The PGA Tour has done exactly the same when you consider the European Tour. PGA Tour have lured players away from the European Tour with bigger purses. Now LIV are doing the same to the PGA Tour they suddenly don’t like it 🤷♂️ Never before has it been a problem player being a member of a second Tour but apparently now it is now the PHA Tour feel threatened. Augusta should only support the PGA Tour with these sanctions only if they support Golf becoming US-centric. What would happen if a LIV player won The Open, would they ban them from The Masters? Would you removed eligibility from any winner of The Open? The R&A can’t change the rules of the open surely because that the whole point of an Open competition that anyone can qualify and therefore win 🤷♂️
The difference is they didn't recruit players to leave and also telling people what's wrong with the league like Phil Mickelson and Greg norman did bashing the PGA, Tiger woods won't leave because he is a glory hog and wants to try to beat Jack Nicklauses major record...this league is out to destroy not compete with the PGA
@@elr5046 you’re comparing PGA Tour to the Saudi regime not PGA Tour to LIV. LIV is own by the Public Investment Fund which again isn’t the same as the Saudi regime. Yes I agree that there has been abhorrent atrocities by Saudi but you have to note the UK and American government still do business with them, buying oil and supplying weapons. If you have an issue with Saudi and are going to boycott LIV then surely you should be boycotting UK/US oil otherwise it’s a juxtaposition 🤷♂️ Isolating countries in the long run doesn’t help influence their progression… just look at North Korea.
PGA tour are being caught out. I was totally against LIV golf but the bias attitude of the media, being driven by PGA tour messaging is making me switch my allegiance. If I see another clip of the Canadian Open and hear the comment ‘this is the best field ANYWHERE in the world’ I will vomit.
It's really funny that the Canadian Open had one of its best group of players in 5 years play thus past weekend. Coincidence? I think not. I wonder how much the tour paid some of those players to show up
Simple solution would be for the PGA Tour to allow card holders to play anywhere they want without the BS of an exemption…as long as they meet the annual minimum 15 event requirement. The exception would be those that have already met the 15 season/20 win threshold.
Exactly! There is only 48 spots up for grabs. Surely there is room for 48 more golfers in the world to make money. Given that most likely half of which would come from outside the PGA anyway.
Problem is the soudi has so much money eventually the dictatorship of golf will be soudi Arabia and they will Own golf and up coming golfers are going to struggle so Much harder
@@TyJStern They have a connection to the tour wether you want to admit it or not. Rinky Dink events? You mean like the Players Championship? The Memorial? Bay Hill? Whatever man....
'The Saudis' are probably significant shareholders in a majority of sponsors of the PGA Tour. Didnt take long for me to find out that RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) just financed a deal with 'the Saudis'. The PGA Tour stop this weekend is The RBC Canadian Open. Enough with all the grandstanding.
Players don’t have to play the RBC either my friend if they are so inclined and as well informed as you. Most aren’t. But they sure as hell can’t plead ignorance here. So, the question is, when faced with the knowledge that your check is signed by a torturing murderer, do you still go work for him. The answer is yes for these players. Phil said as much plain as day in the Shipnuck interview. That’s not grandstanding. That’s just the damn truth.
ARAMCO (a Saudi owned oil company pumping Saudi & other oil) recently overtook Apple as most valuable company in the world (CNN, 1 month ago). Sounds like "the Saudi's" could leverage a hostile takeover of PGA tour by drawing off bug names & then various tour stops.
Companies and corporations have discarded morals. There is no loyalty anymore. Yet we expect the worker to be loyal to the company and have professional morals? Not a chance. At this day in age, get money and take care of your family. If they don't want things like this to happen, treat and pay the worker what they're worth. This LIV tour is going to 187 the PGA tour...
The PGA tour does not help a golfer swing a club, neither does it pay a salary to its members. All professional golfers develop their skill through their own dedication to practice and hardwork. For the PGA tour to act as if its members owe their lives to the PGA tour is illogical. There have been other tours that exists besides the PGA tour with players free to choose where they can play without being penalised for their choices. The only reason PGA tour are sour is because another tour is capable of offering more money and pulling away some big name players.
PGA tour card eligibility is strictly up to the PGA tour. They were fighting off direct competition. Name another sport where any league has allowed its players to simultaneously play in a competing league.
@@greasby1golf871 name another sport where players can still make millions well into their 60's actually playing their sport, having the possibility of 40-50 year careers. Average NFL career is 2.5 years.
@@Barneyrubble241 let’s be honest here the majority of guys will NEVER win a major, they just won’t. However EVERYONE SINGLE player will need to retire at some point, the real issue for the PGA is they aren’t the only show in town now that’s why they are so mad at this.
Let me get this straight, the Saudi's have "evil money" for Golf.......... But China has "good money" for the NBA? Yeah, No human rights violations coming out of Good Ol' China. GTFO here!!!
I barely see anyone complaining that these golfers are taking Saudi money, I mean they mention it but like this is America and we are all about capitalism and making a buck. Lest we forget that the Saudi have all that money because Americans need it to fuel all those F-150 and the endless amount of cars. That blood money comes from American wallets.
Wait for them to set up a Saudi based NBA or something where they’ll offer NBA players 500m contracts to play over there. This LIV tour is only the start for them.
China's human rights issues dwarf the Saudi's. The only thing they can't offer is a championship ring, but if you've got one the money might be hard to pass up.
@@theirishdeveloper5298 Starting out. We'll see how it looks in a few years. They own the players and will tell them what to do. Don't like it? Get chopped into 1,000 pieces like anyone else who questions the government.
The PGA could have easily tripled its purses and guaranteed every player who shows up at least enough to cover their costs of playing. Also…. We fill our talks with Saudi gas everyday. Now retrace those steps and you’ll see that we are the ones making them rich enough to afford to do all of this.
There's only 48 players who played this weekend in London but the PGA has 150 plus lots more who are trying to make the top 150 how can you pay all of them,48 is much easier will they pay all 150 if it grew that much
@@KineBuds what evidence do you have saudi execute gay homosexuals? besides the point saudi can create their own major with larger prize pool with jacket.
@@KineBuds Yet all the major sponsors of the PGA such as Shell Oil, BP, Citi Group, Netjets, Coca Cola all don't seem to mind in the their business deals with the Saudis. The PGA can't use the morality card in this situation or it will come back to bite them in the rear.
Here's a potential downside. Mickelson himself said it months ago. "They are scary dudes to get involved with." What if they decide they don't want to finish paying your contract? Maybe they chop you into 1,000 pieces like the Washington Post journalist.
@@maxpuppy96 Phil,just threw away his PGA career,for thirty pieces of silver.Are you aware of Washington post journalist,Khashoggi,who was killed by the Saudi royal family.That is who is bankrolling the LIV tour.
“How could they take Saudi money” isn’t buying Saudi oil and funding Saudi Arabia with money like we do for gas instead of producing our own? HYPOCRITES
President Biden about to go beg the Saudis to produce more oil so he can mask the war he is waging against the US energy industry. For this he will be praised by the leftist media. Who will continue to harangue the golfers who took the Saudi money
We also sell them the weapons which they then break international law with. We’ve also got to remember that the USA themselves are the biggest war monger in the world. There isn’t an argument that the PGA can make here that does not make them look like hypocrites.
I mean Greg Norman doing what Saudis are being accused of with its treatment of journalists is not a good look either. Also, go check out Phil’s press conference today and tell me that’s a man content with his decision
It’s always hilarious when rich guys get screwed by other rich guys, and then have the nerve to complain and hire a lawyer. Golfers are independent contractors and are not legally bound by any contract to play exclusively with the PGA, so let them play wherever the hell they want! ⛳️
The Masters has always been the tournament where skill and skill alone gets you inside the gates of Augusta National. Augusta National does not care where you are from, or what tournaments you have played in. Their entrance requirements do not specify that PGA events are the only ones that matter. If you've won a professional tournament, or you are an amateur who has won either the US Amateur or The Amateur, you are eligible for an invitation. Augusta National is not going to tell Dustin Johnson and Phil Michelson, two well known past Masters champions, that they aren't allowed to return to Augusta and utilize their lifetime exemption because they decided to join a league competing with the PGA Tour.
This sets a bad precedent for all sport leagues. The Saudi's could pay any amount for every NFL, NBA franchise. It's a Larry David style spite league....
i hope the NFL and NBA player go play in a Saudi league. then we can call them hypocrites. they want us to "say her name" and care about "i cant breathe", but they can take money from murders? thatll be a fun news cycle
This is the most I've cared about Golf in forever. I'm glad someone is challenging the PGA. I don't care about the whole SA thing, hell thr NBA is legit partners with China
How much oil comes from Saudi Arabia? How many people parking their gas cars an changing to EVs? Meanwhile PGA has the Shell Open each year. Where does that money come from?
Firstly, DJ and Garcia already have a Green Jacket, so they’re automatically qualified to play The Masters throughout their career. Secondly, you don’t have to be a full-time PGA Tour member to be invited to play because there are other criteria to get invited. Augusta National can also invite any players at their discretion to come and compete.
@@godisgreat1786 do you think they would hurt the integrity of their event to ban pats champions such a Phil and DJ two of the most popular golfers just to chose sides with the pga tour? I can’t see it happening
@@tomstevens7452 correct but all the majors and the tours must vote to allow Liv into the world rankings points. So even if the major entry criteria is not directly affected. The way decisions are made will reach all majors
If the owga board won’t award points to the liv events they will be conspiring in monopoly with the pga tour and they will lose all value/credibility as a ranking system. Tigers Hero event gets points and is invitational with 20 golfer field
48 players ? Is it really a golf tournament or a golf exhibition ? The PGA needs to address players who don't make the cut and lose money due to the travel and other associated costs. After all its these players who miss the cut that make it the competition that it is.
Eisen is deluded if he thinks that the Masters is going to ban LIV Players. It will dilute the prestige of the Masters if they don't let some of the top Players play, and they couldn't bear that. Anyone who wins the Masters or any Major without the LIV Players is going to be tainted forever with the suspicion of, "what if Johnston or De Chambeau, or some other hot Player from LIV, had of played?", for the rest of their career. The whole point of Majors, is to have a Champion, that emerges as the best Player from the best Golfers of the day, any restriction of the fields will undermine all of what makes Majors what they are.
Ok, so the NBA,NFL,MLB, Nike, Apple, Disney, etc. Can do billions $$ in business w/ China, terrible human rights record but we are going to cry about the Saudis!! Really, let these guys be free and let the politicians worry about world affairs!!
As things currently stand, LIV Golf players will not receive any Official World Golf Ranking Points, and that is what determines who qualifies for Major Golf Championships. Where are LIV players going to accumulate enough OWGR points to qualify for major championships? Answer: they can't. So unless that changes, they are going to be shut out of the majors because they won't be able to qualify. That being said, Phil will be able to play in The Masters and so will other past champions since they get a lifetime exemption. U.S. Open Champions get a 10 year qualifying exemption as do past PGA Championship winners. They will also get to play in The Masters for 10 years. But not all of these guys have won majors and they will be out. So you will see Charl Schwartzel, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and Sergio Garcia at The Masters next year unless Agusta uninvites them. The Open Championship is a little different. Louis Oosthuizen has won a major but his exemption has expired for everything except The Open Championship. But he will be shut out of the other majors. You can be certain that these guys were all well aware of how joining LIV Golf might affect their qualifying status for the majors. It seems to me that they have already decided that money was more important to them than playing in the majors.
Yes, that is part of the Masters lore and promise. No matter re LIV, they’ve gained the right as past champions like any other past champion. I’d imagine their groupings and tee times , if they accept the invite, would be hmmmm. Interesting?
@@armasrammo4793 Well, Agusta can decide to revoke their invitation if they wish. The club has kicked people out in the past for various reasons so I don't think it is accurate to say that past champions have a guaranteed right to play at The Masters. I'm fairly confident that if Phil Mickelson said lots of horrible things about the Club and its members during an expletive laden interview you would not see him teeing it up at The Masters again -- ever.
World ranking points can be accumulated through the DP World tour, Japan tour, Asian tour, etc.. This, if the LIV tour has any co-sanctioned events with these tours, world ranking points can be acquired. In addition, it would be hard to believe that the OWGR would deny the LIV tour's application for world ranking status, but who knows.
@@Popy.Suthiwan That's a fair point. But what is known at this juncture? The DP World Tour did not grant any of its members a release to play in the LIV Golf Series and actually issued a warning to those players. But what isn't yet known is if the players will face any discipline.
Saudis pretty much own the Asian Tour, which does have OWGR points. I could see them merging LIV & Asian Tour together in some way to get what they want with the OWGR.
Gee, and that's why Trump did all he could to make the US energy-independent with affordable gas prices -- so we don't go begging to some corrupt regime. Now Senile Idiot Man in White House goes with cap in hand to vicious regimes...to get cheap gas. Is everyone taking stupid pills in DC???
Not really, we as average citizens have zero say in where our oil and gas come from. Its only the fault of a few individuals in our government and a handful of extremely wealthy oil companies that make the deals to drill and import from the region
@@rorytribbet6424You could choose not to drive and use a bicycle instead (or your high horse) but i guess that would inconvenience you too much and we wouldn't want you to use the principles you think you have, they would get all wrinkles and stuff.
@@victorhinojos3050 who are you lmao. You sound like you have brain cancer. “Just fucking stop living your life and hope other people do too instead of actually calling out the people in actual powerful positions with the ability to make the necessary changes they never do”… that’s what you just said 💀
You didn't understand Monahan's message. The last paragraph says that PGA tour players will not be affected in the ranking points etc by LIV players who have not resigned from the PGA Tour.
my only question is if they want to continue to do the shotgun start format that every player said they liked, they only have room for 6 more players. Maybe that makes sense why there name is LIV for roman numeral 54. What it they fill all the spots and say J.T wants to join do they kick someone else off since he would be a bigger name & better player than the whole field?
PGA Tour is behaving like an Autocratic Monarchy with a "command economy", while LIV is behaving like a Democracy and supporting a free-market capitalist economy.
@@jeffplant3 Laughable. If there's an issue with S.A. then demand the US Govt to end Imports of Crude Oil at $7 B, and end U.S. Military Protection of S.A. , that's a bigger impact! Don't act hypocritical, demand PGA Tour to end their China relationship who is the Worlds biggest Human Right violator!
0 top 10 players but how many top 10 players win every week they play. I constantly see top 50 players I have never heard of win majors and other tournaments.
PGA is a no fun league and after this are straight up greedy and act like they own the golfers who compete in the PGA. Hopefully LIV gives them a run for their money and more golfers leave the PGA.
The LIV golf layout is basically comparable to Arena League football vs NFL. Once the shiny new toy is about 6 months old people will get tired of it...😅
another clown ... we dont import 440 mill gallons from the arena football league every singe day ... arena ball doesnt own 91% of all oil in the ground ... comparing OPEC+ to arena football is one of the dumbest things ive ever read
WWE has been doing events in Saudi Arabia for a few years now, they have gotten some flack for it and still do but it’s very overlooked. Feel like it’ll be the same deal here.
The flack they got was nothing more than grandstanding against Pres. Trump because he employed former WWE CEO Linda McMahon in his cabinet. Once she left, they lost all interest. Nobody really cares about WWE doing business there.
Question: Can LIV golf 'buy-out' the Board of Directors of Augusta National to get approval to allow their players to compete in the Masters? What would it take? $1B, $2B, $20B, what is their price?
What's the downside? How about the terrible product they're putting out? 54 hole no cut shotgun starts with 9 figure appearance fees is not the formula for drama filled competition. It'll be just watching guys getting the golf part over with to collect a check. A season schedule full of pro bowls but without the all-pros.
Get over yourselves, for decades there has been royalty, politicians, celebrities that accept Saudi money without vilification. No body calls them out, your selective outrage is pure idiocy.
“Left Overs”? What the hell do you call the second tier players in the LIV? Ricky Fowler next guy to go.. can’t make a cut but boy he sure looks good decked out in his all orange getup doesn’t he? SMH 😂😂
The majors are NOT NOT going to allow LIV players to play.… what’s happens if the Players at LIV rejects the Masters. That will relegate the value of Masters or any other Majors. Are they willing to take the risk to be relegated?
What reason would a corporation throw money away. It’s losing money at the start. Why? Follow the money and the reason becomes apparent. Do your research. They don’t care about the money.
The Majors are separate from the pga tour…majors want the best fields, that has to include Sergio n DJ, Bryson..even if u don’t like them, they are good at golf
Would I rather have the opportunity to win a green jacket or increase my yearly salary by 5-10x or possibly more? I don’t think excluding LIV tour players from playing in the Masters will have any effect. Been wrong before though
If the Masters decided to not invite LIV members, and should not be able to play Augusta...its not PGA regulated....I will be done with the PGA and the Masters ASAP......!!!!
Yup that’s the other side of the coin…the fans. If the PGA upsets their fans who believe the pros should be able to play in both leagues then they may start to lose fans and viewership and in turn money.
The Masters is never going ban players for joining LIV, nor should they. What does ANGC care what players do for the other 51 weeks per year? So silly.
Green Jacket or piles of CASH ? If GREAT PGA players start seeing the -lower tier- players in the LIV making a lot of cash they will be heading towards the exit.
They asked Rory if the players wanted to come back. A lot don't they don't care 8 events 54 holes more $ they don't care. Augusta oh well more Fam time and $ less golf. Period
Saudi money is blood money. Why not have a Russian Tour too? It can set up courses in the occupied Ukraine territories, right next to the graveyards of the children and women killed in heinous attacks...
Watch the attorneys come out- if PGA does not allow player in LIV to play wherever, whenever. Watch young collegiate golfers bail college to go play for BIG money. Sound familiar? NBA, NFL etc… PGA tour card becomes meaningless.
LIV is really pulling out all the stops. These players now have the accommodations and travel, food…etc. paid for. And nobody seems to mention the NO CUT rule. That first tournament last place took home over 130k. He would have been cut in the PGA. That’s huge stuff
Weak and spineless take by Eisen. These guys are getting $100,000,000 payments just to join the league. When you hand out that much money just for 1 individual to appear, how is this even really still a sport? What’s the real motivation to win? Who is going to care about this league? Rich thinks the only downside is the blood money? 🤯
QB's get 30 Million a year, do you think they just show up for the money also ? Golfers want to win but in the PGA there is no guaranteed money unless you score low enough to get to the weekend, and even then it might only be 20K if you don't place high up.
Will some of the Scottish golf courses host any LIV tour events, in the future? Scotland is a big part of the history of golf. But I do hope democracy and human rights are respected.
Money to be made. Lol I just looked it up. The payout for the London event FOR THE BOTTOM GUY! was $120,000. #48, Andy Ogletree TRIPLED his career earnings in one event. Career earnings for Andy before London were $38,186. I'm betting he's not too concerned with ANYthing the PGA says or does right now.
It would be interesting to see how many members of Augusta National have business dealings with Saudi Arabia. My guess is, quite a few. How, then, can they penalize golfers for doing the same?
Why is The Masters so crucial, 95% of thd PGA Tour pros have no chance of winning it anyway and that's the only reason Rory is staying, and when it comes to money he's exactly the same as the guys he is slating.
Don't you worry they will throw more money at people who produce these tournaments to make it more attractive to the viewers. Everything and everyone is for sale and the Saudi's have a nearly unlimited pool of money.
Has beens and nobodies. That's LIV Golf - Average world ranking of the entire field: 100. Average age: 40. Look at Graeme McDowell or any number of the "big names" recent form: Missed cut after missed cut. Money grab, no prestige, no TV rights sold, no interest beyond initial curiousity. Personally don't care to watch it at all.
If the Masters bans Michelson Johnson Reed Schwartzel it will kill the tradition of the Masters these are all past champions they can't be banned the PGA tour does not own any major and cannot ban them from the majors.
The PGA tour is in big trouble, the LIV tour has shown them for what they are a Multi billion dollar business masquerading as a non profit. Just look at their corporate partners, Big banks, Big pharma. With a little investigation you will find they are not that pure and clean no matter how good their PR dept. is. Yes they donate to local needs at every tournament but its a pittance compared to the returns to the for profit arm of the tour. Excellent golf talent is the attraction and if they lose a few more marque players they will be forced to back down or media money will drain away severely hurting their bottom line.
RE talking about the Master's and Augusta National like their history has been beyond reproach. Hootie and the leadership before him have a well-documented history of racism and morally corrupt behaviour. Their present-day leadership/board, membership isn't exactly a beacon of progressive inclusivity either. All the outrage of taking Saudi money is short-sighted and hypocritical anyway ... Saudi money comes from US demand for oil. This is a system that the US have created and we have been making concessions to the Saudi's for generations that includes egregious bending-over/blind eye over many atrocities ... not just Jamal Kashogi, but most prominently 9/11. The COMPLETE headline is "Some golfers are taking Saudi money ... that comes from US govt and consumers of Saudi oil". We are all conflicted and complicit here ... not just these golfers.
I don’t think the Masters would abdicate their authority over their tournament to the PGA. At least, I hope not. I can’t see the Masters giving ad money away. Too lucrative for them, and annual operating costs of the club are probably covered 10 times over.
I will continue to parrot this: the LIV will never overtake golf, they will either fail and the big names will return to the PGA or pro golf is done for because im not watching a tournament if i dont recognize enough names, especially if they are split between these 2 leagues. In the end, this can only hurt golf and other golfers.
I am all for player mobility. I don’t think that any entity or person should ever assume they are complete Teflon and powerful to always a keep their spot. I am only saddened to think about the money being put up for that, how many amazing things COULD the royals do to improve the quality of life for their people with that money?
The PGA Tour has done exactly the same when you consider the European Tour. PGA Tour have lured players away from the European Tour with bigger purses. Now LIV are doing the same to the PGA Tour they suddenly don’t like it 🤷♂️ Never before has it been a problem player being a member of a second Tour but apparently now it is now the PHA Tour feel threatened.
Augusta should only support the PGA Tour with these sanctions only if they support Golf becoming US-centric. What would happen if a LIV player won The Open, would they ban them from The Masters? Would you removed eligibility from any winner of The Open? The R&A can’t change the rules of the open surely because that the whole point of an Open competition that anyone can qualify and therefore win 🤷♂️
The difference is they didn't recruit players to leave and also telling people what's wrong with the league like Phil Mickelson and Greg norman did bashing the PGA, Tiger woods won't leave because he is a glory hog and wants to try to beat Jack Nicklauses major record...this league is out to destroy not compete with the PGA
The answer to any question about what Augusta national will do...for any situations...is "who the hell knows."
@@elr5046 you’re comparing PGA Tour to the Saudi regime not PGA Tour to LIV. LIV is own by the Public Investment Fund which again isn’t the same as the Saudi regime. Yes I agree that there has been abhorrent atrocities by Saudi but you have to note the UK and American government still do business with them, buying oil and supplying weapons. If you have an issue with Saudi and are going to boycott LIV then surely you should be boycotting UK/US oil otherwise it’s a juxtaposition 🤷♂️
Isolating countries in the long run doesn’t help influence their progression… just look at North Korea.
@@elr5046 link to LIV tour killing people?
@@elr5046 LIV tour has never killed anyone either what's your point.
PGA tour are being caught out. I was totally against LIV golf but the bias attitude of the media, being driven by PGA tour messaging is making me switch my allegiance. If I see another clip of the Canadian Open and hear the comment ‘this is the best field ANYWHERE in the world’ I will vomit.
100% agree
Snowflake?
It's really funny that the Canadian Open had one of its best group of players in 5 years play thus past weekend. Coincidence? I think not. I wonder how much the tour paid some of those players to show up
@@bryanwood8334 There you go! Hypocrisy at its finest. Most of the dudes that played in Canada have NEVER IN LIFE PLAY THAT BS tour…
Simple solution would be for the PGA Tour to allow card holders to play anywhere they want without the BS of an exemption…as long as they meet the annual minimum 15 event requirement. The exception would be those that have already met the 15 season/20 win threshold.
10000% correct! Well said.
Exactly! There is only 48 spots up for grabs. Surely there is room for 48 more golfers in the world to make money. Given that most likely half of which would come from outside the PGA anyway.
Problem is the soudi has so much money eventually the dictatorship of golf will be soudi Arabia and they will
Own golf and up coming golfers are going to struggle so
Much harder
@@GolfBandito They are going to own up and coming golfers anyway. If they start giving guaranteed money to college graduates.
@@TyJStern They have a connection to the tour wether you want to admit it or not. Rinky Dink events? You mean like the Players Championship? The Memorial? Bay Hill? Whatever man....
'The Saudis' are probably significant shareholders in a majority of sponsors of the PGA Tour. Didnt take long for me to find out that RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) just financed a deal with 'the Saudis'. The PGA Tour stop this weekend is The RBC Canadian Open. Enough with all the grandstanding.
Players don’t have to play the RBC either my friend if they are so inclined and as well informed as you. Most aren’t. But they sure as hell can’t plead ignorance here. So, the question is, when faced with the knowledge that your check is signed by a torturing murderer, do you still go work for him. The answer is yes for these players. Phil said as much plain as day in the Shipnuck interview. That’s not grandstanding. That’s just the damn truth.
ARAMCO (a Saudi owned oil company pumping Saudi & other oil) recently overtook Apple as most valuable company in the world (CNN, 1 month ago). Sounds like "the Saudi's" could leverage a hostile takeover of PGA tour by drawing off bug names & then various tour stops.
@@cksamo So, you don't put Saudi gas in your car?
@@steveandersen2291 thats a very silly comparison
@@mrkillermaxxx just “following the money”…
Companies and corporations have discarded morals. There is no loyalty anymore. Yet we expect the worker to be loyal to the company and have professional morals? Not a chance. At this day in age, get money and take care of your family. If they don't want things like this to happen, treat and pay the worker what they're worth. This LIV tour is going to 187 the PGA tour...
amen!!! don't get why we are trying to hold individual players to these absurd moral standards but not the big corporations
The PGA tour does not help a golfer swing a club, neither does it pay a salary to its members. All professional golfers develop their skill through their own dedication to practice and hardwork. For the PGA tour to act as if its members owe their lives to the PGA tour is illogical. There have been other tours that exists besides the PGA tour with players free to choose where they can play without being penalised for their choices. The only reason PGA tour are sour is because another tour is capable of offering more money and pulling away some big name players.
PGA tour card eligibility is strictly up to the PGA tour. They were fighting off direct competition. Name another sport where any league has allowed its players to simultaneously play in a competing league.
@@cowebb2327 name any other professional sport that doesn't pay the competitors after 2 days of competition?
@@greasby1golf871 name another sport where players can still make millions well into their 60's actually playing their sport, having the possibility of 40-50 year careers. Average NFL career is 2.5 years.
The bigger picture is who is backing and leading the liv league is morally compromised beyond capitalism
@@Barneyrubble241 let’s be honest here the majority of guys will NEVER win a major, they just won’t. However EVERYONE SINGLE player will need to retire at some point, the real issue for the PGA is they aren’t the only show in town now that’s why they are so mad at this.
Let me get this straight, the Saudi's have "evil money" for Golf.......... But China has "good money" for the NBA? Yeah, No human rights violations coming out of Good Ol' China. GTFO here!!!
🤫 u are NOT allowed to speak those words! 😂😂
FBI: Take this down now 🤣🤣🤣
I'm here to make sure someone said it. Thank you
Both things can be bad and we can be mad about more than one thing at a time.
I barely see anyone complaining that these golfers are taking Saudi money, I mean they mention it but like this is America and we are all about capitalism and making a buck. Lest we forget that the Saudi have all that money because Americans need it to fuel all those F-150 and the endless amount of cars. That blood money comes from American wallets.
Wait for them to set up a Saudi based NBA or something where they’ll offer NBA players 500m contracts to play over there. This LIV tour is only the start for them.
China has already done that.
I mean, half of the events are going to be in the USA just so you know..
Lol get the popcorn
China's human rights issues dwarf the Saudi's. The only thing they can't offer is a championship ring, but if you've got one the money might be hard to pass up.
@@theirishdeveloper5298 Starting out. We'll see how it looks in a few years. They own the players and will tell them what to do. Don't like it? Get chopped into 1,000 pieces like anyone else who questions the government.
The Masters prides itself as a tournament with international players from alll over the world.
For years many players werre not pga tour regulars.
Exactly! Boom!
Except for the Canadian Amateur Champion.
The PGA could have easily tripled its purses and guaranteed every player who shows up at least enough to cover their costs of playing.
Also…. We fill our talks with Saudi gas everyday. Now retrace those steps and you’ll see that we are the ones making them rich enough to afford to do all of this.
Thanks, Joe Biden.
There's only 48 players who played this weekend in London but the PGA has 150 plus lots more who are trying to make the top 150 how can you pay all of them,48 is much easier will they pay all 150 if it grew that much
BS, that's not our choice but politicians.
The PGA Tour donates a lot of money as in millions every year to charities instead of over inflating purses. I am good with that.
Why would the Masters ban golfers when they could instead advertise themselves as the only tournament that hosts all pro golfers?
@@KineBuds what evidence do you have saudi execute gay homosexuals? besides the point saudi can create their own major with larger prize pool with jacket.
you are exactly right augusta will literally call it self the king of golf.
@@KineBuds Yet all the major sponsors of the PGA such as Shell Oil, BP, Citi Group, Netjets, Coca Cola all don't seem to mind in the their business deals with the Saudis. The PGA can't use the morality card in this situation or it will come back to bite them in the rear.
@@finalfrontier001 ROTFLMAO! You can't just create a major. Are you brain dead? These things can't be created at the drop of a hat.
do you even watch golf? Augusta doesn't have to advertise anything, they make their own rules.
Most players will never win a major, but they will need money to retire someday.
Exactly it is about money no matter where it comes from.
PGA tour has a very good pension plan for all members I am told
It's the only event where you can retire after just 3 rounds of over par professional golf, sign me up
LIV Tour is not going anywhere. This is not the XFL. Getting revenge and banning players who play LIV is a terrible idea.
"What exactly is the downside in this?"
Lmao homie speaking facts
Here's a potential downside. Mickelson himself said it months ago. "They are scary dudes to get involved with." What if they decide they don't want to finish paying your contract? Maybe they chop you into 1,000 pieces like the Washington Post journalist.
Yup 😂
Phil Mickelson just walked away with 42 million
@@maxpuppy96 Phil,just threw away his PGA career,for thirty pieces of silver.Are you aware of Washington post journalist,Khashoggi,who was killed by the Saudi royal family.That is who is bankrolling the LIV tour.
Clown failed economics 101.
“How could they take Saudi money” isn’t buying Saudi oil and funding Saudi Arabia with money like we do for gas instead of producing our own? HYPOCRITES
It's our corrupt politicians that sells us out not golf players
President Biden about to go beg the Saudis to produce more oil so he can mask the war he is waging against the US energy industry. For this he will be praised by the leftist media. Who will continue to harangue the golfers who took the Saudi money
Yeah Biden is begging Saudi s to pump more.
We also sell them the weapons which they then break international law with. We’ve also got to remember that the USA themselves are the biggest war monger in the world. There isn’t an argument that the PGA can make here that does not make them look like hypocrites.
The PGA has shown us how not to do PR. They've done pretty much everything wrong from the very start of this debacle.
I mean Greg Norman doing what Saudis are being accused of with its treatment of journalists is not a good look either. Also, go check out Phil’s press conference today and tell me that’s a man content with his decision
Money has ruined the sport as we know it. It’s done.
It’s always hilarious when rich guys get screwed by other rich guys, and then have the nerve to complain and hire a lawyer.
Golfers are independent contractors and are not legally bound by any contract to play exclusively with the PGA, so let them play wherever the hell they want! ⛳️
well, not legally bound by any other contract than the 1 they signed when they became members of the PGA Tour
The Masters has always been the tournament where skill and skill alone gets you inside the gates of Augusta National. Augusta National does not care where you are from, or what tournaments you have played in. Their entrance requirements do not specify that PGA events are the only ones that matter. If you've won a professional tournament, or you are an amateur who has won either the US Amateur or The Amateur, you are eligible for an invitation. Augusta National is not going to tell Dustin Johnson and Phil Michelson, two well known past Masters champions, that they aren't allowed to return to Augusta and utilize their lifetime exemption because they decided to join a league competing with the PGA Tour.
Strength of field counts. Masters excluding players diminishes field and makes winning less of an achievement.
The master has a history of excluding people from it's event. Please. Have you been living in a GD cave.
@@tryingtobefairandobjective3480 Yes, they only let in people who have won a tournament.
@@tryingtobefairandobjective3480 Failing to be fair and objective. It's 2022. I tolerate stupid takes.
It 20 years for Indycar to heal the wound that was caused by the 1996 “Split”....The PGA is playing with fire here...
Can’t remember golf has received so much attention in business, politics and social media.
Can't remember when golf teamed up with folks who murder journalists and cut up the body with bone saws.
This sets a bad precedent for all sport leagues. The Saudi's could pay any amount for every NFL, NBA franchise. It's a Larry David style spite league....
I see what you did there
i hope the NFL and NBA player go play in a Saudi league. then we can call them hypocrites. they want us to "say her name" and care about "i cant breathe", but they can take money from murders? thatll be a fun news cycle
The problem is that the sergio, reed, Mickelson, and dustin have all won the masters so that means they are completely fine with the masters people
Will that still apply now that the PGA has banned them?
@@Ciscoheafy Masters isn’t run by the PGA so it’s up to Augusta.
The majors aren’t run by the PGA Tour…
The US Open has a 10 year exemption. Masters and PGA has a lifetime exemption. US Open is 10 years.
yep ... masters is lifetime guys ... but never say never.
This is the most I've cared about Golf in forever. I'm glad someone is challenging the PGA. I don't care about the whole SA thing, hell thr NBA is legit partners with China
How much oil comes from Saudi Arabia? How many people parking their gas cars an changing to EVs? Meanwhile PGA has the Shell Open each year. Where does that money come from?
Don't throw logic in here....LOL.
Firstly, DJ and Garcia already have a Green Jacket, so they’re automatically qualified to play The Masters throughout their career. Secondly, you don’t have to be a full-time PGA Tour member to be invited to play because there are other criteria to get invited. Augusta National can also invite any players at their discretion to come and compete.
Exactly. NO WAY the Masters bans past champions from playing and if they let them play hence other players from LIV should also be able to play
I see the Masters bank account growing chuck full with LIV $...
The masters reserves the right to withdraw an invitation to a past champion
@@godisgreat1786 do you think they would hurt the integrity of their event to ban pats champions such a Phil and DJ two of the most popular golfers just to chose sides with the pga tour? I can’t see it happening
@@gh4707 - I would not be surprised if the Saudi’s buy both Augusta & St. Andrews 😳
The way to block this Saudi Golf League - block the rank points from being applied. Do that no more access to all the Golf Majors. 🤔
2 of the majors are open to anyone with a HDCP of 2 or below. You just have to qualify
@@tomstevens7452 correct but all the majors and the tours
must vote to allow Liv into the world rankings points. So even if the major entry criteria is not directly affected. The way decisions are made will reach all majors
If the owga board won’t award points to the liv events they will be conspiring in monopoly with the pga tour and they will lose all value/credibility as a ranking system. Tigers Hero event gets points and is invitational with 20 golfer field
48 players ? Is it really a golf tournament or a golf exhibition ?
The PGA needs to address players who don't make the cut and lose money due to the travel and other associated costs.
After all its these players who miss the cut that make it the competition that it is.
The Masters already invites players from other Tours....PGA Tour Management will Lose.......
There's no way the PGA can compete with unlimited Saudi money rich is definitely right about that this just the beginning.
its not unlimited. In the history of these money laundering mega projects the saudi royals have done, they all failed.
Only thing to pull you up is…THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP is the major of majors not the MASTERS…
Unfortunately this might have the opposite effect and accelerate the elevation of the Saudi International to Major Championship status
Eisen is deluded if he thinks that the Masters is going to ban LIV Players.
It will dilute the prestige of the Masters if they don't let some of the top Players play, and they couldn't bear that.
Anyone who wins the Masters or any Major without the LIV Players is going to be tainted forever with the suspicion of, "what if Johnston or De Chambeau, or some other hot Player from LIV, had of played?", for the rest of their career.
The whole point of Majors, is to have a Champion, that emerges as the best Player from the best Golfers of the day, any restriction of the fields will undermine all of what makes Majors what they are.
Ok, so the NBA,NFL,MLB, Nike, Apple, Disney, etc. Can do billions $$ in business w/ China, terrible human rights record but we are going to cry about the Saudis!! Really, let these guys be free and let the politicians worry about world affairs!!
As things currently stand, LIV Golf players will not receive any Official World Golf Ranking Points, and that is what determines who qualifies for Major Golf Championships. Where are LIV players going to accumulate enough OWGR points to qualify for major championships? Answer: they can't. So unless that changes, they are going to be shut out of the majors because they won't be able to qualify. That being said, Phil will be able to play in The Masters and so will other past champions since they get a lifetime exemption. U.S. Open Champions get a 10 year qualifying exemption as do past PGA Championship winners. They will also get to play in The Masters for 10 years. But not all of these guys have won majors and they will be out. So you will see Charl Schwartzel, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and Sergio Garcia at The Masters next year unless Agusta uninvites them. The Open Championship is a little different. Louis Oosthuizen has won a major but his exemption has expired for everything except The Open Championship. But he will be shut out of the other majors.
You can be certain that these guys were all well aware of how joining LIV Golf might affect their qualifying status for the majors. It seems to me that they have already decided that money was more important to them than playing in the majors.
Yes, that is part of the Masters lore and promise. No matter re LIV, they’ve gained the right as past champions like any other past champion. I’d imagine their groupings and tee times , if they accept the invite, would be hmmmm. Interesting?
@@armasrammo4793 Well, Agusta can decide to revoke their invitation if they wish. The club has kicked people out in the past for various reasons so I don't think it is accurate to say that past champions have a guaranteed right to play at The Masters. I'm fairly confident that if Phil Mickelson said lots of horrible things about the Club and its members during an expletive laden interview you would not see him teeing it up at The Masters again -- ever.
World ranking points can be accumulated through the DP World tour, Japan tour, Asian tour, etc.. This, if the LIV tour has any co-sanctioned events with these tours, world ranking points can be acquired. In addition, it would be hard to believe that the OWGR would deny the LIV tour's application for world ranking status, but who knows.
@@Popy.Suthiwan That's a fair point. But what is known at this juncture? The DP World Tour did not grant any of its members a release to play in the LIV Golf Series and actually issued a warning to those players. But what isn't yet known is if the players will face any discipline.
Saudis pretty much own the Asian Tour, which does have OWGR points. I could see them merging LIV & Asian Tour together in some way to get what they want with the OWGR.
Jay Monahan will be forced to resign when the dust settles.....
The hypocrisy is vomit inducing.
RBC just did a massive multibillion $ deal with Aramco, the Saudi oil boys.
The entire world supports the Saudi's by exporting their national product - so we are all complicit to some degree.
Gee, and that's why Trump did all he could to make the US energy-independent with affordable gas prices -- so we don't go begging to some corrupt regime. Now Senile Idiot Man in White House goes with cap in hand to vicious regimes...to get cheap gas. Is everyone taking stupid pills in DC???
Not really, we as average citizens have zero say in where our oil and gas come from. Its only the fault of a few individuals in our government and a handful of extremely wealthy oil companies that make the deals to drill and import from the region
@@rorytribbet6424You could choose not to drive and use a bicycle instead (or your high horse) but i guess that would inconvenience you too much and we wouldn't want you to use the principles you think you have, they would get all wrinkles and stuff.
@@victorhinojos3050 who are you lmao. You sound like you have brain cancer. “Just fucking stop living your life and hope other people do too instead of actually calling out the people in actual powerful positions with the ability to make the necessary changes they never do”… that’s what you just said 💀
@@rorytribbet6424 ya we should just pull our oil from the oil tree
Everyone wants to call out Saudi $$ as bad. Ok. It isn't like every PGA sponsor gets a clean ESG rating.
The average commenter here is a hack and can’t fathom elite sports exists outside of the USA.
This whole thing is deeply depressingly fascinating.
Exactly I don’t watch Golf at all. (Expect if it’s tiger woods lol) but I find this situation extremely intriguing, like a movie type situation
You didn't understand Monahan's message. The last paragraph says that PGA tour players will not be affected in the ranking points etc by LIV players who have not resigned from the PGA Tour.
my only question is if they want to continue to do the shotgun start format that every player said they liked, they only have room for 6 more players. Maybe that makes sense why there name is LIV for roman numeral 54. What it they fill all the spots and say J.T wants to join do they kick someone else off since he would be a bigger name & better player than the whole field?
I think the 54 number refers to 54 holes
Not all the players have long term contracts, the player pool will change.
PGA Tour is behaving like an Autocratic Monarchy with a "command economy", while LIV is behaving like a Democracy and supporting a free-market capitalist economy.
sure, all blood money
@@jeffplant3 Laughable.
If there's an issue with S.A. then demand the US Govt to end Imports of Crude Oil at $7 B, and end U.S. Military Protection of S.A. , that's a bigger impact!
Don't act hypocritical, demand PGA Tour to end their China relationship who is the Worlds biggest Human Right violator!
This tour has 0 top ten players - one top 20
Its about winning a bunch of money. Not golf.
0 top 10 players but how many top 10 players win every week they play. I constantly see top 50 players I have never heard of win majors and other tournaments.
Surely the British Open is the premier golf major. Older than any other from the country that invented the game !
Yea, it’s not.
PGA is a no fun league and after this are straight up greedy and act like they own the golfers who compete in the PGA.
Hopefully LIV gives them a run for their money and more golfers leave the PGA.
The LIV golf layout is basically comparable to Arena League football vs NFL. Once the shiny new toy is about 6 months old people will get tired of it...😅
Well no because your analogy would only work if the arena league was making more than the nfl.
another clown ... we dont import 440 mill gallons from the arena football league every singe day ... arena ball doesnt own 91% of all oil in the ground ... comparing OPEC+ to arena football is one of the dumbest things ive ever read
Why would the Master's want a watered down field? I don't see them doing this.
Time for the PGA Tour to Lawyer Up -- Anti-Trust Lawsuitss coming their direction
What exactly can they lawyer up for? These guys are resigning from the tour they are free agents.
@@emmitttraynor8939 they are independent contractors, so they will legally contest their suspensions. Not all of them have resigned from the PGA
WWE has been doing events in Saudi Arabia for a few years now, they have gotten some flack for it and still do but it’s very overlooked. Feel like it’ll be the same deal here.
For chrissake, the next LIV event is being played in Portland, Oregon! Nothing Saudi about that.
The flack they got was nothing more than grandstanding against Pres. Trump because he employed former WWE CEO Linda McMahon in his cabinet. Once she left, they lost all interest. Nobody really cares about WWE doing business there.
Question: Can LIV golf 'buy-out' the Board of Directors of Augusta National to get approval to allow their players to compete in the Masters? What would it take? $1B, $2B, $20B, what is their price?
FedEx just heavily invested in Saudi. RBC just sold to Saudis. All this PGA Tour grandstanding and social justice warrioring is comical.
What's the downside? How about the terrible product they're putting out? 54 hole no cut shotgun starts with 9 figure appearance fees is not the formula for drama filled competition. It'll be just watching guys getting the golf part over with to collect a check. A season schedule full of pro bowls but without the all-pros.
Get over yourselves, for decades there has been royalty, politicians, celebrities that accept Saudi money without vilification. No body calls them out, your selective outrage is pure idiocy.
When the Masters disallows LIV players they will need to change the name of the Masters to the “left overs”
“Left Overs”? What the hell do you call the second tier players in the LIV? Ricky Fowler next guy to go.. can’t make a cut but boy he sure looks good decked out in his all orange getup doesn’t he? SMH 😂😂
The majors are NOT NOT going to allow LIV players to play.… what’s happens if the Players at LIV rejects the Masters. That will relegate the value of Masters or any other Majors. Are they willing to take the risk to be relegated?
Quit shaming people for taking “Saudi” $$$… we been taking their oil for decades lol ..same thing
How many soccer clubs in Europe are owned by the Saudis and nobody bats an eye.
What reason would a corporation throw money away. It’s losing money at the start.
Why? Follow the money and the reason becomes apparent. Do your research. They don’t care about the money.
The Majors are separate from the pga tour…majors want the best fields, that has to include Sergio n DJ, Bryson..even if u don’t like them, they are good at golf
Uh- Oh! The employees found a better paying job.
What’s crazy is that no one talks about them taking money from Nike.
Would I rather have the opportunity to win a green jacket or increase my yearly salary by 5-10x or possibly more? I don’t think excluding LIV tour players from playing in the Masters will have any effect. Been wrong before though
If the Masters decided to not invite LIV members, and should not be able to play Augusta...its not PGA regulated....I will be done with the PGA and the Masters ASAP......!!!!
Yup that’s the other side of the coin…the fans. If the PGA upsets their fans who believe the pros should be able to play in both leagues then they may start to lose fans and viewership and in turn money.
Lol! See ya! You think Augusta cares what you think? You're in the small minority...😅
Like either gives a crap what you think!
The Masters will want ALL the best players in the world. That's who they invite.
The Masters is not the biggest major.
It’s invite only and players playing in it who won 30/40 years ago.
Golfers are independent contractors and have the right to earn a living. One of them will sue the PGA.
They are earning a LIVing.
I suspect more than one of them will sue.
@@marietaylor5174 Class action???
I will scream this nonstop... But 99.9999999% of people criticizing the players taking Saudi money are hypocrits.
Virtue signalling at its finest
The Masters is never going ban players for joining LIV, nor should they. What does ANGC care what players do for the other 51 weeks per year? So silly.
I don’t see the Masters saying they can’t compete… they’re their own entity. Wouldn’t be surprised if they accepted LIV Golf winners. 😂
One donation from LIV to Augusta National, and they’ll be allowed.
They can all play the Masters, US Open and Open.
Aren't you automatically invited if you've won a past Masters anyway? I'd be shocked if they ban 3 past winners over a spat they're not involved in.
@@SkatterBrain Angel Cabrera didn’t get an invite this year cause he’s in jail
@@SkatterBrain They would have to ban at least 5. Sergio, Phil, Reed, DJ and todays LIV winner Schwartzel
Green Jacket or piles of CASH ? If GREAT PGA players start seeing the -lower tier- players in the LIV making a lot of cash they will be heading towards the exit.
I think it’s terrible that they took Saudi money. And the vast majority of my buddies agree.
And the PGA is taking money from China, signed 20 year deal with them.
too bad. 8 zeros says its okay
ok boomer
Ur car is ran from oil and gas that most likely came from Saudi Arabia guy
It's a new world, doing what capitalist do is make the money.
They asked Rory if the players wanted to come back. A lot don't they don't care 8 events 54 holes more $ they don't care. Augusta oh well more Fam time and $ less golf. Period
2024 it will be a 14 event season
Greg Norman really needs to start paying rent in all of these PGA Fanboys heads. I’ll take the LIV Golf tour anyway.
Can someone explain to me what’s the issue with golf and saudi ?
Saudi money is blood money. Why not have a Russian Tour too? It can set up courses in the occupied Ukraine territories, right next to the graveyards of the children and women killed in heinous attacks...
Playing golf can be fun, but watching it is so BORING it is like watching grass grow.....
Watch the attorneys come out- if PGA does not allow player in LIV to play wherever, whenever. Watch young collegiate golfers bail college to go play for BIG money. Sound familiar? NBA, NFL etc… PGA tour card becomes meaningless.
How do you suspend a non-member? Seems like loophole available to players.
Where’s the loophole.?You resign your tour membership you don’t play in any pga tour sanctioned events no suspension necessary
LIV is really pulling out all the stops. These players now have the accommodations and travel, food…etc. paid for. And nobody seems to mention the NO CUT rule. That first tournament last place took home over 130k. He would have been cut in the PGA. That’s huge stuff
Weak and spineless take by Eisen. These guys are getting $100,000,000 payments just to join the league. When you hand out that much money just for 1 individual to appear, how is this even really still a sport? What’s the real motivation to win? Who is going to care about this league? Rich thinks the only downside is the blood money? 🤯
Yeah, who needs principles in this day and age? Why not take Russian money too? Or North Korean?
QB's get 30 Million a year, do you think they just show up for the money also ? Golfers want to win but in the PGA there is no guaranteed money unless you score low enough to get to the weekend, and even then it might only be 20K if you don't place high up.
Will some of the Scottish golf courses host any LIV tour events, in the future?
Scotland is a big part of the history of golf.
But I do hope democracy and human rights are respected.
Money to be made. Lol I just looked it up. The payout for the London event FOR THE BOTTOM GUY! was $120,000. #48, Andy Ogletree TRIPLED his career earnings in one event. Career earnings for Andy before London were $38,186. I'm betting he's not too concerned with ANYthing the PGA says or does right now.
It would be interesting to see how many members of Augusta National have business dealings with Saudi Arabia. My guess is, quite a few. How, then, can they penalize golfers for doing the same?
Ummm wasn’t the Masters started by Bobby Jones…who would not join any tour. How do you think the Masters would tie themselves to a tour?
The masters is I believe not beholden to any tour. They are strictly an invitational tournament
Great example of what’s wrong with the world …. GREED and Money !
Why is The Masters so crucial, 95% of thd PGA Tour pros have no chance of winning it anyway and that's the only reason Rory is staying, and when it comes to money he's exactly the same as the guys he is slating.
If the inaugural LIV tournament is any indication, the PGA tour has nothing to fear.
Don't you worry they will throw more money at people who produce these tournaments to make it more attractive to the viewers. Everything and everyone is for sale and the Saudi's have a nearly unlimited pool of money.
Has beens and nobodies. That's LIV Golf - Average world ranking of the entire field: 100. Average age: 40. Look at Graeme McDowell or any number of the "big names" recent form: Missed cut after missed cut. Money grab, no prestige, no TV rights sold, no interest beyond initial curiousity. Personally don't care to watch it at all.
If the Masters bans Michelson Johnson Reed Schwartzel it will kill the tradition of the Masters these are all past champions they can't be banned the PGA tour does not own any major and cannot ban them from the majors.
The PGA tour is in big trouble, the LIV tour has shown them for what they are a Multi billion dollar business masquerading as a non profit. Just look at their corporate partners, Big banks, Big pharma. With a little investigation you will find they are not that pure and clean no matter how good their PR dept. is. Yes they donate to local needs at every tournament but its a pittance compared to the returns to the for profit arm of the tour. Excellent golf talent is the attraction and if they lose a few more marque players they will be forced to back down or media money will drain away severely hurting their bottom line.
Current oil prices - $150 million is probably half a days oil production.
RE talking about the Master's and Augusta National like their history has been beyond reproach. Hootie and the leadership before him have a well-documented history of racism and morally corrupt behaviour. Their present-day leadership/board, membership isn't exactly a beacon of progressive inclusivity either. All the outrage of taking Saudi money is short-sighted and hypocritical anyway ... Saudi money comes from US demand for oil. This is a system that the US have created and we have been making concessions to the Saudi's for generations that includes egregious bending-over/blind eye over many atrocities ... not just Jamal Kashogi, but most prominently 9/11. The COMPLETE headline is "Some golfers are taking Saudi money ... that comes from US govt and consumers of Saudi oil". We are all conflicted and complicit here ... not just these golfers.
It wouldn't be a real Masters if master quality talent weren't allowed to compete.
PGA can’t complain when Nike and *insert a number of companies* are involved
The golfers have a right to play wherever and for whomever they want
I don’t think the Masters would abdicate their authority over their tournament to the PGA. At least, I hope not. I can’t see the Masters giving ad money away. Too lucrative for them, and annual operating costs of the club are probably covered 10 times over.
Livgolf has a bottomless budget. Pretty attractive to current and future professional players
What is the problem with LIV...??? Only 8 events in a 53 weekends per year. Let them play... !! FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME..!!! AND FOR THE FANS...!!!!
I will continue to parrot this: the LIV will never overtake golf, they will either fail and the big names will return to the PGA or pro golf is done for because im not watching a tournament if i dont recognize enough names, especially if they are split between these 2 leagues. In the end, this can only hurt golf and other golfers.
They don't need you to watch
The AFL said the same thing when the NFL started guess what they merged. PGA needs to quit whining
I am all for player mobility. I don’t think that any entity or person should ever assume they are complete Teflon and powerful to always a keep their spot. I am only saddened to think about the money being put up for that, how many amazing things COULD the royals do to improve the quality of life for their people with that money?
I would exclude them the Masters and those who have green jackets, have them pulled and wiped off the books.