LIV Golf

[Barking_Mad]

At least Poulter will make a Saturday for a change

He's now 98th in the world and likely to drop out of the top 100 for only the 2nd time since 2001. Very doubtful he'll be back either.

 

[Foxholer]

Edited now FH. Cheers for pointing out the typo

FWIW. I don't believe that 'stat' is worth a damn anyway...And likely pretty much equivalent would apply to Tennis I believe - but haven't checked - if you grabbed 3 'top' players.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Wasnt aware the ranking system itself was being radically changed in a few weeks aside from LIV developments :

https://meczyki.net/padraig-harrington-fears-new-ranking-system-will-cause-catastrophic-damage/

PGA Tour - Golf for America, by America.

Hopefully the DP World Tour sack off the allegiance to the PGA Tour, let the guys from LIV play, and help swing the ranking points back in favour of players who can't access the PGA Tour.

 

[PieMan]

And it seems they are also buying up wannabe youtubers. Anyone on a journey to scratch, or a vlog of their kids, however obscure.

Is that why Homer has disappeared? He's defected to LIV and Fragger has banned him?!!! ?

 

[Foxholer]

Wasnt aware the ranking system itself was being radically changed in a few weeks aside from LIV developments :

https://meczyki.net/padraig-harrington-fears-new-ranking-system-will-cause-catastrophic-damage/

That would seem to be more of a threat to ET (long term) than LIV is (short term) imo. At least after the initial raft of 'desertions'. Also raises the issue of how LIV prevents itself from being simply an 'exhibition' tour for players topping up their already sizable pension pots with proceeds from a few tournaments. How do/will those wanting to get on the gravy train actually 'qualify'?

 

[Barking_Mad]

Wasnt aware the ranking system itself was being radically changed in a few weeks aside from LIV developments :

https://meczyki.net/padraig-harrington-fears-new-ranking-system-will-cause-catastrophic-damage/

This certainly makes it more equal for all players, but he's right that the European Tour will get hammered and makes it really hard for top European players to climb the rankings. Perhaps another reason the two tours need more integration? Issue is (I suspect) that many US players won't want to travel.

 

[IainP]

Wasnt aware the ranking system itself was being radically changed in a few weeks aside from LIV developments :

https://meczyki.net/padraig-harrington-fears-new-ranking-system-will-cause-catastrophic-damage/

Good find, really interesting.
Implies the majors would change also although doesn't specifically mention. (Masters beware!)
In many ways the changes seem to make sense, although can see how it could be viewed as PGAT strengthening their hold (pre liv)

 

[Barking_Mad]

PGA Tour - Golf for America, by America.

Hopefully the DP World Tour sack off the allegiance to the PGA Tour, let the guys from LIV play, and help swing the ranking points back in favour of players who can't access the PGA Tour.

Well yes, but no.

From an equality point of view it's perfectly fair, as what the current system allows for is European Tour and other tour players to climb higher in the rankings than they would have done playing on the PGA Tour where arguably they'd be further down the field. Of course it could be argued that there's nothing stopping PGA Tour players coming over to the EU Tour which a few have. That said it's certainly allowed the best European Tour players to get a foothold in the rankings and go on to better things. Positive discrimination if you like ?

 

[BiMGuy]

Amazing how people have turned on Poulter but when he played Ryder Cup that was a different matter.

Not everyone liked him. I for one never have

 

[Barking_Mad]

Rory McIlroy has called players who join LIV Golf "pretty duplicitous" as Brooks Koepka became the latest to move to the new Saudi Arabian-backed series.

McIlroy, a staunch advocate of the PGA Tour, said he did not expect the former world number one to defect to LIV Golf.

"Am I surprised? Yes, because of what he said previously," he said.

"I think that's why I'm surprised at a lot of these guys, because they say one thing and then they do another and I don't understand.

"I don't know if that's for legal reasons - I have no idea - but it's pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing. In public and in private."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/61899722

 

[Mel Smooth]

Well yes, but no.

From an equality point of view it's perfectly fair, as what the current system allows for is European Tour and other tour players to climb higher in the rankings than they would have done playing on the PGA Tour where arguably they'd be further down the field. Of course it could be argued that there's nothing stopping PGA Tour players coming over to the EU Tour which a few have. That said it's certainly allowed the best European Tour players to get a foothold in the rankings and go on to better things. Positive discrimination if you like ?

112 players in the Travelers are American, 44 from the ROW.
Most of the players in the US Open were American, same for the Canadian Open, how is that perfectly fair?

I know the Open will have less US bias, but it's the only major and the only BIG tournament outside of the US on the calendar.

Why are non US players being disadvantaged - or are they just all crap golfers in comparison to those in the US?

 

[Ethan]

Wasnt aware the ranking system itself was being radically changed in a few weeks aside from LIV developments :

https://meczyki.net/padraig-harrington-fears-new-ranking-system-will-cause-catastrophic-damage/

Not a shocking proposal, but it is a self reinforcing one. Give more points to players who play on the PGA Tour, that increases the strength of the field, they get more points and so on in a self0-fulfilling circle.

 

[pauljames87]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/61899722

Oh Rory. Stick to playing golf ?

 

[Barking_Mad]

As someone said on BBC Have your say...

Growing the game of golf?

* No way of qualifying other than invite. No pyramid structure.
* Why haven’t Saudi done the same for a ladies series?
* No youth programmes and events
* Broadcasters aren’t touching it
* Bulk of events on one continent.
* No WR points

Growing the game about as much as I’m growing a pair of unicorns in my shed.

Money. Money. Money. That’s all it’s about

And yes, we know there's a Saudi series for women before the PR gurus chirp up ?

 

[Barking_Mad]

Oh Rory. Stick to playing golf ?

Clearly Brooks has said one thing in private and then gone back on it. He's free to do so and Rory is free to call him out on it.

 

[evemccc]

Oh Rory. Stick to playing golf ?

Rory is becoming Gary..

 

[pauljames87]

Clearly Brooks has said one thing in private and then gone back on it. He's free to do so and Rory is free to call him out on it.

Is he? Can he just stay out of it ?

If asked a question in interview just say Liv isn't for me, that's all I'm going to say on the matter

JT was the best just said respected people's choices and doesn't suddenly hate them for it

 

[hovis]

 

[Backsticks]

1
Why are non US players being disadvantaged - or are they just all crap golfers in comparison to those in the US?

Yes. There are more good American players. It is fair - any one good enough can get there. Noone is being disadvantaged..

 

[Lord Tyrion]

surprised we havent heard much fallout from the sponsors of the players. If you are Nike, for example, and you are paying a huge amount for a player to wear your clothes and shoes because they are on major tv networks every week around the world, are there not contractual implications if the player decides to move to a competition that doesnt even have a tv deal yet?

This comes back to the YouTube angle. I suspect Nike will hit more of their target market, young, high disposable income, via YouTube than behind paywall TV.