Trouble In Europe: 40 Players Ask For Releases And Other Signs Of Player Point-Missing

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As John Huggan documents in this story from the British Masters, the then-European Tour went very far with the Raine Group and Premier Golf League folks discussing a deal that fell apart at the last minute. European Tour Chief Keith Pelley went with a PGA Tour alliance instead and now as the Saudi-backed LIV Golf threatens the rebranded DP World Tour’s existence, players are realizing the PGA Tour may not be the hoped-for salvation.

And there is this:

“I’m 41 and I don't want to be playing golf for the rest of my working life,” says another tour player who asked not to be named. “This week [at the Betfred British Masters] we’re playing for €2 million, which is the basically the same as 15 years ago. And I have to finish in the middle of the pack to clear maybe £1,000. That’s not much, when expenses have quadrupled in that time.

“So I’m tempted. The tour doesn’t care about me. They say they do, but they don’t. If I disappeared tomorrow, it would make no difference to them. Plus, there is hypocrisy here. The Saudi event was OK for three years and now it’s not? I worry for the future of this tour. It might be here in 10 years time, but I can’t imagine it will look like it does now.”

The Telegraph’s James Corrigan reports that 40 players asked the DP World Tour for releases to the forthcoming London event. The deadline was Monday, May 9th and the number appears to be higher than expected.

But given the slow movement strengthening the “strategic alliance” should anyone really be surprised? We learned last week the PGA Tour is still devoting excess energy to its fall slate and and rehashing many of the same issues that have weakened their product in the wraparound/FedEx first era. The Tour was weakened trying to save those fall events and now appears to be vulnerable devoting more time to saving events that attract tiny audiences.

Then you have the players who, besides the unnamed one quoted above lamenting the state of affairs, appear to genuinely believe they are worth extreme courting and lucrative measures to lure them away.

While I’m sure Matthew Southgate is a tremendous human and his cancer survival is inspiring, he spoke on a recent Sky Sports podcast about all the things the Saudi money could do to develop new talent and build something big four or five years from now. His comments provide a window into the kind of delusional thinking that believes we are living in a time of players like the game has never seen before and ones that fans are clamoring to see like no other generation.

Mind you, it’s been years since a European Tour event drew a measurable rating on Golf Channel and the turnover rate of players and parity is extreme. Plus, a new condensed PGA Tour schedule is now hurting tournaments between majors, reducing the amount we see stars in the weeks between the Grand Slam.

But an unsettling number of players believe this moment has become because of them instead of, say, Tiger Woods or the Saudis wanting to use golf to improve their terrible image.

From a Golf.com item summarizing Southgate’s remarks:

“The most overlooked thing with the Saudi tour at the minute is that everybody is focusing on the players of today and nobody is thinking of the players of tomorrow,” the DP World Tour player said on the podcast. “Five years ago, we didn’t know Bob MacIntyre, we didn’t know Scottie Scheffler, we don’t know Viktor Hovland or either of the Hojgaard brothers. When you start going through the list of players who weren’t on Tour five years ago, it’s quite significant.

And most of those names could walk down any street on the planet and not be recognized, but please, continue.

“Should they have a stumbling block today because they can’t get the players of today, there’s nothing stopping them producing the players of tomorrow. That’s where it’s tough.

“If Saudi were to put on a tour school for the youngsters and start to produce their own players, which would be easy enough for them to do, then as soon as you ban one current player going to play, there you can’t possibly invite a future player coming back to play.

“Let’s just say the next Bob MacIntyre is 18 years old, and he’s sat somewhere in Scotland today. He goes to the Saudi Tour school and wins, or gets an invite to play on the Saudi Tour, then in five years’ time, he’s world No. 1. You can’t then invite him back to play Scottish Open if you’re banning everybody else already on that Tour from going off to play in the Saudi events.

That’s true, assuming someone is willing to pony up money to develop players and go off the radar for a few years in hopes of building a tour. Perhaps the Saudis have that kind of long term commitment but so far, they’ve pivoted about five ways to make the upcoming events work and have shown little temperament for the building scenario outlined.

Homa In Form, Phil's PGA Status And Pebble's 8th Gets A Green Fix

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"After 12 rounds of chemo, this freshman began a promising golf career"

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Hayley Salvatore of the Washington Post tells the amazing story of 14-year-old Madison Smith, who has overcome Stage 3 colorectal and is competing for her high school golf team with dreams of making it to Augusta.

During a trip to Maui in August, Madison started experiencing extreme stomach pain and nausea. While she was initially diagnosed as being infected with E. coli and Salmonella — bacteria consistent with food poisoning — her symptoms persisted after she took medication, prompting her mother to suspect worse. Doctors performed an X-ray, found a stricture — a narrowing of the intestinal tract — and airlifted her to a hospital in Honolulu that was equipped to perform surgery.

When pediatric surgeon Sidney Johnson was finished, he pulled Molly and James Smith out of the recovery room to discuss the results. In the hospital’s chapel, Johnson told them he had removed 23 swollen lymph nodes and a foot of Madison’s colon and that a biopsy came back positive for both celiac disease and cancer. Molly and James were stunned to learn about their otherwise healthy daughter’s diagnosis.

“We had not even been contemplating that because she’s so young and it’s so rare for her age group,” James said. “It just doesn’t happen, so we weren’t prepared for that.”

The cancer afflicts around 100 kids Smith’s age annually, but with the support of her family, school and puppy, she made it through 12 chemo sessions and is back on the course playing high school matches with hopes of making to Augusta via the Drive, Chip and Putt.

Over the course of the season, she has amassed 8.5 points in match play. Her favorite match was her first varsity outing with the team against Paul VI. Although the Falcons lost, 6.5-2.5, Madison, who was up against a junior boy, won her duel.

“We were tied through the ninth hole, and he was sweating, he was getting nervous and he was like, ‘This is not supposed to happen,’ ” said Madison, whose long-term goal is to golf at the collegiate level. “I like playing against boys because they don’t expect it from a little girl.”

Playing at the home of the Masters has always been a goal of Madison’s, so much so that when she was asked what she wanted to do as part of the Make-A-Wish foundation, her answer was easy — to play Augusta National and spend a few nights in the Crow’s Nest, where amateur golfers stay during the Masters.

“If you could say, ‘Yeah I got to play Augusta when I was 14,’ people would be like, ‘Huh?’ ” Madison said.

That wish has not yet been granted, but Madison is confident that she will reach her chosen destination at some point, whether it’s through the Drive, Chip & Putt competition or Make-A-Wish.

“She’s convinced she’s going to get to Augusta,” James said, “one way or another.”

Michael Bamberger Moves To The Fire Pit

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Congrats to longtime golf writer Michael Bamberger on leaving the Milstein reality stranglehold and going to The Fire Pit Collective. Can’t wait to see what you produce!

Petulance Just Got Real! Sergio Has Only A Few More Weeks On The PGA Tour!

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This is going to be tough to swallow. The emotions, the sadness, the outright misery that this man has had to endure playing the PGA Tour as a relentlessly brooding, temper-tantrum prone, club-hurling, green vandalizing jagwagon may be coming to an end. Oh, and say goodbye to a Ryder Cup captaincy, too.

Having hit his shot into the TPC Potomac’s 10th hole junk, Sergio Garcia vented his case for leniency to a PGA Tour rules official over the commencement of timing for his lost ball search. (See below for an update on that.)

"I can't wait to get out of here,” the miserable said not in reference to the overgrown penalty area, but we would soon find out, in reference to the PGA Tour. Then after more of his signature whining and petulance when he didn’t get his way, Sergio announced he’s going to be taking up residence on the LIV Golf tour where the slogan is, “Shot Just Got Real".

"I can't wait to leave this tour. ... I can't wait to get out of here, my friend,” the wee one said.

And just to be sure we were unclear, the 2017 Masters champion wrapped things up with: "a couple of more weeks, I don't have to deal with you anymore."

Though PGA Tour rules officials work all four major championships, something Garcia would know if he actually interacted with humans in an adult manner.

Garcia did not speak to reporters after his Wells Fargo opening round, but his agent did confirm that his client has sought a release for the first LIV event.

The full video from PGA Tour Live of what may be one of his final rounds on the PGA Tour…until he comes crawling back next year:

**The PGA Tour issued this statement explaining that the official was mistaken in his timing the lost ball search. However, because Garcia entered a marked penalty area, dropped and incurred a one-stroke penalty, there is no change to his score. But some lucky person got to notify him he was in the right. I’m sure he handled it with dignity!

Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes May 5, 2022

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PGL To Players: Time To Tell The Board To Listen

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You can only get your phone calls and enquiries not returned for so long!

After trying to work with the PGA Tour, the Premier Golf League’s World Golf Group has decided to plea directly to players for consideration of their pro golf model. The timing speaks to some momentum for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf and little progress in convincing the PGA Tour and DP World Tour’s to contemplate major changes.

The letter was sent to players and essentially calls BS on a couple of key points, namely that the PGA Tour vetted the proposals through Allen & Co. And of course, noting that Jay Monahan “works for you” also is a concession that the commissioner is still not interested in a discussion.

It also remains confounding that a bunch of players who did nothing but be in the right place at the right time would get $2 million.

Stay tuned!

SBJ: LIV Golf Close To Landing PGA Tour's Preferred Production Company; Discussions With Fox Have Died

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Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand says the LIV Golf group has awarded a production deal bid to NEP Group, which also handles general production for the PGA Tour.

Awkward alert!

As Ourand notes, the PGA Tour has understandably been trying to discourage such deals by its partners.

That’s because NEP already has a deep relationship with the PGA Tour, which has been dissuading its corporate partners from working with the Saudi-backed upstart league.

Essentially, the PGA Tour’s partners have to decide whether it’s worth the risk of angering tour executives in order to grow their business — and presumably cash a big check — with LIV Golf.

For the most part, the PGA Tour’s messaging has been delivered. If NEP signs a deal, it would become one of the only companies to work with both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

NEP has been the Tour’s partner as it took control of on the television compounds at their events. It’s led to noticeably upgraded PGA Tour Live coverage on ESPN+.

Ourand also has this on LIV’s efforts to land a major media partner:

The other big question is who will carry the LIV Golf events in the U.S., considering that most of the big U.S.-based media companies already have deep relationships with the PGA Tour. Sources said LIV Golf had discussions about doing a deal with Fox, but those talks died down weeks ago.

Rudy's Golf Club-Swinging Cameo Pitch Will Haunt You For The Rest Of Your Days

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For $325 you too can have former New York City mayor and PGA of America consultant-turned-non-stop farce talk golf with your friends. Or wish them happy birthday.

Rudy Giuliani’s pitch, which was posted for a time on Twitter before someone told him the entire ensemble here might not lure the desired purchases, has been rescued. Thank you to all involved for leaving us this indelible image.

Five Families Would Be Wise To Steer Clear Of The Tours v. Greg & The Sportwashing Saudi's

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There are no sound reasons I could come up with for the Masters, USGA, R&A and PGA of America to uphold possible player suspensions and risk legal exposure should Jay Monahan suspend players over U.S. appearances for LIV Golf’s series.

Things are good right now for the other Families and it sounds like they know it. My latest Quadrilateral.

Norman: Players Had Cashed The Checks Until Mickelson's Remarks

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A Greg Norman interview with ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach is getting a lot of attention for the Shark opening up even more about “negative momentum” Phil Mickelson’s “scary m&^%$#@&^’s” characterization caused the startup LIV Golf.

I found a couple of other remarks more telling and they probably kept conversation lively around the Global Home’s pizza maker today.

"Quite honestly, we were ready to launch on the Tuesday or Wednesday of Genesis," Norman said. "We had enough players in our strength of field, or minimal viable product, ready to come on board. And when all of that happened, everybody got the jitters, and the PGA Tour threatened people with lifetime bans and stuff like that."

Norman said a handful of the players who had previously signed with LIV Golf have remained committed to play in the series, which now includes eight events -- including five in the U.S.

Norman said they had 15 of the world top 50 at the time committed to play in what was a league concept then and is now a come-as-you-please tour with a team event at the end. If he’s to be believed—always an if with the Shark—that would have been a more significant number of top players than the current 15 of the top 100 most recently estimated.

But this was a shocker:

"To this day, we still have players under contract and signed," Norman said. "The ones who wanted to get out because of the pressure of the PGA Tour gave back their money and got out. Guys had money in their pockets."

So according to the Shark money was wired and returned.

Which would suggest a sizable number of players were and probably will continue to have no qualms about the money source, a significant problem for the existing Tours who have either done business with Saudi Arabia (European Tour) or are afraid to question the source (PGA Tour).

Yet who is proudly all in and publicly committed to the LIV events?

PGA In Tulsa: Tiger Shows His Hand

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Tiger Woods visited Southern Hills last week and delivered excitement. And yet, did Team Reed really take to Twitter to grovel about the scouting trip?

The latest Quadrilateral looks at this strange development and this also inspires a preview of potential PGA madness should Phil Mickelson return. Oh, and a weekend wrap-up of a mostly forgettable one in pro golf.

Wayne Player Speaks: I'm Still A Tool!

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Just over a year since he flashed a sleeve of golf balls over Lee Elder’s shoulder and got deservedly banished from The Masters, Gary Player’s son Wayne speaks.

GolfDigest.com’s Joel Beall tracked Wayne down and learned this.

“I don’t mind letting people know,” Player says. “To be completely transparent I think it is a cool story because you know, the National never really came out formally and said, ‘Oh, we're, you know, not allowing Wayne Player to come back to the Masters.’ They never ever said that to the media. That's just the way they do it. They don't say much.”

Better than having you sleep with the fishes.

And of course Wayne has thoughts on dad’s endorsement of Saudi Arabia this year.

“We can judge, you know, the Arab nation for traditions that they have. I mean, where women are not allowed to walk around like we know women can walk around, they've gotta have a cloak over their head. I mean, I don't know, it's not for me to criticize them, you know?” Player says. “I mean, look, they're very tough on law and order, you know, and they do all the stuff that would be considered barbaric there, right. That's what [Phil Mickelson] basically said.”

Yes and you’ll all be lining up to take their money. How charming.

Australian Open In World First: Joint Men's and Women's National Championships

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Victoria Golf Club (Geoff Shackelford)

While we’ve had tournaments of a similar format, the Australian Open becomes the first to bring the men and women together for concurrent national golf championships December 1-4, 2022.

The DP World Tour will co-sanction the men’s event.

Even better, they have lined up the magnificent Victoria Golf Club for the finale, with the incredible Kingston Heath hosting early action.

From the release:

The men’s event will headline the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, while the women’s event will be sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia.

In another first for the Australian Open, the men’s event will also be sanctioned on the DP World Tour, putting Australian golf on the world stage for two consecutive weeks with the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship to be staged at Royal Queensland the week prior.

Field sizes of 144 men and 144 women will compete for an equal split of the minimum $3.4 million prizemoney on offer.

The Australian Open will also feature the third edition of the Australian All Abilities Championship assembling the top 12 players on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability from across the world. Golf Australia’s Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said the new format is a significant strategic move that has involved in depth long-term planning.