The PGA Tour Thread

GymTanLaundry

I was reading online that apparently they are waiting until they have 20 headline players signed up before announcing the developments and plans going forward. The plan is to announce the week of the Players to basically overshadow the PGA Tour's flagship event week, which is pretty petty in fairness. I imagine with the likes of Scott and Mickelson signing up, it will be a pre Champions Tour feel, in terms of who's signed up?

Mushy

That would make sense regarding waiting for the headline names alright. If it is a style of pre-champions tour ultimately then I don't see it being such a huge issue. Not until younger/top players jump ship

The Parish King

It’s hard to know what the impact of this will be - NLU’s latest podcast suggested that there would be 10-12 teams with four players on each, and three of the captains being Phil, DJ and Bryson so not necessarily a “pre-Champions Tour” feel across the board. I suspect that the players who recently played in the Saudi Invitational are the ones most likely to make the jump over (which was a pretty mixed profile and age range as well).

Interestingly, there are reports this morning that the PGA Tour are looking to replace the post Tour Championship events with a team event played across the US, Europe and Asia - possibly in response to the Saudi league as well as the PGL.

It’ll be interesting to see how all of this shakes out!

Mantis Toboggan

I like the idea of the top players going head to head every week as opposed to the fragmented style we have now. Wonder would we get an Irish open on it? Hopefully either all or none of the top players join, less fragmentation the better.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118646363#Comment_118646363

In fairness a good few of the top players are definitely against it, look at Rory, Rahm, Morikawa, so the fragmentation is well and truly on course

Cosmo Kramer

It mostly sounds like Bryson and a load of older players who add little value at this point anyway. Maybe DJ, but if it's just him and Bryson from the younger group that go then I don't think there will be too much interest in it or too many tears shed for them when they leave. Will also free up space on the PGA tour for up and coming younger players.

Reminds me a bit of footballers who go to asia for one last big pay day in their 30s before they retire. Let them off, I won't be tuning in to watch Charlie Hoffman plodding around Asia on Premier Sports.

Ivefoundgod

Not a hope you'd get an Irish open out of it, the PGA tour and DP tour are allied now and the Saudis would gain nothing (which is the entire point of the exercise) by playing in Ireland. The whole concept is 40ish players, not cuts and 54 hole events. Going on reports there is a plan for 10 events this year with the majority in the US (at trump courses, Doral, Bedminister) one in the UK and the rest in the Middle East. I hope it collapses entirely and have no intention of watching or supporting it in any way. Luckily its only players I don't like anyway being linked, Adam Scott would be the only player I'd be dissappointed with. Phil is a terrible person as we're now seeing and Bryson an idiot too so won't miss them. The mid tier europeans being linked like Poulter and Fleetwood says more about them than anything else.

I'd be concerned about Lowry, his comments and attendance in Saudi this year weren't exactly inspiring. All the other top players have already said they aren't leaving so the PGA tour will remain where the best players are. Hopefully it does get the PGA to improve the quality of their coverage though because it is brutal and has been getting worse if anything.

Looks like a load of guys in their 40's who seem to be talking about signing up to it. Past their best and cashing in.

AyeGer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118646591#Comment_118646591

DJ will be 38 in a few months. Still relatively young and a big name. I hope he doesn’t go. I don’t want Bryson to go either though.

Regards Charlie Hoffman I’d nearly chip in to pay for him to go.

Mantis Toboggan

Will be interesting to see what happens, golf badly needs a change, the American/pga tour's stranglehold over the sport isn't healthy, the sport needs to be brought into the 21st century.

AyeGer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118646997#Comment_118646997

The coverage is certainly a problem, I don’t know who decides it but they tend to pick a few players and follow them everywhere and show very little of other lesser known players unless they are leading or coming 2nd.

CSWS101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118647060#Comment_118647060

I get what you're saying but do you really have an interest following the likes of Kramer Hickok and Peter Malnati trying to get a top 10? Wouldn't interest me in the slightest, my problem with the PGA tour is there is too many cards given out and too many events. Cut down the events and the amount of players would make it easier to follow and broadcast. The introduction of team events during the wrap around would be so much more enjoyable, would be all for it.

youcancallmeal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118647060#Comment_118647060

Listening to US based golf podcasts complaining about the coverage it sounds horrendous. Like showing 4/5 shots then 5 minute ad break resulting in 15 minutes golf actually shown per hour and cutting to ads to when something significant is about to happen then having it spoiled if you're following a live scoreboard. Might not seem like it sometimes but we actually have it really good with Sky Sports Golf

eagle eye

I love the PGA tour and don't want anything to change. I hope anybody who goes on this gets banned from the PGA tour and the Majors.

The PGA tour were trying to help the European tour but this will destroy it completely I think.

Ivefoundgod

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118647264#Comment_118647264

DP Tour coverage on Sky is excellent, the PGA tour coverage is exactly what they get in the US minus all of the ads because Sky just go back to studio or have the comms talk over a scoreboard so its not as noticeable. Only difference is for majors where sky seem to have better coverage though not by much.

I agree the PGA tour could do with a shakeup but a Saudi backed golf league isn't something I'd have any interest in supporting. I would love nothing more than for it crash and burn and for Bryson and Phil to come back and sent to Q school.

youcancallmeal

Why do the Saudis even want to fund this league, what's in it for them? Are they trying to emulate the UAE and the way golf has increased the profile of Dubai and Abu Dhabi in particular

CSWS101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118647350#Comment_118647350

Sportswashing. They want people to associate them with golf/F1 rather than their terrible human rights record.

Frisbee

It sounds like the Tours response is going to be changing the format of the wraparound pre-Christmas portion, have that not count towards Fedex Cup and mix up up with the tournament styles.

The NLU Andy Gardiner podcast was brilliant. The ideas the PGL (not the Saudi League) are forward thinking and would certainly freshen things up. They can also complement the Tour and not replace any real portion of it beyond the pre-Christmas swing which barely any of the top players play in anyway. However what will most likely happen is the PGA Tour will take the PGLs idea, dilute the cráp out of it and make it barely passable.

AyeGer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118647236#Comment_118647236

I was very frustrated a few weeks ago when seamus power was leading or 2nd and wasn’t getting any coverage.

Ottoman_1000

Any reason why Lowry is not playing this week?

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118647278#Comment_118647278

Not sure how they were trying to help the European tour, they've taken all the best European players, the European tour is on life support, no event now for 3 weeks, last week Scottie Sheffler's caddie got paid more than all the players on the European tour apart from the winner!

Mushy

Jason Kokrak seemingly in for the Saudi tour, wanting to retire sooner rather than later. That'll surely entice the masses to tune in.

Ivefoundgod

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118649303#Comment_118649303

The strategic alliance? The PGA is responsible for the increased purses across the European tour this year, the co sanctioned Scottish open and the possible addition of the Irish open as a co sanctioned event. The players have left of their own volition.

Russman

Its a really interesting debate, but honestly I'm not sure what the "real" issue is tbh. Is it the PGA tour simply afraid of competition or are they afraid that the 10 opposite field events to the Saudi ones would struggle to survive without the big names ? Part of me says "F them", if the Irish Open struggles to survive because all the adults are at a WGC or something, what's wrong with the John Deere Classic struggling because they've all gone to a Saudi event ? Good for the goose and all that.

That said, obviously the optics of a bunch of young, fit, healthy, multimillionaires whining about their lot is pretty awful at the same time, and the rumoured signing up amounts being thrown around are almost immoral - $220m for Bryson ??!! WTF

blue note

The problem the public have is the sportswashing. The problem the PGA have is the competition and bargaining power the players have as a result of it.

finglashoop

no mention of human rights

Russman

.

kowloonkev

People seem to love the term sportswashing even though it doesn't make any sense these days. Maybe it would have before the internet but explain how this is sportswashing? If the Saudi's wanted to draw attention to human rights then they couldn't do a better job of it than they are currently doing. If they wanted nobody to pay attention then they would have stayed away from western culture and entertainment industries.

I enjoyed McIlroy's comments on it though, he just made it the least cool thing ever to join and embarrassed everyone involved. Credit to him on that one.

Mushy

https://firepitcollective.com/the-truth-about-phil-and-saudi-arabia/

some insane comments by mickleson. We know they kill journalists and people for being gay, but you know what, F*** Jay Monahan. That must be the worst reason given for all of this. At least Kokrak was honest saying he wanted to retire early.

Mantis Toboggan

Mcllroy is a ace in the pack, if they can turn him this thing will have legs.