There’s one thing that’s pretty obvious about this new league — it’s totally Bush League.
No, the filthy Saudi sports-washing money isn’t but everything else surrounding this LIV Series most certainly is — starting with their “eject-the-guys-who-ask-the-tough-questions” actions in their press conference earlier this week.
Associated Press journalist was at the LIV media center and of course, he was asking the tough questions. Now keep in mind the one thing that is totally Verboten (Nazi regime talk for “forbidden”) in Saudi Arabia is the good old American concept of Free Speech.
So things didn’t go smoothing when Harris put the interrogation lamps on Graeme McDowell, reminding him of the 81 March executions back in the Saudi homeland, the Jamal Khashoggi assassination and assorted other human rights atrocities. G-Mac turned very pale, even for an Irishman and finally sighed and said: “I just don’t know what to say….”
Kevin Na didn’t like what was going on in the media center either. When things got testy, he simply turned to leave and muttered: “This is really uncomfortable.”
Yes, G-Mac tried to stammer out something about golf being a force for good but had no response as to how the Saudi sovereign wealth will help those who have been killed, maimed and oppressed by The Regime.
When things actually did start on Thursday, the commentary was nothing short of laughable.
When you talk about sell-outs, all you had to do was listen to these gems from Jerry Foltz, who used to do a nice job on the Golf Channel.
Foltz: “As Greg says, this will grow the game of golf.”
Foltz: “It’s here to stay!”
Foltz: “As Greg says, it’s great for the game, great for the players and great for the fans.”
Think good old Jerry’s been coached on what to say?
Foltz as he watched Kevin Na miss another putt: “His optimism for the future of this is almost contagious!”
Really? Good old Kevin signed for 73, three-over by day’s end. Tough to know because, well, there was, you know, no scoreboard, not even one on the LIV website as play began.
Dustin Johnson hit a shot and the announcer screams: “Oh look at this — it’s RIGHT AT IT,” D.J.’s iron shot stops 35 feet short of the hole.
In the early going, Sergio Garcia missed a two-footer for par. Now you know why he signed up for this guaranteed money.
Ian Poulter lined one up: “We know how he putts in the Ryder Cup!” The announcer blurted. Poulter missed his putt and they should have said; “We know how he USED to putt in the Ryder Cup.” No more Ryder Cups for Mr. Fancy-Pants.
They put together a “feature group” with D.J. and Mickelson who played together along with a scruffy youngster named Scott Vincent (ever heard of him?). Well, D.J. and Phil managed to finish one-under (69) but that was tough to confirm without a scoreboard. The scruffy kid cut ’em both by two shots (67). Now you know why Phil and D.J. are there.
At the end of the day, it looked like Charl Schwartzel was the low guy with a five-under par 65. The great Hennie Du Plessis was a shot back and two back with the aforementioned Scott Vincent was Phachara Khongwatmai. You wonder how much guaranteed money Greg threw at Phachara to land him?
As far as the leading team after day one? If you looked at the LIV site after play was finished — there was nothing. Billions of dollars to spend and no leaderboard on the website? Finally someone probably went “Doh” (perhaps Homer Simpson) and late Thursday evening, lo and behold, the leaderboard finally appeared on the site! Our condolences to Andy Ogletree and his 82. Now we know why Andy’s there.
We were hoping Alan Shipnuck might clue everyone in. The esteemed, decorated writer went over on his own time, bought a ticket after being denied press credentials. He went into the Mickelson post round press conference but was physically removed. He described the incident on his Twitter feed:
“Well, a couple of neckless security dudes just physically removed me from Phil Mickelson’s press conference, saying they were acting on orders from their boss, whom they refused to name. (Greg Norman? MBS? Al Capone?) Never a dull moment up in here.”
Poulter and Westwood must have conferred and come up with their own plan: they refused to answer questions. Easy to understand why they jumped. Westy and Poults both shot 75s and would be leaving town early after Friday. But no cut on this parade of the aged and mediocre.
So yes, why allow freedom to ask the tough questions in the media center? After all, the backers of this deal, the ones throwing all the cash at these golfers, well, they’re not exactly big on free speech or criticism of The Regime.
Just ask the ghost of Jamal Khashoggi.
As for Alan Shipnuck, we wish him well, hope you’re back for a real competition next week at the U.S. Open.
15 Comments
doug@bkassociates.net
Get your weekly check from the PGA? What a shill! The PGA (and you) are disingenuous liars when you claim it is not all about money. I hope the courts shove the suspensions up the PGA’s butt.
Tom Edrington
Uh, Dougie, please make that “PGA Tour” in your comments please to at least pretend to know what you’re talking about….the “PGA” is the trade association for the hard working Club Professionals!
forky76
Growing up as a kid in the 80’s my mum used to joke make sure you play golf or tennis when you grow up, that’s where all the money is. The highest paid sports stars in the world were Palmer, Nicklaus, Norman.. Fast forward to 2022, the total payroll of the NFL runs at about $4b p.a. the payroll of the NBA runs at about $4b p.a. the total prize pool in the pga tour is about $350m. The total payroll of the Australian Football League runs at about $350m.. yes a nothing league in terms of world sports is as big as the pga tour. The pga tour has had one of the greatest athletes of all time playing for them for the last 25 yrs and they have run the league into the ground. Tiger was earnings of about $125m.. yes its a lot of money, but an average nba player can make that in 2 seasons these days. Finchem and Monahan have turned the pga into a ‘bush league’. They have dished up the same stale offering week after week for 25 years. Only now with some competition have they started to innovate, but the ship has sailed.
As for LIV golf, 100k viewers on YouTube is more than anyone thought possible. The bad news for the pga tour is this is as bad as its going to be. The flaws will be ironed out and the field get stronger. Dechambeau, Reed & Fowler seem confirmed for Portland, and rumours today suggest Bubba and wolff are next. LIV golf is here to stay whether you like it or not.
Tom Edrington
Wait until we publish the list of “answers” that LIV players were given on a cheat sheet so they can address the tough questions the way the Saudis prefer…..how’s that for free speech?
baxter cepeda
Shipnuck is becoming a bit of a troll clown. I’ve always respected him but he seems to be enjoying his overdue 15 minutes of (real) fame a bit too much. Buying a ticket to go troll Phil after trying to ruin his life. Move on bro. You got enough out of Phil.
LIv seems to be allowing tough questions —they could easily allow none— but these persistent reporters are pushing too much. I’m not appalled by these two removals.
Aside from that, Yes they are making some mistakes in their launch. But it’s also probably the most sophisticated launch in tour golf history.
As for the scores, the scores are fine. They actually have some rough at centurion. It’s taken the pga tour until this week this year to finally present some rough, and in Canada of all places.
We see these type of scores on the pga tour all the time, when they aren’t at one of their bombers paradise pitch and putts, 30 under places.
The two competing tours leaderboards after day 1 are quite similar. Should we go through rbc scores and diminish the value of all the players who didn’t have a great day? That’s nonsense Tom.
I read a lot of articles of journalists with lifetime pga tour passes freaking out about losing their pga tour perks, but From what my wife is reading on Socials, people feel Monahan and the pga tour are being the petty ones sounding super desperate and bush league.
As much as I read biased journalists supporting Monahan, it’s getting harder and harder to deny that, especially since that’s what I see myself despite giving Tom and Shipnuck and all the boys at Golf magazine and golf channel every chance to protect Monahans tour.
It’s a New era. It’s here. Bush league or not, Monahan is in big trouble. People completely twist the terrible, selfish, greedy job Monahan did during Covid —it would have been worse greed but for one lady talking some sense to Monahans team.
But now monahan let a competitor which was held at bay for 3 plus decades by his predecessors, not only start, but already poach about half the players on Monahans ridiculous pip leaderboard. Monahans Pip now acting as a resource of exactly the kind of star Calibur this supposed bush league is taking from Monahan with ease.
The pga tour desperately needs someone whom will rescue the pga tour from Monahans mess. Someone whom will allow its stars to return. Someone whom will work with LIv so LIv doesn’t drive them into the ground. Someone whom won’t cry because they can’t be the only sport to host an event during an international pandemic.
We can criticize LIv all day, it’s day 1, call it bush league all we like, but the reality is the pga tour is the tour increasingly in danger of becoming bush league; especially under Monahan. IMHO.
Tom Edrington
You can criticize Shipnuck but he’s won more awards than you can imagine for his excellence in the field of covering golf so I will throw that in your face, I’d probably join him if I was back in my prime, I could ask the tugh questions. Support of the Tour is because it actually helps the communities where events are held. There’s no free speech in the media center at LIV, players are given scripts on how to answer questions in a manner that is okay with the money-base and that is the Saudis. I’ve read everything I can find and basically, the best writers and best thinkers are in agreement that the LIV is a farce. It is not a competition. Players have already been paid, interviews are scripted — sound like the WWE!
forky76
Another point to note (stats from pga money list):
In the 15 years from 1981 to 1995 (Norman’s heyday) pga tour prize money increased 395%.
In the 15 years from 1996 to 2010 (Tpigers heyday) pga tour prize money grew 320%.
In the 12 years since pga tour prize money has grown only 36%. Really…
Tiger has undeniable star power compared to Norman, so what went wrong?
My take, 1981 to 1995 was a period of globalization. The biggest players of that era were all internationals.. Norman, Faldo, Price, Seve, Langer. Since then has been a period of great mismanagement. The pga tour has failed to take advantage of Tiger’s star power.
LIV is once again trying to globalise the game. We’ve seen earlier how this can grow the sport. It is the future.
Tom Edrington
LIV is doing nothing for the game aside from making a lot of players who are well past their primes even wealthier. There’s no charitable and community causes and free speech is denied to journalists in the media center.
forky76
I think you’ll find LIV has given £1m to local london charities and pledged £100m globally. But nonetheless if John Deere, Valpar, Rocket Mortgage for example really cared for their communities they can still donate their money, you don’t need a golf tournament to be charitable. Or maybe it’s really all about self promotion and getting a Wednesday tee time with tiger or rory?
Tom Edrington
Uh, Forky, Tiger isn’t playing outside the majors this year, and perhaps never so scratch him from your “wednesday” tee times. If you among the 10 percent that think the LIV has credibility, well, not much I can say to you.
baxter cepeda
Not many people post here but everyone is disagreeing with you Tom.
You are reading the most established journalists. But journalism has become propaganda for their favorite political party. And now their favorite golf tour.
Tom Edrington
I’m polling the hundreds of golfers I know here in Tampa, It’s 100 percent PGA Tour……Baxter, you represent 99 percent of the posts, so your bias shows. Let’s see — Rory, J.T. Tony, Sam Burns and birdies flying all over the place, J=Ro going low, Rory getting No. 21 and all you have is a guy who hasn’t won in six years beating a bunch of slappies in a 54-hole event with no world ranking points — Wow Baxter, I know Hawaii has a lot of sand where you can bury your head but I’d suggest coming up for some fresh air.
baxter cepeda
I’m talking about forky and Doug. They are 100% disagreeing with you. And like me those aren’t biased arguments. They are reasonable insights of reality.
We have the freshest air out here. And trust me I use it which is maybe why I can formulate my own thoughts like forky and Doug; not what the pga tours partners want us to think.
I polled some old Folks myself yesterday and they were on the pga tour side as well. Old folks are like the establishment….don’t like change.
I get a lot of people don’t get this. But in a few years LIv will have more and more stars and eventually golf fans, even our oldest, Floridians, will adjust and accept it.
As with the Olympics, it’s taking players bravery to compete in this event. If you were Scared of Zika, you couldn’t win a gold medal, and if you are scared of change, or criticism, you don’t get a chance at 4.75 million like Charl.
Over time as with the Olympics, it won’t be so easy for Charl, because more and more top players will join LIv.
It’s undeniable at this point.
As I’ve said I love the pga tour and want success for it moving forward and believe it can…if it doesn’t push top players away. Because again, more and more top players are going to go.
Tom Edrington
Forky is not disagreeing, just read his comments here.
baxter cepeda
I ready Forkys clarification. He is saying he is more focused on being against Monahans pga tour than for the LIv. And that they need to co exist and work together Which is basically my point all Along.