Today we close out 2022 with the second in our two-part series of those who were newsmakers and difference makers in what was a very tumultuous year in golf.
So let’s get right to it.
LIV Golf and Greg Norman: Has to be the top newsmaker of 2022. The Saudis made the decision to throw somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 billion to steal players from the PGA Tour to establish a rival golf league called LIV Golf. The face of LIV is none other than the guy who has carried a long-time grudge against the PGA Tour. Norman’s mouth has been writing checks that he can’t cash — he promised his players world ranking points and a television deal among other hollow boastings. Behind closed doors, all does not appear to be hunky-dory with the departure of COO Atul Khosla quitting right after the last event of the season. Word was he had a “heated exchange” with the man overseeing the Saudi money. There are no corporate sponsor interested in throwing money at this latest sports-washing project by The Kingdom and Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
Phil Mickelson: Lefty became the Judas of the PGA Tour as he secretly tried to recruit players to follow him to LIV. After calling the Saudis “scary mother fuckers” he took something in the neighborhood of $200 million to work for The Kingdom and The Lamest Commissioner In All The Land (aka Greg Norman). Mickelson went totally into hiding for four months before he finally emerged. One of the PGA Tour’s most popular players committed career suicide.
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods: Tiger and Rory became the faces of the PGA Tour in the battle against LIV. Tiger flew in to a players meeting before the BMW Championship where he and Rory rallied the players to come together and prevent further defections to the rival golf league. Tiger and Rory also announced a new high-tech competition that will begin in 2024 called TMRW. The technology-based concept will see players hit shots on a virtual screen before moving to a state-of-the-art short game complex in the center of the stadium.
Every shot will be played within a two-hour window in a bid to make golf more appealing for spectators, who will be at the side of the greens to watch the action unfold. The inaugural season will feature a 15-match schedule followed by playoffs and a championship match. It will be broadcast in prime time on Monday nights after football season.
Rory made a lot of news on the course with a much-improved short game that carried him to a third FedEx Cup and put him atop the Official World Golf Rankings. As for Tiger, he’s still rehabbing his right leg and things got more complicated thanks to a bout with plantar fasciitis. Woods said basically he’s looking at the four majors in 2023 and possibly “two other events.”
Cam Smith: The young Aussie won the Tournament of Champions then the Players Championship in 2022. He made his biggest move when he went on to claim his first major championship at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews. Like the rest, he dodged questions about LIV but then went on to defect. That made him the prize signing for the rogue league. He’s the only truly relevant player in the LIV lineup as he’s ranked third in the world and won two huge events in 2022. Truth be known, the huge LIV payout will allow him to spend a lot of time back home in Australia, which was his biggest motivation for departing.
Dustin Johnson: The dominant player on LIV, D.J. took home $35.6 million in just seven events, including an $18 million bonus. D.J. isn’t all that crazy about the game and is looking to retirement when his LIV contract is up in a few years.
Secondary LIV Defectors: Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau both defected. Brooks has never been honest about his mounting injuries. Another part of his motivation was that his younger brother Chase needed money and you can bet it was a “buy-one, get-one” deal. Brooks doesn’t really enjoy the game. And no one misses his surly, aloof attitude. Same for DeChambeau. He has physical issues and his body won’t last long swinging the way he swings and he knows it. All the more reason for Bryson to take the money and run. He and Koepka are both on pitch counts.
Patrick Reed: The walking, talking human litigation machine. He’s suing anyone and everyone who pointed out the FACT that he cheated at Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in 2019. Peter Kostis also went on the record saying he saw Reed break the rules numerous times when he wasn’t on a television camera. Reed is asking for $820 million in damages to his “reputation” — his first lawsuit was thrown out but he’s filed a second.
Jay Monahan: Tough year for Jay with all the LIV lawsuit filings. The Sheriff Of Nottingham (aka Monahan) is assembling an all-star team of barristers to battle the LIV attorneys. And hopefully LIV will have better representation. In its first hearing, its attorney was, well, basically clueless. Truth be known, U.S. courts won’t look favorably upon a foreign entity stealing players from an American entity to form a competing entity and using what amounts to corporate espionage as The Defector-In-Chief (aka Phil Mickelson) was trying to recruit players away from the PGA Tour while he was still a member of the PGA Tour.
Harold Varner III: The only honest defector — Harold didn’t hesitate to say he joined LIV strictly for the money. None of this “growing the game” bullspit from Harold. Sadly, Harold left the PGA Tour without a win.
Yes there were a lot of things going on in 2022 and 2023 will now doubt bring a continuation of The Great Divide (aka PGA Tour and LIV) in golf.
For everyone out there who eyeballs our pages, we wish you a HAPPY, HEALTHY and PROSPEROUS New Year!
