PIF Saudi International

The Big Easy

It's only 900k for the winner, with considerably more on offer at Pebble on the PGA Tour this week.

How much do we reckon the appearance fees are? They're obviously on a gradient with DJ already picking up far more than the winner's cheque before even hitting a shot.

What about Shane? Appearance fee more than the winner's cheque or not? I've read he signed a 3 year appearance deal with PIF after winning the Open when his exposure and profile was at its highest.

Find the appearance fee thing fascinating, do the players ask each other how much they got? Did Sergio get more than Stenson, Westwood? How do they decide, maybe they give the really top guys more than the winner's cheque and then guys like Fleetwood, Poults etc, a few hundred thousand, would that be enough to tempt them?

And then the more ho-hum guys like Manassero who's leading, would he have received anything? Just happy to play for the money and ranking points legitimately on offer through the Asian Tour?

SeeMoreBut

It seems like the event is just to get Norman to have a word in their ear to see how much they'll take for signing up to the Saudi's.

Norman is a person who just seems to be what's in it for me and couldn't give a flying ..... how it effects the golfing world.

How much Shane is getting I say between 500k-1m.

DJ, Phil and Bryson be picking up the big cheques

Pdoghue

Mickelsen and Westwood have already done interviews this week having a whinge and intimating that they're thinking seriously about joining this new breakaway tour. Phil the Mick was complaining that the PGA tour own all the media rights to action involving the players but the players get none of that income, or can't monetise it themselves.

I think what it comes down to is that the players will use this breakaway tour as leverage to get a better deal for themselves with the PGA tour. But jeezus.. like they're hardly downtrodden labourers not getting paid for their efforts as it is..

Deeper Blue

I'm a Mickelson fan but it's a bit rich for him to claim the PGA tour is greedy while he picks up a cheque in Saudi Arabia to add his 400 million net worth.

MarcusP12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118577024#Comment_118577024

Don't forget the 8M PIP or whatever its called and the 9M for that march play with tiger! How much money do these guys need??? Does Phil even understand the irony of his grievance with the PGA as he takes the big cheque for playing in KSA....

Already wealthy self-entitled whingers out in KSA to pick up their blood-money cheques which they receive before even swinging a club.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118577024#Comment_118577024

Think he was talking about tour players as a group being unhappy with the PGA rather than him personally. He doesn’t need the money, but not all PGA tour players are as wealthy as him. He may have a point about PGA retaining exclusive rights, and benefiting from it rather than sharing it with the talent.

I think some of the big players may be dropping hints in order to force the established tours to share more of the media money with the players. But in the end I can’t see the players choosing the money if it affects their participation on the PGA/European tour in any way.

patob

Bryson reportedly offered mega bucks for the SGL $135m !! .https://www.golfdigest.com/story/bryson-super-golf-league?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=golfdigest&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=golfdigest

chasingbirdies

Think this whole topic could be an interesting story line for that new Netflix doc

Keano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118579305#Comment_118579305

And he has now Withdrawn from the tournament.

FixdePitchmark

Golf for a long time , has been completely mercenary and selfish. So I fail to be shocked anymore.

At the end of the day - if they are excluded from Majors - it is a disaster for golf .

Has that been hinted at - or could that pan out ?

Buttros

Flicked this on (premier sports) out of curiosity. Jesus its dull. Had to google to see if fans are allowed at the event..... They are. tickets are 17 eur ish for tomorrow and u16 are free. I can't remember a worse attended sports event that wasnt enforced.

eirman

You can watch it for free on FREESPORTS HD (422 on my NI Sky box).

Ohmeha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118585814#Comment_118585814

All you can hear most of the time is the background sound of helicopters! Nice enough course but it is really literally in the middle of nowhere out in the desert I don't think they could pay enough people to attend it, not sure how the Saudi PIF think this is a good look for a selling their vision of a Golf super league

IAmTitleist

The actual golf was far more interesting a watch than the pathetic AT&T Pro Am at Pebble Beach.

Really tough conditions which meant the players faced a real grind out there rather than the usual monotonous target golf of the PGA Tour.

Mushy

As an aside to all the moral questioning of the tournament (I agree with it all anyway), that was some putt by Varner to win it