LIV Golf Invitational League...... NO Political/Ethical conflict posts, see Post#2

Seve OB

3,300 courses in UK and Ireland ?

are you sure about that?

is there about 400 or so in Ireland?

so that’s 2,900 in Great Britain? I know that it’s a much bigger island than Ireland, but it Seems an awful lot

paulos53

The R&A numbers from a 2021 survey has 3,466 courses across Ireland and Britain.

England alone has over 2200 courses, averaging 1 every 22.8 square miles.

Innish_Rebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119590919#Comment_119590919

I came across this an article:

Top 10 Countries for Golf Courses

USA 16,156

Japan 3,140

United Kingdom 3,101

Canada 2,564

Australia 1,584

Germany 1,054

France 811

The Republic of Korea 810

Sweden 650

China 617

Ireland is 14th on list with 365, I don't know where they got their figures from but US has over 42% of worlds golf courses

Seve OB

Wow I’m amazed at that. Huge numbers for UK and Japan.

When you break USA down it gives an average 323 per state (obviously will be some higher than others) so pretty much on a par with Ireland

Richard Hillman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119588685#Comment_119588685

There's been something very unauthentic about how they have spoken this week, along with Horschel. It's as if the group chat agreed for everyone to come out with the same message this week and it was about depriving regular European Tour player spots at the tournament (even though they only show up to the minimum required tournaments themselves). Then there is McIlroy turning up today with a Ryder Cup jumper to make a point.

Golf is real bubble sport. There is social bubble between players and their families, that doesn't quite match up to real life. They are surrounded by Yes Men/Women but protected by carefully cultivated PR people. Take the PR people out, like the original LIV press conferences where the golfers made an idiot of themselves and PGA Post-Tiger meeting communications, none of them appear very likable.

The LIV golfers split golf, took money from an ethically questionable source, but somehow the likes of McIlroy, Lowry and Horschel have made themselves look complete door handles. It's really quite the achievement.

Nobody is coming out well from this. I think McIlroy thinks he is doing great out of it because he is getting praised by the TV media (who just happen to own the TV rights to the PGA tour). I don't think he realises that he's in a bubble. The broadcasters only care about their investment.

benny79

I have to disagree. I think Mcilroy , Lowry and the likes are coming off great and showing real passion. I do believe the longer it goes on that LIV players are just trying to be disruptive!

But its like good vs evil! Im loving it.. Really hope they get banned from majors. Definitely hope the tour wont be able to get qualifying points.

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119606357#Comment_119606357

Why would they be banned from Majors ? Can't really see any grounds for it tbh. The Majors are nothing to do with the tours. I have to agree with Harrington here and say that the Majors shouldn't ban anyone, they should be above the squabbling between tours/players etc IMHO. Half of them probably won't qualify anyway regardless. I know players can miss majors for various reasons, not qualifying, injury etc, and you can only beat the field that's in front of you, but it could/would take something away from a Major win if a bunch of the best players weren't there because they were simply banned. Why should The Open let some lowly qualifier from wherever in, but not let the defending champion play ?

OEP

The majors won't ban them

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119606806#Comment_119606806

I wouldn't think so either. But those who haven't got exemptions and the like will probably be excluded due to not being able to meet qualifying criteria.

OEP

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119607753#Comment_119607753

Which is fair enough

joebloggs32

There is only a small group of LIV players with an exemption to all majors under the 5 year rule such as Smith, Mickleson etc.

There is another group who will get into specific events as past champions such as Oesthazen in the Open.

The rest of them are goosed for the majors as they fall outside of the top 50 if they haven't already (or were never in that category at any stage ....pat perez ahem😜) they will have to try and qualify for the opens at the regional qualifying events.

They all knew this when they took the $$$$ on offer unless Norman lied to them about OWGR points.

Nonetheless, i doubt any golf fan wants to see the game split. We all love to see the top players go head to head. I wont mind about regular events but the Majors always were compelling viewing and if there are say in 5 years time majors without guys like Cameron Smith playing then they may feel a little devalued

youcancallmeal

Would be cool to see a LIV vs PGA type event in future but that's just a fantasy as it would require some sort of PGA recognition of LIV and LIV wouldn't want to see their best players probably well beaten by PGAs best

slave1

About a third of living past Masters Champions are on LIV tour, doubt they will be excluded

Rikand

Twitter rumours saying that another current top 10 golfer has signed for LIV.

Hovland the early favourite followed by Morikawa

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119612579#Comment_119612579

He was rumoured at one point way back wasn't he ?

Ancer, Niemann, Cam Smith and now maybe one of these two - that's a lot of young talent. Rory might be as well off shutting the hell up and seeing how it plays out IMO, let JT or Spieth be the poster boys for the US Tour.

Edit: just reading that this player is supposedly unhappy with the new proposals for the PGA Tour going forward. That, to me, points to a European or non US player. 20 events wouldn't be an issue for a US player, but might be hard for a European to manage if he wants to stay on DPWT.

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119612579#Comment_119612579

It's time for the PGA time to sit down and talk if LIV get another top golfer.

benny79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119613181#Comment_119613181

No. why should they? Greg Norman doesn't want to talk anyway.. Yes they could play the majors but I dont think they will get ranking points and proper other too.. So it will make it hard for them to qualify going forward.

Hyzepher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119613218#Comment_119613218

What happens when the LIV Tour is arguably stronger than the PGA Tour? If the OWGR don't award points to them then it's the PGA Tour that will suffer. Having average golfers with high rankings while all the best golfers are over in LIV. A decision like that from the OWGR would do more harm to golf than LIV ever could.

And if you doubt whether LIV could be the stronger tour, ask yourself realistically how many more would need to go before it's debatable? Hovland, Burns, Homa, Scott, Matsuyama is all it would take.

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119613218#Comment_119613218

You don't want to be getting the chips in with a weak hand, and the PGAs hand is only getting weaker... At a far faster rate than I had anticipated. If they lose another high profile golfer, I think they would be best to talk/try to come to some sort of compromise.

Norman mightn't want to talk, but I wouldn't rule it out, maybe he just wants a stronger hand before talking.

The Majors is a slightly separate thing, if LIV players end up not being allowed, then it'll hurt those players, but it'll hurt golf/the Majors even more imo.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119612952#Comment_119612952

Rory loves having an opinion and loves telling us all what ot is. He tends to change it as much as I change jocks though. If the wind changes on LIV so will Rorys opinion.

Hovland is outside top10 and there's no DP player inside top10?

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615603#Comment_119615603

That's what makes him fascinating though, give me that over the usual robots we see on tour.

irelandrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615603#Comment_119615603

I also personally dislike people who change their opinion as situation changes. Everyone should just form an opinion at the start and absolutely refuse to change it no matter what.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615615#Comment_119615615

Ah yeah he's controversial and we all love a bit of controversy. He seems to have convinced Shane to cpurththat controversy but I'm not sure Shane is as well versed in the art of Teflon if/when the mood on LIV changes.

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615623#Comment_119615623

That's what stubborn bigheaded people do.

PokeHerKing

Yeah lets just say whatever the fcuk we want because we can do a uturn when it suits and be considered enlightened.

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615677#Comment_119615677

Changing opinion is a good thing, again give me someone who's willing to change their opinion based on the situation rather than some fool who forms an opinion early and sticks to their guns no matter what.

Are you telling me you've never changed an opinion?

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615689#Comment_119615689

No I'm not saying that but at some point you need to hold the opiniated flip flopper accountable.

Do we just absolve all people from all their opinions bad or good if they change them at some point?

Rory has serious form at this stage. He's not some chap in the pub. His opinion carrys weight, he's using that weight to bend public opinion to his own.

The fact he's more likely to flip flop than own his original view just makes me think his opinion is worth nothing.

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615603#Comment_119615603

Hovland is 10th in the rankings.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615742#Comment_119615742

Correct, I was looking at pga tour and they still have fitzpatrick in 10th.

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615723#Comment_119615723

I'm not his biggest fan but I do like the fact that he at least gives his opinion. Most of them don't.

I do think he's been a little naive on this and other things. It's well and good for Tiger to be spearheading the PGA stance on this seeing that he's at the end of his career. Rory doing the same in the midst of his playing days mightn't be the best idea.

However, I think the "fight" has actually helped his golf this year. Seems to have given him that bit of grit and determination that is sometimes missing.