***2022 PGA Tour Thread***

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cyclonespiker33

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Jan 19, 2011
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The PGA and DP World Tours aren't going to have the money to compete with the Saudi PIF. They just aren't. LIV will prove an impossible lure for even more current players on those tours because they're offering more money for less work. Who cares what the fan support might be - the PIF isn't making any money off of this. It's sportswashing funded by oil money, which the world isn't going to stop buying anytime soon. As more players leave the PGA and DP World Tours for LIV, I don't believe there will be a corresponding rise in viewership or fan support for LIV. Golf will just lose those fans permanently. I have zero interest in following a tour whose primary leaders are the Saudi government, Greg Norman, and yes, Donald Trump - and I guarantee that I'm not alone. The players who have chosen the LIV have been completely fine with being ineligible for Ryder Cups, Presidents' Cups, and potentially even majors down the line due to bans or not accruing OWGR points. Their actions show that they do not care about the history of the game or the greatest events in the sport.

The greediest players will make a ton of money while the overall standard of competition declines, because the incentives to work as hard for a high standard of play will be less with the increased guaranteed money. There will be a PGA Tour in 10 or 20 years, but it may hold half as many tournaments and for similar purses as today with reduced corporate sponsorship while LIV continues to pour tons more money into an inferior product. Communities around the US will no longer host the best golfers in the world annually for tournaments, which will be a hit to those local economies and for the game of golf in those areas. Overall, there will be fewer people that follow golf and it will fade in the post-Tiger era into even more of a niche sport. You can't replace the history and legacy of the PGA Tour simply with cash. Those running the LIV could care less about the growth of the game internationally, or even turning a profit. Their motivations are strictly selfish. Just as conference realignment is slowly degrading college athletics and widening the gap between richer and poorer, the PGA Tour/LIV battle will end with no winners except the players of LIV. Maybe 100 people will benefit in the short-term while millions lose interest in the game of golf. And as a golf fan, that is very sad, but I have little I can do to affect it.
There are a lot of opinions in this. It also sounds like there will still be a system of professional golf. Maybe multiple systems of professional golf.
 

Gunnerclone

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Jul 16, 2010
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DSM
There are a lot of opinions in this. It also sounds like there will still be a system of professional golf. Maybe multiple systems of professional golf.

I see the LIV sliding in between the PGA tour and Champions Tour as the “middle-aged” tour. I get why guys like Brooks (injuries) and DJ (got his majors, interested in other things besides being committed to being a PGA tour player) have gone this route.

They’ve seen the young guys on tour enough to know where they stand and the trajectories of guys like Cam Smith and Scottie S over the next 10 years.
 
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MeowingCows

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Jun 1, 2015
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I see the LIV sliding in between the PGA tour and Champions Tour as the “middle-aged” tour. I get why guys like Brooks (injuries) and DJ (got his majors, interested in other things besides being committed to being a PGA tour player) have gone this route.

They’ve seen the young guys on tour enough to know where they stand and the trajectories of guys like Cam Smith and Scottie S over the next 10 years.
Middle-aged is a good term. Normally that post-prime space would be called a retirement league, but Champions already covers that.
 

BigJCy

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Apr 11, 2006
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Last 15 minutes of Nick Faldo calling Golf (supposedly) on CBS now.

20 year old J. Kim shoots 61 to win in Greensboro.

Fed Ex Cup Playoffs finally start next week in Memphis.
 

cycloneG

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Mar 7, 2007
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Off the grid
thomasand-friends-thomasthe-tank-engine.gif
 

Rural

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Feb 3, 2010
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Looks pretty official to me.



It'd take about two seconds for NBC to throw Azinger overboard (although he's fine at the job) if Faldo would come over.

Just like CBS gave Lanny Wadkins about 5 seconds notice when Faldo wanted the job.

I'm guessing he really wants to be done though.
 

BigJCy

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Apr 11, 2006
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Zalotoris & Straka heading to a Playoff in 1st Fed Ex Cup Playoff Tournament. On NBC.
 

isucy86

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Apr 13, 2006
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I'd venture to guess that more and more names come out after the Fed Ex Cup ends.
I agree. But LIV Golf has to address the issue of having only 14 Tournaments on its 2023 schedule.

Some older players might be OK with that, because with majors that would be 18 Tournaments (assuming they could play in PGA Championship).

But for younger players, does such a limited schedule develop their game? My guess is a lot of international players would play smaller tours.