The PGA Tour Thread

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118651935#Comment_118651935

I think their main aim at the moment is turning Saudi into a tourism hot spot, they're trying to copy Dubai now one of the biggest and best tourist destinations in the world.

Innish_Rebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118651504#Comment_118651504

I can understand where you are coming from on some fronts - but also remember the PGA tour is owned by the members - one of its jobs is to distribute money to its members - but it is also a registered "charity" - not 100% sure of the intricate details. But there is no owner creaming off the profits.

Is it possible for the top players to earn more (in some cases ludicrous) money - YES 100%.

My question is to though - to what detriment? If they're not in the PGA tour then the money made by the PGA tour will drop, hence smaller purses hence the overall distribution to the full membership will take a big hit. The tour itself needs its stars, so they will try to keep their money high, just the filter down will take a huge hit, Lower reaches of PGA tour, Korn Ferry, DP World tour, PGA of latin america...

Phil - I really admire the guy, would have been a big fan of his but claiming the PGA tour is doing him out of up to $20 billion dollars by holding his PGA tour image rights... A few of his other actions recently really rubbing me up wrong.

Bryson - not a big fan of his BUT would still much prefer to see him competing on the tour, he is an interesting character.

DJ - normally is prepared to say is straight, it is a shed load of money, thank you very much. Be interesting to see if he will roll out all the lovely platitudes on how wonderful Saudi is and how they're all changing etc...

Don't get me started on Charlie Hoffmann - got a sh*t ruling on a golf course, 100% he was unfortunate, but does he think any other tour will operate on "new" golf rules that you just make up as you go along, he mentions oppression in the PGA tour, does he think the Saudi Gov will give carte blanche!!! Boo Hoo Charlie you've had career earnings of ~$32Million and I can guarantee if I mentioned his name to a few part time golf fans I know they would say "Who? never heard of the guy".

Don't get me wrong - I would love to see some improvement in the coverage of golf on TV, I would welcome some new formats & more often tournaments like this week in Riveara (one of my favs & the pro's too). As bad as we have it here with Sky - the American advertising load is ridiculous, the same 72 hole stroke format every week can be a bit of a dour battle. I was not very positive for the PGL but I will admit the NoLayingUp podcast with PGL boss made some really interesting points, and was (kindof) trying to come up of a way of working with PGA tour - rather than against it. Maybe the tour itself can come up with a solution. I hope so, but for me the Saudi version - no thank you. The history & current regime does not sit well with me.

Innish_Rebel

I have no words...

https://www.balls.ie/golf/phil-mickelson-saudi-comments-500533

Frisbee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118652106#Comment_118652106

I can't see McIlroy going. He's been pretty vocal about being against the whole thing. Then with JT, Rahm & Morikawa doing the same this week it's hard to see where the big hitters are going to come from for the Saudi League. If you look at the Top 20 of the OWGR the only names you could see going to play in it are Bryson, DJ & Louis

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118652353#Comment_118652353

I'd agree with a lot of that tbh, especially about Hoffman. I still don't know why the PGA tour and DP World tour can't sit down with the Saudis and come to some arrangement - maybe they have tried, I don't know. I do think they're potentially fighting a losing battle by going the protectionist route of banning players for taking part etc. Let's say Bryson (or whoever) plays the Saudi tour and rocks up and wins The Open or US Open, neither of which are run by the Tours - its a complete PR disaster for PGA/DP World tours.

As for the sportswashing, regime, human rights etc - like most people, I abhor what they do, but c'mon, there's an Olympics on right now in China, there's going to be a World Cup in Qatar. Anyone owning an iphone made in China or putting petrol in their car or using Uber has lost the human rights argument if you go deep enough.

eagle eye

The thing about these 'stars' going off to another league is ridiculous. There'll be other players coming through all the time.

Look at the top players in the world right now. The no.2 and no.4 are only two year on tour. Then you have Scheffler who came through from the Korn Ferry Tour and is two years on the PGA tour as well.

There'll be loads that come through and become top players at a very young age like Cole Hammer, Pierceson Coody, Sam Bennett and Alex Fitzpatrick. I think Hammer will be a really special one personally.

stellamere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118652540#Comment_118652540

I agree with you about the sportswashing in one sense but in those cases the athletes had virtually no say in where those events were held.

In this instance the golfers, who have an amazing standard of living, are choosing to play on a Saudi sponsored tour, fully knowing who they are getting into bed with. They are also more than likely going to forgoe playing in the majors and ryder cup , all for more cash, which they already have in abundance.

Mickelson is revealing himself to be the complete dose that he was rumoured to be. His whining about how he's being screwed by the pga tour, which has effectively helped him become a multi multi millionaire is hard to take. He says he knows that the Saudis have murdered the journalist (didn't even bother finding out khashoggi's name) but that its OK to use the threat of joining the proposed tour as leverage to get more money from the pga tour.

How he can accuse the pga tour of extreme greed with a straight face shows how far up his own arse he has gone.

If the new tour goes ahead do you reckon it will attract many viewers? I can't see myself watching it. It'll probably be on another ppv channel anyway.

I hope the pga and european-tour stick to their guns and give those joining the new tour their p45s.

Mantis Toboggan

Doubt they'd go ppv I'd say they'd provide free to air viewing and put it on as much terrestrial tv as possible, If they can get the stars they could easily have millions of viewers in the UK alone, sky would then come under pressure to get people to sign up for sky sports golf when they are getting top class golf for free.

Dr. Bre

niemann and young flying at the genesis !

CSWS101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118655477#Comment_118655477

I doubt they will get be getting top class golf. Bryson and a load of past its looking for one last pay day e.g. Poults, Westwood, GMac - one exception maybe is Adam Scott. Would be a hard pass on that myself anyway

ankles

Back to golf. Rory holed a combined 18 feet of putts today (may not be accurate, but felt like it)

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118654978#Comment_118654978

I couldn’t disagree with much of that tbh. I’ve no idea if the new tour would attract many viewers, part of me says there’s no such thing as bad publicity so the novelty value (for want of a better phrase) would probably ensure good initial viewing numbers, while part of me thinks I couldn’t really be arsed watching a bunch of guys in their pre Champions Tour years going through the motions. I suppose to an extent it would depend on the event and the venue, personally I think some PGA tour event are brilliant to watch but there’s some that are almost painful.

I think Richard Bland had it right when he said it needs McIlroy on board for it to succeed as he’s still the number one draw in golf right now. Without Rory and probably a few others, I think any new tour would still feel like the second division, no matter what the prize money or appearance money is.

finglashoop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118656006#Comment_118656006

tiger woods is the number one draw

even if he just turns up as a spectator.

Mushy

Dustin commits to the pga tour, so much for the big names going

Mushy

Bryson now pledging allegiance to the pga tour. Saudi thing is either collapsing after Phil's comments or was never a thing

Deeper Blue

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118664018#Comment_118664018

As does Bryson. Those Phil quotes appear to have torpedoed the whole thing, he'll probably be the only one left at this rate.

Mushy

It's funny to see tbh, wonder how the rest of the people moving now feel. I'd say gutted will be the main one, mega bucks for less work would've been nice

Mantis Toboggan

What did Phil say?

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118665400#Comment_118665400

It's grand that they kill journalists and gay people once there's a chance to stick it to the PGA.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118665563#Comment_118665563

It’s true what they say…… paper never refuses ink

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118665574#Comment_118665574

Yeah, but it's funnier when it's true after coming from an idiot

Blud

Surely Phil's sponsors can't be happy with those comments. The likes of KPMG must be cringing

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118665588#Comment_118665588

Well I was talking about your comment because that is not what he said

Deeper Blue

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118665888#Comment_118665888

Quotes below are pretty much exactly as Mushy described..

"We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates."

Motivator

Phil is public enemy number 1 now on Tour. His legacy is most definitely tarnished now, those hardcore all American Joe’s that he represented for the last 25 years are as fickle as they come and they aren’t happy. The PGA aren’t happy, the media aren’t happy, his fellow players and pals he had on tour are distancing themselves big time.

I don’t know where this came out of with Mickelson. Maybe he was the spokesperson for a group that wanted the breakaway and now that he’s made such a balls up of it all they’re rowing back and sticking with the PGA? The Saudi league is a terrible concept and I think what would scupper it once and for all is a rule brought in that as it’s a standalone Tour, there’s no ranking points meaning no entry to majors. That would burn it all.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118665888#Comment_118665888

Pity the quote is right there, I may have gone for the short-hand version but it's right there for all to see

Mantis Toboggan

Phil is singlehandedly bringing down the super league, what about the PGL version, maybe room for that although players now look spooked.

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118656688#Comment_118656688

From a fan's perspective he probably is and likely always will be. Presumably as a current player, Bland meant from a player's perspective and was referring to active players. If they want to play against the best they'll want to compete with the likes of Rory, Rahm, DJ, JT etc etc.

Innish_Rebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118652540#Comment_118652540

I do understand the sportswashing alternative. ie. the look at China & comparisons, & yes I do have an iPhone. Every human writes argument can be argued to those depths - but right now the Saudi Gov is the tip of that spear...

But also I will say this as others have said - these individual golfers have chosen to attend this new Saudi event (no longer on the European tour) they take appearance fees & quote out platitudes about the great steps the Saudi Government are making - because their appearance fees require it. And a batch were prepared to go to the new tour. Now we hear what Phil really thinks.

It looks like Phil has totally torpedoed the thing though with his comments. My personal favorites are DJ & Bryson's statements suggesting that they don't know how they've been associated with this breakaway tour and are now putting this speculation to rest!!!

fullstop

Ruaidhri McGee in a playoff for a spot in the Honda this week.