Ratings: 2022 Arnold Palmer Down, Honda And Genesis Hit 25-Year Lows

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Showbuzzdaily.com has all the numbers which are not very encouraging.

The 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational featuring Scottie Scheffler’s second tour win scored a Nielsen 1.70 rating with 2.825 million viewers, down a million average viewers from 2021’s 2.36/3.862 million.

Saturday’s third round went from a 1.55/2.5 million viewers last year to a 1.21/1.95 million in 2022.

The 2021 numbers:

Last week’s Honda and the previous Genesis saw a historic lows, as noted by Paulsen at SportsMediaWatch.com:

Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Honda Classic averaged a 1.5 rating and 2.57 million viewers on NBC, tying the second-lowest final round rating for the event in at least 25 years. Third round coverage the previous day had a 1.0 and 1.62 million. The previous week’s Los Angeles Open on CBS turned in a 1.3 and 2.13 million on February 19 and a 1.6 and 2.62 million on February 20, the latter tying as the lowest rated final round of the event in at least 25 years.

WGHOF Ceremony Details: Judy Rankin, Davis Love, Sam Woods Serving As Presenters

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Wednesday’s induction ceremony is set for Jacksonville International’s Terminal A, aka the Global Home, with a one surprise presenter (Sam Woods for Tiger Woods) and one total non-surprise (Davis Love for Tim Finchem).

The key details, including a new “trophy” for the World Golf Hall of Fame inductees made by Tiffany & Co. The ceremony will be carried live on Golf Channel at 7 pm ET:

World Golf Hall of Fame Announces Presenters for 2022 Inductee Class:

2022 Inductee, Susie Maxwell Berning (Judy Rankin)

2022 Inductee, Tim Finchem (Davis Love III)

2022 Inductee, Tiger Woods (Sam Woods)

Induction Ceremony to Air Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET (Live on Golf Channel) and

Feature New Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Trophy Designed by Tiffany & Co.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (March 8, 2022) – The World Golf Hall of Fame has announced the individuals who will serve as speech presenters for the 2022 inductee class during Wednesday evening’s live ceremony airing at 7 p.m. ET on Golf Channel:

  • 2022 inductee – Susie Maxwell Berning (Presenter: Judy Rankin, Hall of Fame member)

  • 2022 inductee – Tim Finchem (Presenter: Davis Love III, Hall of Fame member)

  • 2022 inductee – Tiger Woods (Presenter: Sam Woods, daughter)

  • *Marion Hollins will be recognized posthumously as the fourth member of the 2022 class*.

Emmy-nominated golf personality David Feherty will serve as host of the live ceremony, which will take place on the eve of THE PLAYERS Championship and originate from the PGA TOUR’s ‘Global Home’ headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

The addition of these four individuals will bring the total number of Hall of Fame members to 164.

In addition to honoring the 2022 induction class, the ceremony will recognize Peter Ueberroth and the late Dick Ferris, as recipients of a newly created lifetime achievement to honor their contributions to the sport. Renee Powell also will be honored for her spirit in advancing diversity in golf, as the inaugural recipient of the Charlie Sifford Award presented by Southern Company. 

Sanford Health, Kohler Co., Southern Company and Rolex each will serve as official partners of the 2022 induction. As part of the ceremony, the Hall of Fame also will publicly display its iconic new induction trophy for the first time. Designed by Tiffany & Co., the arc of the trophy handle embodies the golf swing and represents the global nature of the sport.

The ceremony will take place in Northeast Florida for the first time since 2013, with most recent ceremonies held in California (2019), New York (2017) and Scotland (2015).

World Golf Hall of Fame 2022 Induction Class

Susie Maxwell Berning (Competitor)

Despite not taking up golf until age 15, Susie Maxwell Berning quickly took to the sport. Upon turning professional in 1964, she earned LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors. An 11-time LPGA winner, she also captured four major championships, including the U.S. Women’s Open three times (1968, ’72, ’73). She remains one of only six women to have won the U.S. Women’s Open on at least three separate occasions.

Tim Finchem (Contributor)

While commissioner, Tim Finchem worked to ensure that giving back was part of the fabric of the PGA TOUR’s business model – as evidenced by the TOUR and its tournaments raising more than $2 billion in charitable contributions during his tenure. He also was instrumental in founding the First Tee to empower kids with life skills through golf, and he led the creation and execution efforts around signature pillars in professional golf, including the FedExCup, FedExCup Playoffs and the Presidents Cup.

Marion Hollins (Contributor)

A visionary golf course developer/architect, Marion Hollins became a pioneer of the sport. A standout golfer who won the 1921 U.S. Women’s Amateur, she would shift her attention by contributing to the development of the Monterey Peninsula into a golf mecca. She made significant contributions to Cypress Point Club, and then founded and oversaw the development of Pasatiempo Golf Club. Later – in collaboration with Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie – she provided her influence on the development of Augusta National Golf Club.

Tiger Woods (Competitor)

Over the course of his career Tiger Woods has won a record-tying 82 PGA TOUR events, along with 15 major championships. Unforgettably, Woods accomplished the “Tiger Slam” in 2000-’01, becoming the first golfer since Bobby Jones (1930) to hold all four major titles at one time. He also is a two-time winner of THE PLAYERS Championship and became the first two-time winner of the FedExCup. Outside the ropes, Woods’ TGR Foundation has supported more than two million students around the world.

Golf Channel Feature Suggests Golf's History Of On Course Gambling Makes PGA Tour's Sports Betting Push A Natural Fit

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The same day the NFL suspended Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley over a $1500 bet and costing him his $11 million salary, it was hard not to think of Ridley’s situation when Golf Channel aired a perplexing feature (below) about sports betting during Monday’s Live From The Players. In just over five minutes, the piece served up a combo platter attempting to use golf’s long history of players wagering on the course as a legitimizing force for the fan gambling push. With plenty of the usual grow-the-game, it’s-what-the-kids-want gibberish.

(After the feature the PGA Tour’s Norb Gambuzza revealed in an on set discussion that the 501(c)(6) non-profit is hoping to up its share of the U.S. sports betting market from 1.5% to 4-5% in the next few years. So much for the slow, careful buildout.)

Also making the piece pretty weird: ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt was the primary voice for a pro-gambling message.

The feature’s message suggests it'’s cool for players to bet in a practice round or at home when playing golf, yet there will be consequences if they bet on PGA Tour action under their integrity statutes. However, since the PGA Tour does not announce fines and suspensions, we probably won’t know if a player ever does such a thing or is punished in the same manner as Calvin Ridley.

Regarding disclosure, Gambuzza was asked by Rich Lerner in the post-feature discussion if player injury reports will be optional. It’s a good question given that other sports provide various ways for gamblers to have some sense who might be at less than 100% or even doubtful for a game. Golf is going to leave such information up to the players.

This is problematic since there are others (caddies, club reps, agents, range pickers) who have access to inside information that can be used to profit. As soon as gamblers know they were kept in the dark and it becomes the “product” lacks transparency, unwanted controversies are all but guaranteed.

Here is the feature under the title of “Golf betting emerging from shadows of sport”. Lerner voices what is said to look at “the impact sports gambling has had on professional leagues around the world and how that translates to golf,” but really is just a messy attempt to rationalize the hard push to capitalize on betting.

"Ryan Brehm hits Tour's ultimate home run in Puerto Rico"

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With all of the weirdness at this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, you might have missed Ryan Brehm’s must-win win in Puerto Rico. Playing in the last event of a medical exemption, Brehm could have finished second and kept a PGA Tour card for the 126-150 category.

Instead he won, vaulting Brehm into this week’s Players. But it’s his story that’s the kind Netflix should be including in a documentary. Thankfully, Brentley Romine did a superb job here capturing all of Brehm’s story that includes a 91 m.p.h. fastball and his wife serving as his caddie.

“It sounded like I had a bunch of pressure, but there really wasn’t,” Brehm said. “This was an opportunity for me to swing for the fences and see if we could win.”

Touch ‘em all.

With his wife, Chelsey, on the bag, Brehm cruised to a six-shot win Sunday at the Puerto Rico Open to not only retain his card but lock it up for two more years.

Brehm earned a much smaller winner’s check – $666,000. But like Brehm said, the money didn’t matter. After 68 tries, he not only had secured his maiden Tour title but also his first top-10, becoming the first player since Jason Gore in 2005 to post both his first career Tour win and top-10 in the same event.

More importantly, Brehm no longer has to stress about getting starts. He’s also into this week’s Players Championship.

“I’m looking forward to being able to pick my weeks,” Brehm said, “and go try and make some noise.”

The final round highlights:

Music Video: Harrop's Latest Takes On @useGolfFACTS

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For those not aware of golf Twitter’s underworld and the bizarre burner account @useGolfFACTS offers a range of conspiratorial takes generally defending Patrick Reed.

The account has inspired singer, songwriter and satirist Sam Harrop’s latest single. If you aren’t aware of @useGolfFACTS won’t make a bit of sense but that should not stop you from watching. Or doing a little Google work to discover the belief that yes, the Hero World Challenge sand rearranging video has been doctored. Really.

Quadrilateral: Another Reminder Of Golf's Complicated Relationship With Sports Betting

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Champ Foundation Restoring "A South Los Angeles haven where Black youths can learn golf"

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What a wonderful column filed by the LA Times’ Eric Sondheimer after attending the recent Cameron Champ Foundation Junior Clinic at Chester Washington Golf Course. Held during Genesis Invitational week to raise awareness, Champ’s foundation is attempting to get various junior golf programs going after the course lost a First Tee operation two years ago, and is working with Tee Divas and Tee Dudes to help youth golfers in South L.A..

There was 13-year-old Pierre Campa. He was 18 months old when the Campa family from Riverside adopted him in Haiti just days after that country’s destructive 2010 earthquake. At 5, he saw a movie on Netflix titled “The Short Game” about the best 7-year-old golfers competing at a Pinehurst Resort golf course in North Carolina. Suddenly he was hitting a ball in the house with a plastic flute. His father figured out he was trying to play golf. The rest is history.

Campa can drive a ball 250 yards, plays in junior tournaments and hangs out at a golf course in Jurupa Hills. He became a U.S. citizen, loves PGA star Jordan Spieth and wants to keep playing golf. His father, Eddie, has even learned the sport. “I learned to be a good caddy,” he said.

R&A Issues Statement On Russian Invasion

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The full statement can be read here. The sanctions levied, joining a long list of sports organizations attempting to isolate Russia.  

  • The R&A fully supports the recommendations of the IOC and the International Golf Federation in excluding Russia and Belarus from international team championships.

  • The R&A is not currently expecting entries from Russian or Belarusian golfers in scheduled R&A-qualifying events, championships or international matches in the upcoming season, professional or amateur. In the event that we were to receive entries, we would decline.

  • We are reviewing the implications for matters such as international rankings and the World Handicap System.

  • The R&A will contribute to a humanitarian aid fund and we will offer direct support to the Ukrainian Golf Federation.

Musselburgh: The Cradle Of Golf (Officially) Turns 350

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How nice to see the celebration of Musselburgh’s 350th (official) birthday, even though all signs point to golf having been played there long before that. Mary Queen of Scots may wish she had not teed it up there in 1567 so soon after husband two—her cousin—departed in a mysterious explosion.

Anyhow, The Scotsman’s Martin Dempster covered the birthdate of March 2, 350 years after the earliest recorded round there by Sir John Foulis. He also notes the efforts of locals to keep it as a community centerpiece and even has a story of a Royal visit.

Avril Campbell in the East Lothian Courier recounted some of its key contributions to golf history (the diameter of the cup, mid-round snack bars, fights over bets, etc… and also talked to local golfers who are keeping the place and its incredible history going, with more events planned.

To mark the 350th anniversary of golf at Musselburgh, Musselburgh Old Course Golf Club (MOCGC) – which later this month celebrates the 40th year of its re-founding in 1982 – is hosting a series of events across 2022, ending with a gala dinner in the town in September.

This Saturday, members of MOCGC will contest the club’s 40th Anniversary Stroke-play Championship. On July 4, more than 20 golf clubs and foundations from across Scotland have been invited to participate in an 18-hole tournament on the Old Course.

Sir John Foulis of Ravelston’s game 350 years ago was referenced in The Golf Book Of East Lothian, compiled and documented by John Kerr, M.A, F.R.S.E, F.S.A.Scot, the Minister of Dirleton, which was published in 1896.

Longtime readers know there has been plenty of Musselburgh posting over the years from one of my favorite places on the planet. Sadly, not all of it has been positive since the place or elements surrounding it seem to be under threat every five years or so. This, despite it being the ideal example of a community nine-hole course with multiple purposes and the ability to interest golfers of all levels. Besides being the Cradle of Golf.

Most recently, Cookie Jar golf paid a visit and offered a lovely short film on Musselburgh.

R&A Data Shows Impressive Gains In 9-Hole Rounds

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In announcing the 9-hole challenge set for the Friday before the 150th Open at St Andrews, the R&A also shared 9-hole round data worth noting.

It could be entirely pandemic related, with more employed golfers working from home and getting in an early or late nine. But there are plenty of reasons to believe the increase can also be tied to various worldwide campaigns designed to legitimize 9-hole rounds and encourage golfers to turn in non-18-hole scores for handicapping purposes.

The numbers of note from the R&A’s story to launch the 9-hole challenge:

• In Australia, nine-hole round data has experienced 20% growth with more than 517,000 rounds played in 2020-21.

• In England, nine-hole rounds played for handicap purposes increased from 175,000 in 2019 to 407,000 in 2021.

• In Ireland, nine-hole rounds played for handicap purposes increased from 70,697 in 2018 to 130,751 in 2021.

• In Scotland, nine-hole rounds played increased from 44,834 in 2018 to 113,592 in 2021.

• In Wales, 8% of rounds submitted (to the Wales Golf Clubhouse) were for nine-hole play in 2021.

• In New Zealand, nine-hole rounds played increased from 252,412 in 2018-19 to 341, 534 in 2020-21 as part of the Make Time Play 9 initiative.

This should also (theoretically) bode well for breaking golf free of 18-holes as the only legitimate “round” or option in developing future courses (or in re-imaging an existing facility under threat).

Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes, March 3rd, 2022

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State Of The Game 119: Well That Escalated Quickly

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Rod Morri, Mike Clayton and yours truly convened to wade into the various issues of the day. And there are plenty. Ball rollback drinking gamers should be pleased, too.

The episode direct link.

The Apple listening option. And the pod remains available wherever you get your shows.

Rory On Phil: "People will welcome him back and be glad that he is back."

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In advance of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Rory McIlroy was asked about the fleeing from Phil Mickelson and if it’s gone overboard.

It is unfortunate. I think Phil has been a wonderful ambassador for the game of golf, still is a wonderful ambassador for the game of golf. It's unfortunate that a few comments that he thought he was making in confidence or off the record got out there and were -- not used against him, but this whole situation is unfortunate.

Look, Phil will be back. I think the players want to see him back. He's done such a wonderful job for the game of golf, and he's represented the game of golf very, very well for the entirety of his career.

Look, we all make mistakes. We all say things we want to take back. No one is different in that regard. But we should be allowed to make mistakes, and we should be allowed to ask for forgiveness and for people to forgive us and move on. Hopefully, he comes back at some stage, and he will, and people will welcome him back and be glad that he is back.

Rob Manfred Air-Practicing His Swing May Set The Game Back A Decade

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“Rob Manfred practices his golf stroke as his league melts down Tuesday. (Lynne Sladky/AP)”

While getting harshly criticized—okay, eviscerated on national TV and more thoughtfully in print—for his handling of labor talks, the owners, the Cheating Astros and pretty much everything else under his supervision, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred apparently wanted to drag golf down, too.

Committing the golf equivalent of playing an air guitar on karaoke Tuesday’s, the Commish used his lockout negotiating break to practice his golf swing without a club. Normally he would have been playing the Seminole Pro-Member. Here’s guessing a good time was still had by all.

And now, thanks to AP’s Lynne Sladky capturing the always sad sight of a golfer hopelessly practicing without a club, our sport has been unfairly dragged into baseball’s latest mess.