What Is Happening In Professional Golf?
The world of professional golf was forever changed in March of 2022 when LIV Golf, backed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, was established. Under the pretense that the PGA Tour had monopolized professional golf, golf legends Phil Mickelson and Greg Norman spearheaded public relations and recruitment efforts. Norman would take over as CEO of the league and be given an initial 2 billion dollar operating budget. Critics of the league claim that its establishment is an attempt at Saudi sportswashing, the process of repairing damaged public perception through sports publications or events. By the first event in June, 1 of every five players in the top 100 of the world had defected. Jay Monahan, the commissioner and CEO of the PGA Tour made the decision to indefinitely suspend any player that participates in the Saudi League. In the past few months both LIV and the PGA Tour have had a series of dramatic events leading to mixed signals for fans, sponsors, and in some cases, players.
Back in August, a series of lawsuits were filed against the PGA Tour on behalf of live defectors. The first accused the tour of antitrust and alleged that they had an unfair control of the professional golf market. The second filed for restraining orders specifically for players to play in both PGA Tour events and live golf events. Ultimately, both suits were thrown out or dismissed by the judges. LIV golf had encountered many roadblocks to diminishing the PGA Tour’s grip on golf until the season started: after 14 events with brand new formats across the world, it was clear that LIV had made its mark.
LIV golfers play 3 rounds in a tournament–different from the usual 4 rounds expected at PGA Tour events and Majors. Furthermore, LIV Golfers compete alongside teams whose sum score could earn them huge rewards. The climate at LIV events is designed to be electric, contrary to the typically quiet PGA environment. Concerts and raves occur on designated ‘party holes’ as players go through their round. Most importantly, players on the LIV tour experience astronomical purses- Charl Schwartzel earned $4.7 million in his first start which he won. Big names such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Cam Smith upwards of $200 million each. With huge monetary upside, a smaller field, and worldwide events, there is a large incentive for players to leave. Again, outspoken critics such as Rory McIlroy have pointed out ethical concerns with where that money comes from. In response, Rory Mcilroy, the PGA tour players association, and Jay Monahan have added 12 "elevated events” to the PGA schedule offering significantly larger purses for players.
In a shocking turn of events, Jay Monahan announced that the PGA Tour and LIV had agreed to a merger in September of last year. The LIV PGA merger aimed to modernize the sport by introducing a team-based format, global representation, and a point-based scoring system. However, concerns have been raised about the future of individual tournaments and the impact on golfers' careers. The U.S. Senate has initiated an investigation to assess the merger's implications on competitive integrity, market concentration, and the influence of new media entities in sports. Richard Blumenthal, Senator from Connecticut and Chair of the Investigative Committee, has announced an investigation into the PGA Tour's agreement with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). Blumenthal questioned the reasons and terms behind the agreement, citing the PIF's role as an arm of the Saudi government and the PGA Tour's sudden reversal of position regarding LIV Golf.
Finally, this past weekend, LIV was denied Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) points at its events.The OWGR is a global ranking system that ranks professional golfers based on their performance in various tournaments worldwide. It considers factors like the strength of the field, the golfer's finishing position, and the number of events played over a two-year rolling period. This system helps objectively assess and compare the performance of golfers, determining the world's top-ranked players. The OWGR is widely recognized in the golfing community and is essential for determining eligibility for major tournaments and selecting players for international team competitions like the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup. At the Ryder Cup last weekend, most LIV golfers were excluded from the matches. The USA was routed by team Europe and critics of captain Zach Johnson agree that his PGA biased team couldn't keep up with their more objectively selective European counterparts. Phil Mickelson has been outspoken about his disgust for the decision to deny LIV OWGR points. He claims that it was a biased act to “protect the integrity of major championships”, however, most golf analysts agree that LIV’s 48 man field and only three rounds make it impossible to be comparable in an official ranking system.
Ultimately, the animosity and drama between these two tours has been the spotlight of the golf world. Whether it be major championships, international play, or simple press interviews, the LIV golf expansion has dominated golf media for the past two years. It doesn't seem like there is any end in sight, golf fans should strap in because the division and drama will continue for years to come.