner broadcasts.

I would also point out that we’ll have a lot of rough at upcoming events, particularly with a PGA Championship and U.S. Open on the schedule. And of course The Playoffs© highlighting the season of championships. So talk to your teams about how to test out the ground and improve your feel for a shot by setting the club down NEXT to your ball instead of behind it where you might be seen improving your lie. Or in Jon’s causing the ball to move. Besides saving you penalty strokes and FedExCup points, this will make my next USGA/R&A rules meeting much more enjoyable.

Yours in the Return To Golf,

The Commissioner