Norman Calls Mickelson Reveal Part Of A Conspiracy, Saudi League Targeting Amateurs Using NIL Rules

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Just another week in the messy disruption effort by the Living Brand.

According to The Telegraph’s James Corrigan, four players of note have committed to the first LIV Golf event in London, including a "two-time major winner” that’s “in talks” with the group. Details have not been confirmed but Corrigan says the names are thought to “include Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Kevin Na."

Soon after, Watson randomly shared his schedule this week on Twitter for those looking to make summer plans. It did not include any Saudi events, suggesting Watson was refuting the story.

Corrigan quotes Norman as saying the Saudi-backed “League” is going forward with full purses no matter who shows up and hopes this creates a domino effect where top players see guys they can beat winning silly money. Interesting strategy!

Corrigan also quotes sources saying the Saudis and the charming Crown Prince are "willing to up the ante if needs be and lose” $3 billion over three years.

Since they gave Jared Kushner $2 billion to play with, I think we can believe them!

And most amazing of all, Norman suggested that the release of controversial comments by Phil Mickelson was "part of a conspiracy to derail the venture.” The Shark may have forgotten that Mickelson gave a disastrous interview in Saudi Arabia to John Huggan first, making the release of Alan Shipnuck’s book excerpt mere validation that Mickelson’s rhetoric had jumped to a new level of dark and deranged.

Mickelson has also not refuted the accuracy of either interview.

In another interview, Norman revealed to SI’s Bob Harig that the “league” concept has been shelved for two years, at least. And he’s coming after the kids!

Norman said the group is looking at using the Name, Image, Likeness opening to pursue amateur golfers.

Norman, in an interview with SI.com/Morning Read, said for those who do not want to turn pro or have college eligibility, LIV Golf is working on Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals that are now prevalent in college sports.

“I’ve always said from the outset I want to grow the game of golf the best way we possibly can for all levels,’’ said Norman, who is the commissioner of the LIV Golf Invitational Series and CEO of LIV Golf Investments. “I’ve been consistent with this. At the Shark Shootout (his team event in Naples, Florida), for 33 years I’ve tried to always invite a rookie, a younger player — Rickie Fowler, Matthew Wolff.

“It was to reach out to some kid to give him a chance to start experiencing something new. And we have every intention of doing that with this as well. Give them a pathway. Some of these guys are set to turn pro anyway, and this is an opportunity for them to experience something new.’’

Give them a chance to experience something new. Growing the game!

The revised amateur status rules do no appear to address such an endorsement deal to provide an advance. It’s both a clever move and utterly creepy since it could have leagues and tours pursuing deals with college golfers and even high schoolers.

Hypnotic: The Full Drone Tour Up Magnolia Lane And Through The Augusta National Clubhouse

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Inspired by several of the recent incredible drone tours through buildings, I still can’t fathom how they did this given how intimate the clubhouse is.

Snippets of this were used on the broadcast this year, but seeing the full shot set to past comments really is special stuff. Not teeing off with a giant red bat and putting with a pool cue, but still pretty cool!

"Presidents Cup makes long-term commitment to Melbourne; set to return in 2028 and 2040"

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Two more editions to come. Will it be Royal Melbourne or will another venue get the opportunity?

Presidents Cup makes long-term commitment to Melbourne; set to return in 2028 and 2040

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA, USA, and MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – The PGA TOUR today announced a long-term commitment to staging the Presidents Cup in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, with the biennial global team competition set to return to the iconic Sandbelt in 2028 and 2040. The 2028 Presidents Cup will mark the event’s fourth visit to Melbourne, matching Gainesville (Virginia, USA) for most Cups contested in one city.

The venue for the 2028 Presidents Cup will be announced at a later date. The Presidents Cup was staged at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in its three previous trips to Melbourne (1998, 2011, 2019), with the International Team defeating the U.S. Team in 1998 under the leadership of the late Peter Thomson, while the U.S. Team claimed the Cup in 2011 and 2019.

“Since the Presidents Cup was first staged in Melbourne in 1998, Australia and its passionate fanbase have played a leading role in the growth of the Presidents Cup,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “As the event continues to visit new corners of the globe, we remain committed to a presence in Melbourne and the Sandbelt region, a place our players and fans around the world hold in high regard. Our partnership with State of Victoria and Visit Victoria has been a winning combination, and we’re thrilled with the support we’ve received from Premier Andrews in securing the 2028 and 2040 dates.”

Australia was the Presidents Cup’s first international destination, and has since visited South Africa (2003), Canada (2007) and Korea (2015) in addition to twice returning to Australia.

“Securing two more Presidents Cups is a real coup for Melbourne, promoting our city to the world and providing a boost for tourism and jobs,” said Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Martin Pakula.

The Presidents Cup was last played in 2019 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, which saw the U.S. Team mount a thrilling comeback on the final day to claim victory over a renewed International Team in Australia. The Presidents Cup will return in 2022 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, September 20-25, following a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re delighted that the Presidents Cup will be back in 2028 and 2040, cementing Melbourne’s position as a global events destination and the major events capital of Australia,” said Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements.

R.I.P. Shirley Spork

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From Richard Goldstein’s NY Times remembrance:

Spork finished second in the 1962 L.P.G.A. Championship but never won on the women’s tour. Her legacy, apart from her role as a pioneer of the women’s pro game, lay in her tutoring countless women, from duffers to fledgling pros, and in creating schools to help would-be teachers pass on her knowledge to their own students.

Spork received the Ellen Griffin Rolex Award, the L.P.G.A.’s highest teaching honor, in 1998. She was inducted into the inaugural class of the L.P.G.A. Teaching and Club Professional Hall of Fame in 2000. She won the 2015 Patty Berg Award for contributions to women’s golf and was named the L.P.G.A. Teacher of the Year in 1959 and 1984.

In 1947, while attending Michigan State Normal College in Ypsilanti outside Ann Arbor, a teachers school now known as Eastern Michigan University, Spork won the first national intercollegiate golf championship for women. She graduated with a degree in physical education two years later.

During the 1950 golf season, she joined with leading women’s players, including Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Patty Berg, Louise Suggs, Betty Jameson and Marilynn Smith, to form the L.P.G.A. But in its early years, prize money was meager, the tournaments received little attention in the sports media, and the players jammed together in autos as they traveled around the country.

CBS Sports: 2022 Masters Up 7%, Most Watched Golf Telecast In Three Years

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Tiger Woods gave early round coverage a boost but a pair of weekend 78’s made him only a small part of CBS’s coverage. Couple that with a three stroke lead by Scheffler, no major stars expected to contend Sunday and lackluster ratings all year, and CBS must be thrilled with these numbers.

They’re also declaring record streaming numbers but there are no numbers released…

CBS SPORTS’ 2022 MASTERS COVERAGE SCORES ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS 

CBS’ Final-Round Presentation Delivers Most-Watched Golf Telecast on Any Network in Three Years 

Paramount+ and CBS Sports Produce Record-Setting Streaming for Golf

 April 12, 2022 – CBS Sports delivered strong viewership across all platforms for its presentation of the 2022 Masters.

Sunday’s final-round coverage on CBS is the most-watched golf telecast on any network since the final round of the 2019 Masters, when Tiger Woods captured his fifth green jacket, averaging10.173 million viewers and up +7% versus last year.

With Scottie Scheffler comfortably ahead of the competition for most of the day, Sunday’s coverage averaged 12.443 million viewers for the final hour (6:00-7:00 PM, ET) as Scheffler wrapped up his first major victory. Viewership peaked with 13.160 million viewers for the conclusion of Scheffler’s round (6:45-7:00 PM, ET).

Paramount+ and CBS Sports’ digital properties registered record-setting streaming for golf. Overall, the 2022 Masters is Paramount+ and CBS Sports’ most-streamed golf tournament ever in average minute audience and streaming minutes, producing double-digit year-over-year growth.

Sunday’s final round delivered the most-streamed golf day ever for Paramount+ and CBS Sports in average minute audience and streaming minutes while recording double-digit year-over-year growth.

ESPN released preliminary numbers Friday, with a nice Tiger-fueled boost for round two that only got bigger:

The average of 3.5 million viewers was up from the 2.7 million average for last year’s second round and was ESPN’s highest second-round average since 2018. The Friday telecast also drew an audience that was up 26 percent from the average of 2.8 million that watched Thursday’s first round. Fast Nationals are preliminary and do not include out of home or streaming audiences on computers and mobile devices.

Across the first and second rounds, ESPN’s telecasts averaged 3.3 million viewers, up 31 percent from 2021 and the highest two-day average since 2018.

That final number has since been updated to 3.9 million to include Out of Home and streaming. Also, SportsCenter at the Masters from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Friday averaged 711,000 viewers, including 1.223 million for the last hour before coverage.

Committee Has Reviewed Scheffler's 18th Hole Drop: No Issues

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Third round Masters leader Scottie Scheffler took an unplayable lie relief and one shot penalty Saturday en route to a 71. He leads by three heading into the final round.

Several social media users took issue parts of the seven-minute drop situation, including what ball Scheffler was using and what was found, the two-club length relief and his clearing of some pine needles. A club spokesman confirmed that the Rules Committee has reviewed the drop and has no concerns with how it was handled by Scheffler or official Kevin Feeney of the DP World Tour.

After reviewing the Featured Group coverage and screen grabs of the ball resting under the Holly, the number looks like a 6 and a 7 depending on when the video is paused and the quality of the video.

But one things is clear: Scheffler calls out to the forecaddies to be looking for a Titleist 7. The forecaddie is heard definitively calling out that he has located a Titleist 7

Also of concern to several viewers was Scheffler’s two-club length drop. Note in this first image the ball and referee Feeney pointing to a spot away from the ball:

Image two shows Scheffler taking the first of two club lengths from the spot, however as the third image shows, the butt end of the club, discernible in the leaves and pine needles, is not at the ball. The Rules of Golf say two club lengths from the ball, but Scheffler clearly is seen following the guidance of the official who was likely given the closest approximation possible due to the extensive undergrowth.

Your 2022 Masters Early Viewing Guide With Amen Corner Live Here Again

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There is not much excuse for missing out on the Masters, and unlike the forthcoming shuffle from NBC at the U.S. Open and The Open, American viewers can take their pick of streaming apps for early coverage before ESPN carries the first two rounds.

I can’t recommend Masters on the Range highly enough, as the team does a super job mixing observation, interviews and instruction from the range equipped with launch monitors and other fun stuff.

Amen Corner Live coverage with Grant Boone and Mark Immelman always is must-see streaming with coverage starting when the first group arrives (probably around 10:30-10:45 am ET.

You can get all of the Masters feeds at the official site as well as at ESPN+.

Here is ESPN’s coverage summary:

First and Second Round Live Television Coverage

·       ESPN and ESPN Deportes live 3-7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, April 7-8.

·       Scott Van Pelt will host ESPN’s telecasts from Augusta National’s Butler Cabin with ESPN golf analyst Curtis Strange. Van Pelt, Strange and Michael Eaves, who will conduct player interviews, will join CBS’ golf announcer crew for the telecasts.

·       Prime time encore presentations of the first and second rounds with second encores in overnight hours.

·       John Sutcliffe will call the action for the ESPN Deportes live telecasts with analysts Hernán Rey and Matias Anselmo.