When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Nicklaus Does Not Want To "See 40 guys break away from the PGA Tour at the whim of an advertising agency in Saudi Arabia"
/“(The PGA Tour’s) brought millions and millions of dollars to communities, it’s brought great competition, great television,” Nicklaus said. “Why would I not support that? Instead, I’m going to go support for my own benefit, see 40 guys break away from the PGA Tour at the whim of an advertising agency in Saudi Arabia? What happens to the other guys?
“I just don’t like it. I don’t think it’s right.”
Last year, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman announced Nicklaus as the architect of a course in Saudi Arabia.
It’s not clear who the advertising agency is.
"Phil Mickelson will no longer serve as host of The American Express PGA Tour event in La Quinta."
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That portion of the news was not a total shock since Mickelson kept a low profile in 2022 and was barely mentioned as having a special role and passed on a pre-tournament media session.
But the Tour is also cutting out his foundation as the charitable beneficiary of a tournament known for giving back:
In addition, the Mickelson Foundation, formed in 2019 specifically to be the charitable arm of the tournament, will no longer be part of the event, the tour confirmed. The foundation's contract with the tournament was to run through 2024.
Quadrilateral: The History And Evolution Of Riviera's 10th
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This started out as a preview piece for the Genesis this year and then turned into a Monday after story only to be pushed back with all of the strange news. .
Callaway Hits Pause On Mickelson's Lifetime Contract, Workday Flees As Well
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In a Friday evening news dump, Callaway hit pause on its 17-year partnership with Phil Mickelson.
The news was first reported by Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard and comes in the same week Mickelson apologized for recent comments about leveraging the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia despite knowing their hideous human rights record. The apology continued to praise the Saudi Golf League concept and made no mention of the PGA Tour.
Mickelson mentioned taking time away from golf to be “the man I want to be” but was subsequently dropped by KPMG and Amstel Light.
The Callaway statement from Hoggard’s report:
“Callaway does not condone Phil Mickelson’s comments and we were very disappointed in his choice of words – they in no way reflect our values or what we stand for as a company,” the company said in a statement. “Phil has since apologized and we know he regrets how he handled recent events. We recognize his desire to take some time away from the game and respect that decision. At this time, we have agreed to pause our partnership and will re-evaluate our ongoing relationship at a later date.”
Mickelson has been removed from Callaway’s website. Multiple Callaway ads running during this week’s Honda Classic were absent the current “hitting bombs” campaign.
Callaway has scrubbed Mickelson all recent videos from their YouTube page as well.
The Callaway pause comes just under five years since he was inked to a lifetime contract.
In a separate Friday dump, Workday issued a statement to Golf Digest saying his forthcoming deal’s expiration would not be renewed.
Mickelson had been featured on the company website until Friday and has since vanished:
LA Hosting Back To Back LPGA Stops With Dual Ticket, Free Admission For Healthcare And Service Heros
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It’s rare for a reason to avoid having back-to-back tournaments in a city, but the LPGA will be doing so this April when they return to Wilshire and debut an event at Palos Verdes CC. While those are two very different markets given the size of the city, it’s still fantastic to see a dual ticket offered as well as free admission for all service personnel and frontline workers. Why this hasn’t been done more at tournaments this year is beyond me, but credit Outlyr and the LPGA for doing so.
All the details…
Los Angeles Set to Host Consecutive LPGA Tour Events forFirst Time in April
with JTBC LA Open and JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes
Tickets on Sale Now for Both the JTBC LA Open on April 18-24
and the Newly Minted JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes on April 25-May 1
All Service Personnel – Military, Fire, Police, EMS and Front-Line Healthcare Workers –
to Receive Complimentary Admission to Both Tournaments
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 24, 2022 – The LPGA Tour and Outlyr jointly announced today that Los Angeles will host back-to-back LPGA Tour events for the first time, taking place in April 2022. The JTBC LA Open returns for a fourth year at Wilshire Country Club on April 18-24, followed by the inaugural JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes, taking place as Palos Verdes Golf Club, April 25-May 1. Both events will feature fields of 144 of the world’s best female golfers competing over 72-holes for overall purses of $1.5 million each.
Tickets are on sale now for both the JTBC LA Open and the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes. Tournament Officials also announced the “LA LPGA Dual Ticket” – a weekly grounds pass that provides access to both tournaments, marking the first time that spectators will have the opportunity to purchase one pass for back-to-back LPGA events. Tickets will be sold exclusively via the tournament’s official websites; the JTBC LA Open at www.la-open.com and the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes atwww.jtbcchamp.com.
In addition, all service personnel, including military (active, retired, reserve and veteran), fire, police, and EMS and their immediate family (up to four tickets) will receive complimentary admission to both tournaments. The JTBC LA Open will once again include the Hero Outpost on the 18th green, compliments of SERVPRO. The complimentary SERVPRO Hero Outpost tickets must be downloaded in advance from www.la-open.com and proper ID is required at the main entrance. Children under 17 also will be admitted free into the tournament with a paid adult.
“We are very excited to expand our footprint in Los Angeles with back-to-back events in the area for the first time, adding to the Tour’s already prominent presence in Southern California,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “We want to thank our friends and longtime partners at JTBC for providing us the opportunity to bring the stars of the women’s game to the heart of Los Angeles, one of the largest broadcast markets in the world.”
“Los Angeles has a rich history in professional golf, and we look forward to strengthening the LPGA Tour’s presence in embarking on a new spring tradition in women’s golf with these consecutive events in Los Angeles,” said Patrick Healy, executive director for the JTBC LA Open and JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes. “We look forward to working with JTBC in showcasing Wilshire Country Club and Palos Verdes Golf Club to the LPGA Tour’s global audience.”
Historic Wilshire Country Club returns as the host venue for the JTBC LAOpen for a fourth year and will welcome fans back to the championship forthe first time since 2019. The tournament made its debut in 2018, marking the LPGA Tour’s return to Los Angeles in more than a decade. Brooke Henderson captured her 10th LPGA Tour win at 16-under par at the 2021edition of the championship, contested without fans in attendance. The 2020 edition was canceled due to the pandemic. Wilshire Country Club, which opened in 1919, is one of a select few venues to host events on the LPGA,PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, as well as the PGA Championship.
“Wilshire Country Club has been a strong proponent of women’s golf and our members are excited about the return of the game’s best players – and the return of fans – to the JTBC LA Open,” said Mark Beccaria, President of Wilshire Country Club.
Palos Verdes Golf Club, often referred to as a “hidden gem” in Southern California, has a rich history hosting women’s golf events. Palos Verdes has hosted the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge women’s collegiate championship for the past 25 years. Past individual winners include Carlota Ciganda, Natalie Gulbis, Brittany Lang, Bronte Law, Andrea Lee, Leona Maguire, Lorena Ochoa and Annie Park. The JTBC Championship at PalosVerdes will mark the first professional tournament taking place at Palos Verdes Golf Club.
“We are privileged to welcome the LPGA Tour for this year’s JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes,” said David Klein, President of Palos Verdes Golf Club. “Our membership is excited to welcome back many familiar faces who competed at Palos Verdes during their collegiate careers, and we look forward to working with the LPGA Tour, JTBC and Outlyr in conducting a first-class event.”
Volunteer registration for both the JTBC LA Open and JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes is now open. Registration for both tournaments is $55, which includes a polo, hat or visor, food, and beverage, and two daily tickets. Forthose who register to volunteer at the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes, $5 will be donated to the Race to End Alzheimer’s Association. For moreinformation on how to volunteer, visit JTBC LA Open at www.la-open.com; and the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes at www.jtbcchamp.com.
The JTBC LA Open and the JTBC Championship at Palos Verdes are ownedand operated by Outlyr, a global event management, sponsorship consulting and activation agency.
It's Not Even Friday Yet: Mickelson Loses Another Sponsor Along With Greg Norman's Favorite Cool Kids
/After KPMG and Phil Mickelson agreed to part ways, Amstel Light makers Heineken confirmed to Sportico they had dropped the embattled golfer.
A spokesman for Amstel parent Heineken told Sportico on Tuesday night: “We made the decision to go our separate ways and end Amstel Light’s partnership with Phil Mickelson. We wish him all the best.”
Mickelson’s bio remains on Callaway’s website but some noticed a scrubbing of his likeness from other web pages. The company has not commented on Mickelson as a Friday news dump possibility looms.
The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay looked at the “bleak” matter of sportwashing and Mickelson’s mistake in not understanding the consequences of saying the quiet part out loud.
The New York Post noted Mickelson’s lastest block: the influential Paige Spiranac. I don’t this is going to help him win a second PIP.
Most painful of all may be Greg Norman’s favorite influencers at PGA Memes mocking Mickelson. Yes, the same PGAMemes Norman mentioned four times in his recent Saudi Arabia press conference as the future of the game. You know how the old saying goes, when you lose the meme makers…
Meanwhile, in other news of the bizarre, Instagram star-of-The-Villages Greg Norman thinks he’s Churchill taking on the Nazi’s.
And finally, from Find The Fairway, an alternative look at the Saudi Golf League:
Monahan Reiterates Ban Pledge, Shark Bites Back While Citing Former FTC Counsel Who Really, Really Wants The Saudi League To Succeed
/You could admire PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan’s decision to lay low the last few weeks as the disruptive LIV Golf Investments purported league crumbled under the weight of Phil Mickelson’s comments and direct ties to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. But in leaving Rory McIlroy’s of the world to front the opposition, Monahan left those who took a moral or history-based stand to be the spokespersons for the PGA Tour.
Q-rating enhancing, all of this money talk is not.
Maybe good for Meltwaters? I don’t know.
Either way, Monahan finally dropped the hammer as the Saudi ship was seen sinking off the coast of Jupiter, reiterating in a phone interview to AP’s Doug Ferguson that he has “zero complacency” when it comes to the threat of a Saudi league.
“I told the players we’re moving on and anyone on the fence needs to make a decision,” Monahan said Wednesday in a telephone interview.
He also emphasized anew that players who sign up for a Saudi golf league will lose their PGA Tour membership and should not expect to get it back.
Why the ban was brought back up as the whole thing crumbles, is surprising and suggests there are still concerns the LIV Golf effort has legs. Because it seems like Monahan could have just belittled what appears to be left of a league down to some Kokrak’s, Poulter’s, Stenson’s, Westwood’s and Mickelson’s.
Meanwhile, the Shark one is fighting back in a last ditch letter after this “ban” opening and it’s multi-layered. And a two-pager:
Page one of Greg norman’s letter includes a hyperlink to a commentary by Alden abbott
Here is the “recent article” Norman happened to stumble on, posted February 21st, two days before the Monahan interview cited above.
The Abbott article cited by Norman was promoted in a press release from the website Inside Sources, where the “About” page says:
Academic research has found political pundits are worse at predicting the future than if they were randomly guessing. The media elite’s echo chamber thinks half-truths, bad predictions, and “conventional wisdom” qualify as news. Good thing we don’t.
A few weeks back on February 3rd, Mr. Abbott wrote another piece for RealClearMarkets.com promoting the Norman effort to disrupt professional golf while making some curious leaps.
He writes:
The threat over the putt is precisely what the PGA Tour is applying to players considering playing in any new golf leagues, especially the rumored new league Norman is linked with. The Tour is trying to maintain its monopoly by telling players it will destroy their livelihoods, ban them from tournaments, and restrict their media rights. That’s not competition on the merits.
Ban? Yes, as Monahan just reiterated. But I’ve followed this story closely and am not aware of any player suggesting the PGA Tour has told players “it will destroy their livelihoods” or “restrict their media rights.” If you’re banned, then you have moved on to a new Tour paying you lavish advance sums, theoretically. And presumably that tour or league is no longer under the PGA Tour’s control, restoring a player’s media rights.
Playing for a new tour would also impact the anti-competition narrative since the PGA Tour does not control major championships, the Asian Tour or the DP World Tour. But I’m not a lawyer.
Abbott also wrote in the February 3rd piece:
If Norman’s rumored new league – or any other competitive structure — is able to launch, fans and players will benefit. The American Football League’s entry in the 1960s—just a few years after antitrust litigation forced the NFL to stop the player threats that had forestalled earlier competitors—spurred a generation of innovation that led to the modernization of football for the benefit of players and fans alike. Golf desperately needs the same revival, and competition can provide it.
While the points about competition and innovation are legitimate, it’s also fascinating to see the “Golf desperately needs” line in Abbott’s piece. Similar sentiments were echoed in a recent apology statement we all read. And like Phil Mickelson, Abbott’s claims mostly revolve around player compensation and rights. What that has to do with fans is beyond me.
A strong case is building that all of this money talk from both sides without much discussion around improving the sport, is actually hurting the sport.
I reached out to LIV Golf Investments to ascertain whether Mr. Abbott has any kind of consulting or financial relationship with the operation. From their spokesperson:
“Mr. Abbott is the former General Counsel of the Federal Trade Commission. He is not an agent of LIV Golf and has no commercial relationship, nor has he received any compensation of any kind.”
The PGA Tour declined to comment.
Ratings: 2022 Genesis No Match For Daytona 500
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The 2022 Genesis Invitational featuring all ten of the world top ten drew a final round 1.57/2.6 million average viewership on CBS, down significantly from 2021’s 2.24/3.6 million average when Max Homa beat Tony Finau in a playoff in front of no crowd due to COVID restrictions.
The ‘21 Genesis was competing against a Daytona road race. This year though, the 500 syphoned a lot of casual sports fans despite the return of crowds and some stunning visuals from Riviera. The Daytona 500 was Sunday’s most-watched television program of the entire day, drawing an 8.8 million viewer average and 4.4 rating.
Saturday’s Genesis numbers were well up thanks to 2021’s wind-delay.
Sunday lead-in coverage on Golf Channel also saw a huge decline, drawing a .48/745k average in 2022. That’s down from a .74/1.2 million average in 2021.
The 2021 numbers for comparison:
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Phoenix Open, which ran long and concluded after the Super Bowl had begun, averaged a 2.0 rating and 3.59 million viewers on CBS last Sunday — down a tick in ratings from last year (2.1, 3.69M) but up 16% from two years ago (1.75, 2.87M).
Third round action the previous day drew a 1.5 and 2.43 million, flat in ratings compared to last year (1.5, 2.24M)
Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes, February 24, 2022
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Player moves and Zach gets the Ryder Cup nod lead off this edition.
Plus, distance talk, the fairway landing area on Augusta National's 11th, Oakland Hills update, women's major notes, Rory's Masters approach and Reads. Never have I been more thrilled to deliver some old school notes and observations.
As always, Thursdays are guaranteed free for all Quad subscribers and looky-loos.
AP: Zach Johnson To Get The 2023 Ryder Cup Captaincy
/A two-time Vice Buggy Driver and quiet member of the Task Force has patiently waited his turn. And now Doug Ferguson reports that Zach Johnson will lead Team USA in the 2023 edition set for Marco Simone Golf Club outside Rome.
Kyle Porter pointed out this neat fact should Johnson lead the team to victory.
Johnson would join Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead and Seve Ballesteros as the only golfers to win a Masters at Augusta National, an Open at St. Andrews and captain a winning Ryder Cup team if the U.S. goes on to win in 2023.
This reminds me of two things: how great it would be to have a Ryder Cup at the Old Course, and the Captain’s race for 2025 is wide open now.
Cantlay: "The biggest problem for me is when we lose the architectural integrity of the golf course...Something has to give.”
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In conversation with Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, Patrick Cantlay became the rare under-30 golfer to have given the topic of distance its impact on courses any thought.
But he did better than that. Golfweek’s Adam Schupak reported on the comments and transcribed.
“That’s the hardest part of it. The knee-jerk reaction is don’t do anything. They may mess up the implementation, so it won’t be worth it,” he said.
“Theoretically, the golf ball needs to go shorter,” he continued, “Every golf course I go to has different tee boxes farther back than even 4-5 years ago when I visited the golf course. It’s getting to the point where the tee boxes are already to the perimeter of the property, so much so that Augusta National has been buying up all the adjacent pieces of property so they can put more tee boxes and change the holes.
“That’s not sustainable. Not only that if pace of play is one of your biggest concerns, how many golf course do I go to on Tour where the tees are 100 yards back? They can’t keep going in this direction.
Cantlay added: “The technology isn’t only better but young guys are trying to hit it farther and farther because the stats say the farther I hit it, the better I’ll play. Something has to give.
“I think the biggest shame is that I can’t go to Cypress Point and play the course the way the designer designed the golf course to be played. The biggest problem for me is when we lose the architectural integrity of the golf course. We’re to the point where that’s where we are. Something has to give.”
The full conversation:
Mickelson Apologizes And Manages To Make Things Worse
/That plus the best Tweets. Available to all including non-subscribers who can remedy that here.
Mickelson: "I know I have not been my best and desperately need some time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be."
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Issued on Tuesday of Honda Classic week days after a book excerpt revealed deep disgust with the PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson has apologized.
In the statement released by his agent and on Twitter, Mickelson says his interview with Alan Shipnuck for a forthcoming book was off the record, though in a Fire Pit Collective podcast, Shipnuck described how the interview proceeded and never was the status of the call discussed.
There are also inferences that his corporate partnerships may be in jeopardy. I have reached out to Workday, KPMG and Callaway and have not received a reply to multiple requests for comment.
Phil Mickelson Statement:
Although it doesn't look this way now given my recent comments, my actions throughout this process have always been with the best interest of golf, my peers, sponsors, and fans. There is the problem of off record comments being shared out of context and without my consent, but the bigger issue is that I used words I sincerely regret that do not reflect my true feelings or intentions. It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words. I’m beyond disappointed and will make every effort to self-reflect and learn from this.
Golf desperately needs change, and real change is always preceded by disruption. I have always known that criticism would come with exploring anything new. I still chose to put myself at the forefront of this to inspire change, taking the hits publicly to do the work behind the scenes.
My experience with LIV Golf Investments has been very positive. I apologize for anything I said that was taken out of context. The specific people I have worked with are visionaries and have only been supportive. More importantly they passionately love golf and share my drive to make the game better. They have a clear plan to create an updated and positive experience for everyone including players, sponsors, networks, and fans.
I have incredible partners, and these relationships mean so much more to me than a contract. Many have been my most influential mentors and I consider all to be lifelong friends. The last thing I would ever want to do is compromise them or their business in any way, and I have given all of them the option to pause or end the relationship as I understand it might be necessary given the current circumstances. I believe in these people and companies and will always be here for them with or without a contract.
I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and many have been shared with the public. My intent was never to hurt anyone and I’m so sorry to the people I have negatively impacted. This has always been about supporting the players and the game and I appreciate all the people who have given me the benefit of the doubt.
Despite my belief that some changes have already been made within the overall discourse, I know I need to be accountable. For the past 31 years I have lived a very public life and I have strived to live up to my own expectations, be the role model the fans deserve, and be someone that inspires others. I’ve worked to compete at the highest level, be available to media, represent my sponsors with integrity, engage with volunteers and sign every autograph for my incredible fans. I have experienced many successful and rewarding moments that I will always cherish, but I have often failed myself and others too. The past 10 years I have felt the pressure and stress slowly affecting me at a deeper level. I know I have not been my best and desperately need some time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be.
Quadrilateral: Great PGA Tour, Don't Get Cocky
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Will the PGA Tour let the Saudi victory go to their heads and negatively impact the future?
That’s the question I ask in light of history and upcoming issues that players could influence.
A big portion is built around last week’s events and news broken late Sunday of a previous hostile merger big.
