Monahan Rolls Out PGA Tour Revamped Tour: Wraparound Goes And Several Events Get $20 Million Purses

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A lot of folks summed up Jay Monahan’s presser.

David Dusek’s interpretation of the answers hits on the key points.

Dylan Dethier also singles out the main takeaways and tries to answer some anticipated questions.

The full transcript is posted at ASAPSports.com.

There were obvious omissions in today’s slapped together reaction to LIV Golf:

  • After all this time of disruption, this is the most creative you’ve got? More money to events already in good shape, smaller fields and no cuts (except The Players)? All those fancy pizzamakers, perks and fancy offices producing a WGC concept light on the world or originality?

  • What is going on with the updated DP World Tour alliance details that were close to being unveiled?

It’s easy to sympathize with Jay Monahan’s dilemma. He’s trying to retain the current PGA Tour structure while funneling more money back to players who would rather get appearance fees. But he’s largely putting forward solutions that veer closer to LIV Golf’s exhibition-vibe format and still building everything around an August playoff that gets mediocre ratings.

At the same time, the Global Home’s refusal to take outside forces seriously—until it was too late—is a key driver of this mess. No one could have imagined the Saudis sending silly money to never-weres and has-beens, but you still have to plan for worst case scenarios. No?

Anyway, on to Monahan’s opening statement.

As I said to our members yesterday in a player meeting, we will ultimately come out of the current challenge stronger because of our loyalty and support of our players and fans, the best in the world, as well as our planned future growth and with our values as our North Star.

And as I also said to the players yesterday, let me be clear. I am not naive. If this is an arms race and if the only weapons here are dollar bills, the PGA TOUR can't compete. The PGA TOUR, an American institution, can't compete with a foreign monarchy that is spending billions of dollars in attempt to buy the game of golf.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

We welcome good, healthy competition.

No you don’t.

The LIV Saudi Golf League is not that. It's an irrational threat; one not concerned with the return on investment or true growth of the game.

Currently no one organization owns or dominates the game of golf. Instead, the various entities, be it Augusta National or the USGA or the LPGA or the PGA TOUR or the PGA of America work together to meet our own respective priorities, but with the best interests of the game overall at heart.

I knew it was Barzini. Maybe “DP World Tour” was in the speech and the shine off Jay’s Daytona blinded him when he got to the part where the strategic alliance partners get a mention.

But when someone attempts to buy the sport, dismantle the institutions that are intrinsically invested in its growth, and focus only on a personal priority, that partnership evaporates, and instead we end up with one person, one entity, using endless amounts of money to direct employees, not members or partners, toward their personal goal, which may or may not change tomorrow or the next day.

Finally, we might get the Crown Prince named by a golf organization. Progress!

I doubt that's the vision any of us have for the game. Now, I know legacy and purpose sound like talking points that don't mean much, but when I talk of those concepts, it isn't about some sort of intangible moral high ground. It is our track record as an organization and as a sport.

On the PGA TOUR, our members compete for the opportunity to add their names to history books, and, yes, significant financial benefits, without having to wrestle with any sort of moral ambiguity. And pure competition creates relevancy and context, which is what fans need and expect in order to invest their time in a sport and in a player. That's the beauty of the PGA TOUR. We have and always will provide a global platform for members to compete against the very best, earn their stardom, and become household names.

Yeah but the kids today…oh sorry, shame on me criticizing the coveted demo. Go on…

You just heard from Exhibit A, Scottie Scheffler's meteoric rise over the last four years: Korn Ferry TOUR Player of the Year in 2019, PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year in 2020, Ryder Cup Rookie in 2021, World No. 1, FedExCup leader, having won four times in six weeks, including the Masters tournament. His journey is that of a true meritocracy. If you're good enough, you will rise to the top; and if you don't continue to earn that top spot, someone else as hungry and as talented is right there to take your place. Again, that's the unique beauty of what the TOUR has and always will offer to fans. It's damn good and it's worth fighting for.

Back to the kids today part. You know, the greatest generation of athletes to ever descend on golf course? They really believed the hype.

Now finally and most importantly, I want to talk where the PGA TOUR is headed. We don't expect to overcome this current challenge by relying on our legacy and track record alone. We've been on a path for a number of years to strengthen and evolve our product for the benefit of our fans and players alike.

Money, money, money!

Those plans are obviously accelerated in light of the current environment and we have some exciting developments coming out of yesterday's policy board meeting that will further secure our status as the preeminent golf TOUR in the world.

This includes moving forward with our future product model for the 2022-23 season and beyond, a return to a calendar year schedule beginning in 2024, with the FedExCup contested from January to August, culminating with the FedExCup playoffs, and followed by the fall events, which will determine the top 125 and finalize eligibility for the next FedExCup season.

Gee, who could have seen the need to do that? No details goes missed at the GH.

Revised field sizes for the FedExCup playoffs in 2023 and beyond of 70 players for the FedEx St. Jude Championship, 50 players at the BMW Championship, and 30 players at the TOUR Championship.

The 70 players who qualify for the first playoffs event will be fully exempt for the following season, including the invitationals.

Oh so like, a playoff that’s actually a playoff. Kinky!

The creation of a series of up to three international events to be played after the conclusion of the fall schedule, which will include the top 50 players from the final FedExCup points list.

Those were going to be out alliance partners but, well, maybe not now?

Alongside these changes, the policy board also amended the resource allocation plan to increase purse sizes at eight events during the 2022-23 season, with an average purse at 20 million dollars.

Where have I seen that number?

Again, there is more work to be done and details to confirm, but implementing substantial changes to our schedule gives us the best opportunity to not only drive earnings to our players, but also improve our product and create a platform for continued growth in the future.

I know that's a lot to digest.

Actually not enough.

Rory On LIV Flippers: My Duplicitous Peers

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Oh, just imagine Dustin Johnson being told he’s duplicitous.

From David Dusek’s report on Rory McIlroy’s pre-Travelers presser where it was revealed Brooks Koepka has not exactly been consistent on his stances.

“Yes, because of what he said previously. I think that’s why I’m surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another,” McIlroy said. “I don’t understand that, and I don’t know if that’s for legal reasons or if they can’t, I have no idea. But it’s pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing.”

State Of The Game 121: Joe Ogilvie Talks LIV Golf

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After a hiatus we are back to talk the state of pro golf with longtime PGA Tour professional Joe Ogilvie, now in the wealth management world but still very much engaged in the current proceedings.

I think you’ll enjoy this chat with Rod Morri, Mike Clayton and myself. As always, you can listen here, subscribe with your favorite pod provider at that link, or hit play below.

Faldo Goes Out On His Terms; Immelman To Step Into CBS Lead Analyst Chair

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Announcers have been known to hang on too long and while there were hints Nick Faldo was less engaged in his announcing prep of late—who could blame him given some of the nonsense in pro golf—he’s decided to retire.

Based on a letter he posted to Twitter, Faldo has traveled enough and will continue with his design and Faldo Series work. (I won’t be surprised if he’s drawn back in by the chance to work a major here or there but for now, he’s signing off at the 2022 Wyndham Championship after 16 years.)

John Ourand had the initial news of Trevor Immelman’s hiring to replace Faldo.

James Colgan at Golf reports that CBS Sports chair Sean McManus looked at a “broad range” of replacement candidates before settling on Immelman, who has been at the network since 2019 after getting his start at Golf Channel.

Jimmy Dunne On Greg Norman: "The luckiest man in the world, because he had this vendetta his whole career and he found someone to bankroll it.”

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Jimmy Dunne, whose firm lost employees in the 9/11 attacks and is current President of Seminole, spoke to SI’s Michael Rosenberg about LIV Golf and Greg Norman. He passed on discussing the Saudi role in 9/11 or in funding the rogue league.

“I don't like it when they say they're 'growing the game,’” Dunne said. “That's crap. I don't even like it when they say 'I have to do what's best for my family.' I really wonder how many of those guys, the lifestyle that they were living was so horrible that their family needed them to do this. Just say, 'I'm at a point in my career where I (want to) make five times as much money against much weaker competition and play less.' Just tell the truth. Don't cover it with a lot of crap.”

And on his fellow Florida resident Greg Norman:

Dunne said LIV CEO Greg Norman “is the luckiest man in the world, because he had this vendetta his whole career and he found someone to bankroll it.” Dunne understands that LIV is a threat to the PGA Tour. But he thinks it’s also a threat to the psyches of golfers who join it.

Fred Couples: “It’s just amazing to hear all these people who can’t even answer simple questions about LIV Golf”

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Tough love from Fred Couples to some of his Task Force disciples and player fanboys who’ve taken Saudi Arabia’s advances to play the LIV Golf events.

From Christine Brennan’s story about Wednesday’s USGA press conference and the struggles to recall the Saudi regime’s role in 9/11, or the struggle families have had with the United States government to better understand the Saudi involvement.

“It’s just amazing to hear all these people who can’t even answer simple questions about LIV Golf,” Couples told USA TODAY Sports in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. “For these 9/11 families, it must be a crushing blow. 

“If I had an 18-year-old son who was killed by a drunk driver, I think I would fight my whole life to make sure people drinking at a bar did not get into a car. I’m sure it’s the same with the 9/11 families and Saudi Arabia. To not be able to answer these questions because they are getting $200 million or he can’t answer because he’s making $110 million or $65 million, it’s just crazy.”

Is The Tour Formerly Known As European Considering A Saudi Partnership?

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GolfDigest.com’s Dan Rapaport and John Huggan talk to multiple sources suggesting the DP World Tour is mulling a “partnership of sorts” with the Saudi Arabia backed LIV Golf.

More than a dozen sources from across the DP World Tour and PGA Tour landscape have told Golf Digest that Pelley is mulling a rather impactful decision: a partnership of sorts between his tour and LIV Golf Investments, or a further integration with the PGA Tour. A spokesman for LIV declined to comment for this story, but a source intimately familiar with discussions between the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour says both sides see potential value in aligning more closely.

“[Pelley’s] getting serious pressure from his rank-and-file members to consider the Saudis,” says one high-profile player.

According to sources, Pelley was seen at Centurion Golf Club during LIV’s inaugural event last weekend, though it is not known whether any formal discussions with LIV took place. A spokesperson for the DP World Tour declined comment when asked about any conversations with either LIV Golf or the PGA Tour.

A partnership with LIV Golf for the former European Tour could present benefits to both sides.

The DP World Tour issued a statement in response to the piece but only addressed the whereabouts of the increasingly low profile Pelley last week:

We are aware of some reports in the media that DP World Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley attended the event at Centurion Club last week. This is categorically untrue as Keith was in Sweden attending the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed tournament.