WorldHandicapSystem
Well-known member
Someone remember they had a burner account then?
LIV Golf
- Thread starter MarkT
- Start date
Pin-seeker
Well-known member
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
Best response possible. I don’t know why Rory keeps letting himself be dragged into it, he doesn’t play the tour or want to so just move on from the questions.
It’s getting quite petty now hearing the back and forth between the players and even here people doing all they can to slate it instead of accepting it’s here to stay, they’re making changes and it’s just golf to just try and enjoy regardless of what you choose.
Going from 54 holes to 72…? Radical decision… 
And people are spinning it as LIV failing?
Think about it. Putting on the events costs money. Adding an extra day will cost more money. Certainly looks like LIV’s pockets are still deep. It could be argued that it’s a desperate throw of the dice… but does big business make costly decisions by reading the tea leaves?
I wonder how many rounds were played in the early Opens?
Go back far enough and you’ll find it was 54 holes, then it dropped to 36 and then to 72…
Remember when the PGA Tour brought in the end of season FedEx play-offs? Plenty of people griped about that. Different things are tried, tours evolve.
And people are spinning it as LIV failing?
Think about it. Putting on the events costs money. Adding an extra day will cost more money. Certainly looks like LIV’s pockets are still deep. It could be argued that it’s a desperate throw of the dice… but does big business make costly decisions by reading the tea leaves?I wonder how many rounds were played in the early Opens?
Go back far enough and you’ll find it was 54 holes, then it dropped to 36 and then to 72…Remember when the PGA Tour brought in the end of season FedEx play-offs? Plenty of people griped about that. Different things are tried, tours evolve.
Swango1980
Well-known member
Presumably Rory was asked a question, and he just answered it? I've not seen his response on video, but read the transcript. It seems like a very neutral, non offensive answer.
As a person who plays golf as a profession, then his opinion is going to hold more weight than any of us, or most in media, hence why he is asked.
Media have just spun it again to be "Rory versus LIV", and fans (and Westwood) will fall for it. And had Rory refused to answer, the media would have still spun that as Rory shunning LIV or something similar
Rory isn't new off the block, he knew the impact of his response. Just block it, don't bite. Simple enough.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
He was asked a question and answered
Westwood is the one with the snidey comment yet the finger has been pointed at Rory
Westwood is the one with the snidey comment yet the finger has been pointed at Rory
LincolnShep
Head Pro
Looks like player pressure and desire for ranking points has forced the change to 72 holes. Whatever. If this makes LIV attractive to more players (whether signing or re-signing) then it's an understandable move.
Just as before, PIF will keep pouring money in until they stop. But that stop won't come down to profitability. Profitability is completely irrelevant.
PIF paying for LIV is equivalent to us paying to play golf. We don't make a profit, we do it because it's fun and we can afford to spend the money.
Just as before, PIF will keep pouring money in until they stop. But that stop won't come down to profitability. Profitability is completely irrelevant.
PIF paying for LIV is equivalent to us paying to play golf. We don't make a profit, we do it because it's fun and we can afford to spend the money.
rksquire
Head Pro
Both parties were asked questions in interviews - no issue with either response, both can be prickly in their own way - McIlroy is more than a bit moody, Westwood more than a bit snidey & drole.
Neilds
Assistant Pro
Probably both really bored with being asked the same old questions by journalists trying to prove they are clever (and failing) by getting clicks
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
Funny isn’t it people will allow Rory his comments as just answering questions but when Westwood or a Liv player does it back they’re a snide and so are the comments they make. Anyway it’s all golf and people should either simply say they won’t answer the question or move on.
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Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Don’t think it’s about profit right now but more about it being sustainable, they are throwing money at sports though to try and enhance Saudi for them to be a holiday destination in the same way Dubai etc is - they want to look beyond being sustained by oil
He was asked a question and answered
Westwood is the one with the snidey comment yet the finger has been pointed at Rory
I always take all the media with a dose of scepticism. How was the question to Rory phrased? Probably to get a reaction. And it was a journo that asked Westwood. Had Westwood even seen Rory’s interview/comment, or was the question phrased to him in a way to get a reaction.
Rory’s been very vocal in the past about LIV. Surely Westwood can do the same?
To be honest, it just came across as click bait. Not even a storm in a teacup.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Believe Rory was asked what he thought about LIV going to 72 holes and he thought it was a peculiar choice
Westwood was asked by Alan Brazil on the morning talksport show
Westwoods response was more about Rory than LIV
In the context of some of Rory’s caustic comments, he’s fair game. Glass houses…
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
I guess Rory prob won’t care what Westwood said , it’s par of the course of Westwood in recent years and just another result of the split in golf and your comment about storm in a tea cup is spot on - but some respond to the click Bait to stir it up
It might well be typical of Westwood but it’s typical of Rory too. And it’s just sad. Pathetic playground rubbish.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
I don’t see the issue with Rory’s answer to the question
LIV Golf expanding tournament format to 72 holes in 2026: Rory McIlroy calls it a 'peculiar move' but Jon Rahm says 'this is a win for the league, and the players'
LIV Golf announces all events will be played over 72 holes from 2026 while the team competition will continue to run concurrently; all events will be played over four days, generally beginning on Thursday of event weeks
But it was on subject LIV - Westwoods comment was more personal snide towards Rory
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
I don’t agree that it was snide he was asked a direct question he gave a direct answer as he’s entitled.I don’t see the issue with Rory’s answer to the question
LIV Golf expanding tournament format to 72 holes in 2026: Rory McIlroy calls it a 'peculiar move' but Jon Rahm says 'this is a win for the league, and the players'
LIV Golf announces all events will be played over 72 holes from 2026 while the team competition will continue to run concurrently; all events will be played over four days, generally beginning on Thursday of event weekswww.skysports.com
But it was on subject LIV - Westwoods comment was more personal snide towards Rory
What is it you keep saying on this and the footy thread people responding to click bait! That’s exactly what you’re doing and creating. Hobbit is right they’re as bad as each other and in recent past Rory has been just as snide with his comments.
If it’s ok for one then it’s ok for all.
Mel Smooth
Hacker
Paul McGinley
Quotes taken from the article in Bunkered Magazine....
Who will be the next European Ryder Cup captain? Will Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton be allowed to play at Adare Manor? What will be the outcome of their appeals? Will LIV Golf’s move from 54 to 72 holes change the direction of the league? And are they finally about to land some world ranking points?
Paul McGinley, the strategic advisor to Luke Donald for Europe’s away win this year at Bethpage Black, is famous for his attention to detail and is following these decisive narratives as closely as anyone.
So before a rare playing appearance on the Legends Tour at La Manga, we caught up with McGinley, one of the game’s leading analysts, to delve a little bit deeper…
_
He’s also making a lot of money and that takes away a lot of pressure and gives him a bit more freedom in his golf. The way things are at the moment with him not banned off the tour and waiting on an appeal, he is able to play quite a lot of DP World events on top of the LIV schedule. He’s been playing as much golf as he would have played if he had stayed with the PGA Tour. It’s all worked out very well for Tom so far.
There’s a lot of players looking at Tom McKibbin this year and looking at how much money he’s made and how his career has actually improved. He’s become a better player. A lot of players are looking at LIV and thinking they can play in three or four events outside of LIV that will also give me opportunity to qualify for majors, including the Masters.
Then on the other side, we’ve got some of our stellar players who are awaiting an appeal. We may well not have them as part of our tour. If they’re not part of that, they won’t be part of the Ryder Cup in Adare. It will be a big body blow to our chances of attaining the Ryder Cup in Adare if we don’t have Hatton and Rahm. It would have been very hard to win that Ryder Cup in Rome without Rahm and Hatton on the team. But it’s a much bigger decision than: “Are they going to be banned or not?” The European Tour has to look at the big picture here.
To be a member on the Ryder Cup team, you have to be a member of the DP World Tour. It’s the one bit of leverage that we exercise in Europe in order to get the players to show a bit of loyalty and play in Europe. You have to be a member of the DP World Tour. The players all have to play four events outside of the majors. There’s a lot of moving parts here. There’s the PGA Tour relationship, the strategic alliance, the importance of those players for our business model in Europe, the importance of Rahm playing in Spain, for example, and Tyrrell playing in the UK. The future sustainability of the DP World Tour is the most important thing.
I really feel that the board of the DP World Tour is a very, very strong one. There’s a lot of very, very smart people on there and I’m sure that the decision will be made in the right way. We have a lot of confidence put into this. We have a lot of confidence that the DP World Tour will move in the right direction and make a good decision.
There will be a small amount of points available. Events like last week [Hong Kong] and now that the Masters as well as the R&A have opened up a number of International Series events for qualification, that gives the players a great opportunity to still qualify and get into majors. Then when you get into them, it’s a question of playing well in them and maybe trying to win one and get yourself a five-year exemption to all of the majors. Pathways are opening up. Certainly LIV players are in a much better position now and have more opportunity to qualify for majors than they would have had three years ago or two years ago.
The writing’s on the wall that it’s going to be a matter of time before LIV do get points. It’s a legitimate competitor for both the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. Because of the huge amount of money that’s put in front of the players and relatively weak fields, the opportunity to make a lot of money is very, very clear. I think they’re a legitimate threat and they’re a legitimate competitor to the DP and the PGA Tours.
The PGA Tour is always going to be there and that’s why the DP World Tour decided to have a strategic alliance with them. When you’re trying to secure your future and you’re having to look after the guys that were left behind after a lot went to LIV, the board of the DP World Tour had to take a safe bet and the PGA Tour pathway was a very safe bet. They gave a phenomenal financial deal to the DP World Tour. In time, that will be proved to be a very prudent and smart move. But to answer your question, I think LIV is a legit competitor to the two established tours at the moment. It‘s becoming more appealing as pathways are opening up to get into major championships and guys like Tom McKibbin jump over and hit the ground running and make many, many millions of dollars.
There’s a lot of moving parts here and there’s some huge decisions to be made by executives and the board of the DP World Tour in the next number of months once the appeal is heard.
We’ve been through tricky spots before – the Henrik Stenson appointment and then when he was told to step down. It was a bit of a crisis there, but we came through that and that worked out very well as Luke then became the captain. Look how fantastic he’s turned out in the last two years. We do things right in Europe and we don’t shout from the rooftops about it. We do it quietly behind the scenes and a good, considered decision will be made on who the next captain is.
But first of all, we have to gather the information. There’s a lot of people who have input. The players have obviously been important. They will have input. Guy Kinnings [DP World Tour chief executive] will have input. The Players Committee will have input. There’s a lot of people who will have different views. All of those views will be gathered and hopefully we’ll come up with a winning formula again like we did with Luke. It could be Luke again, who knows?
_
Paul McGinley was speaking ahead of his appearance at the Champions UK plc European Senior Masters, in association with Equals Money.
Quotes taken from the article in Bunkered Magazine....
‘LIV Golf is a legitimate threat – just look at Tom McKibbin’
There are far more questions than there are answers in elite golf right now.Who will be the next European Ryder Cup captain? Will Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton be allowed to play at Adare Manor? What will be the outcome of their appeals? Will LIV Golf’s move from 54 to 72 holes change the direction of the league? And are they finally about to land some world ranking points?
Paul McGinley, the strategic advisor to Luke Donald for Europe’s away win this year at Bethpage Black, is famous for his attention to detail and is following these decisive narratives as closely as anyone.
So before a rare playing appearance on the Legends Tour at La Manga, we caught up with McGinley, one of the game’s leading analysts, to delve a little bit deeper…
_
What did you make of Tom McKibbin sealing those major spots by winning the LINK Hong Kong Open?
Not surprised, to be honest. He’s been a hell of a player. The events that he’s played on the European Tour, he’s acquitted himself well. He’s been a good player from a very young age. Going to LIV, I think, has benefited his career. He’s playing more regularly with better players. That’s always an important thing for any young player’s progress. Being lucky enough to be on the Hatton and Rahm team has helped him.He’s also making a lot of money and that takes away a lot of pressure and gives him a bit more freedom in his golf. The way things are at the moment with him not banned off the tour and waiting on an appeal, he is able to play quite a lot of DP World events on top of the LIV schedule. He’s been playing as much golf as he would have played if he had stayed with the PGA Tour. It’s all worked out very well for Tom so far.
There’s a lot of players looking at Tom McKibbin this year and looking at how much money he’s made and how his career has actually improved. He’s become a better player. A lot of players are looking at LIV and thinking they can play in three or four events outside of LIV that will also give me opportunity to qualify for majors, including the Masters.
Like you say, McKibbin, Rahm and Hatton are all still waiting on an appeal against their DP World Tour fines and they could be banned from the Ryder Cup if they lose. How much is at stake here?
The decision is much bigger than the Ryder Cup. It’s a European Tour decision. The future of the European Tour and the sustainability of the Tour and where the strategic alliance fits in with all of that too, with the Americans obviously helping out the European Tour financially at the moment. This decision and strategy of the DP World Tour is much bigger than the Ryder Cup in this instance. I’m not involved or not on the board at the moment but it’s a tricky situation. On one side we’ve got the strategic alliance and the importance of hitching a wagon with the PGA Tour has been clear to see in the last few years. I believe that’s a very good deal for the DP World Tour.Then on the other side, we’ve got some of our stellar players who are awaiting an appeal. We may well not have them as part of our tour. If they’re not part of that, they won’t be part of the Ryder Cup in Adare. It will be a big body blow to our chances of attaining the Ryder Cup in Adare if we don’t have Hatton and Rahm. It would have been very hard to win that Ryder Cup in Rome without Rahm and Hatton on the team. But it’s a much bigger decision than: “Are they going to be banned or not?” The European Tour has to look at the big picture here.
To be a member on the Ryder Cup team, you have to be a member of the DP World Tour. It’s the one bit of leverage that we exercise in Europe in order to get the players to show a bit of loyalty and play in Europe. You have to be a member of the DP World Tour. The players all have to play four events outside of the majors. There’s a lot of moving parts here. There’s the PGA Tour relationship, the strategic alliance, the importance of those players for our business model in Europe, the importance of Rahm playing in Spain, for example, and Tyrrell playing in the UK. The future sustainability of the DP World Tour is the most important thing.
I really feel that the board of the DP World Tour is a very, very strong one. There’s a lot of very, very smart people on there and I’m sure that the decision will be made in the right way. We have a lot of confidence put into this. We have a lot of confidence that the DP World Tour will move in the right direction and make a good decision.
What are your thoughts on LIV changing their founding formula and going from 54 to 72 holes?
I don’t know if it’s that big a deal. I think the self-perpetuating thing is an issue with the world rankings – 54 players playing, all sharing points among themselves. There’s obviously two or three elite players on there that seem to be coming in the top three every single week that they play, which they wouldn’t be doing if they were playing on the PGA Tour which is a lot deeper in terms of talent. There’ll have to be an algorithm and a formula. It’ll probably come out that there will be a lot less points available on LIV events than there will be on the PGA Tour. The depth of the PGA Tour fields, even the smaller fields of 70 players, the depth of those is much, much stronger than the depth of LIV.There will be a small amount of points available. Events like last week [Hong Kong] and now that the Masters as well as the R&A have opened up a number of International Series events for qualification, that gives the players a great opportunity to still qualify and get into majors. Then when you get into them, it’s a question of playing well in them and maybe trying to win one and get yourself a five-year exemption to all of the majors. Pathways are opening up. Certainly LIV players are in a much better position now and have more opportunity to qualify for majors than they would have had three years ago or two years ago.
The writing’s on the wall that it’s going to be a matter of time before LIV do get points. It’s a legitimate competitor for both the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. Because of the huge amount of money that’s put in front of the players and relatively weak fields, the opportunity to make a lot of money is very, very clear. I think they’re a legitimate threat and they’re a legitimate competitor to the DP and the PGA Tours.
The PGA Tour is always going to be there and that’s why the DP World Tour decided to have a strategic alliance with them. When you’re trying to secure your future and you’re having to look after the guys that were left behind after a lot went to LIV, the board of the DP World Tour had to take a safe bet and the PGA Tour pathway was a very safe bet. They gave a phenomenal financial deal to the DP World Tour. In time, that will be proved to be a very prudent and smart move. But to answer your question, I think LIV is a legit competitor to the two established tours at the moment. It‘s becoming more appealing as pathways are opening up to get into major championships and guys like Tom McKibbin jump over and hit the ground running and make many, many millions of dollars.
Has LIV been made any more appealing to fans, though?
It’s not got traction. It’s not appealing to the public. It has a lot of issues. It doesn’t have big viewing figures. It’s got a big major network in America now… the figures are still tiny. If you view LIV as an opportunity and you view your professional career as your objective is to make a lot of money, well, LIV makes a lot of sense. If you really want to progress your career, you’re taking a big chance leaving the PGA, DP World Tour umbrella and going to play on LIV. It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens with this appeal. It’s going to be really interesting to see if the door to play LIV and the DP World Tour remains open.There’s a lot of moving parts here and there’s some huge decisions to be made by executives and the board of the DP World Tour in the next number of months once the appeal is heard.
What’s the state of play with the European Ryder Cup captaincy?
At the moment, it’s just a question of gathering information. ‘Is Luke interested in going again? Is Justin not going to go again? Is he going to try and play?’ We’ll have to assess who potentially could be captain before any decision is made. We’re still in that process of assessing who the runners and riders are at this stage. Until we know, no decision will be made. There’s no timeline here to move particularly quick. We do have either side of Christmas to decide that. Maybe into January, February, March, who knows? It’ll be considered.We’ve been through tricky spots before – the Henrik Stenson appointment and then when he was told to step down. It was a bit of a crisis there, but we came through that and that worked out very well as Luke then became the captain. Look how fantastic he’s turned out in the last two years. We do things right in Europe and we don’t shout from the rooftops about it. We do it quietly behind the scenes and a good, considered decision will be made on who the next captain is.
But first of all, we have to gather the information. There’s a lot of people who have input. The players have obviously been important. They will have input. Guy Kinnings [DP World Tour chief executive] will have input. The Players Committee will have input. There’s a lot of people who will have different views. All of those views will be gathered and hopefully we’ll come up with a winning formula again like we did with Luke. It could be Luke again, who knows?
_
Paul McGinley was speaking ahead of his appearance at the Champions UK plc European Senior Masters, in association with Equals Money.
