LIV Golf Invitational League...... NO Political/Ethical conflict posts, see Post#2

Rikand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121671576#Comment_121671576

I heard he's a big fan of Freddie Couples and signed up for free

Mantis Toboggan

Hatton confirmed.

Trampas

I won’t miss grumpys moaning on the course

BoardsMember

Their "strategy" doesn't seem to rely on interest or viewing numbers of LIV events, it's all about depriving PGA of its best players to strengthen its position in negotiations for a new/combined tour or venture. Or to kill off the PGA tour entity entirely by a thousand cuts.

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121696659#Comment_121696659

You could reasonably argue that they currently have roughly 25 of the top 50 professional golfers.

This new investment from private equity into the PGA my gut further splinter things.

I just want them to find a way to get all the best golfers in the majors because that's what I want to see.

Russman

Wonder are we heading (eventually and with much wailing and gnashing of teeth) to much more clearly defined "seasons" almost ? Like a 3 month PGAT block of events, a 3 month LIV block and a DPWT block, with the winter off. Not great if youre not in the top echelon of players.

I dunno, I think the PGAT really messed up, prior to LIV, when they brought the PGA forward into May. Having all the Majors over at the Open in July is too condensed IMO. Leaves the door way too open for a LIV or similar competitor to grab the other 8 months around the Majors.

callaway92

I agree the PGA Tour messed up, but I think they messed up by letting LIV pick up players in the first place. Once that started happening, the filtering of players was inevitable. It should've been all-hands-on-deck to prevent players leaving for LIV but they were slow and arrogant about it.

Russman

Oh I agree, they were definitely arrogant about it. A small part of me kinda likes the fact that they're getting a taste of their own medicine in a way, even if I've no great feeling for LIV either way. Hard to know what else they could have done really though at the same time. They can never match the Saudi money and the ultimate sanction was banning them, which they did, and the guys still didn't care. Maybe it really is as simple as "pro golfer, plays golf for money" and goes where the most money is. Probably its because I'll never have that kind of cash, but I can't understand how a guy who already has 50 million in the bank is swayed by another 50. I get that greed is a human emotion and all that but still......

I do think the DPWT massively messed up by taking the same position as the PGAT. I know there are/were politics and stakeholder issues at play, but still, from a purely European Tour perspective, if there's a ET event in Ireland or Germany or wherever, and one of your top talents is not playing - what does it matter if he's playing a LIV event or say, Jack's Memorial event in the States ? He's still not at your ET event. I think they should have stayed right out of it, and as long as Rory or Sergio plays their minimum number of events, so be it. The top Europeans have always gone to the States to play most of their golf, why is playing LIV different when they're still not playing the Portugal Masters either way ?

slave1

There are now lots of poor PGA events where the names at the top are not top players, it's suffering big time, the death by a thousand cuts is apt...but all it needs is around 20-30 cuts in reality

Adiaga 2

Lucas Herbert just announced he's joining LIV now.

They have to come to some sort of compromise to let them back on the PGA Tour. Otherwise professional golf is in big trouble. Even with Rahm and Hatton I still don't see LIV growing their audience that much in it's current form but it's still a massive blow to the PGA tour.

Has there been any talk of Rahm or other big names playing DP World Tour events? Oosthuizen and Schwartzel played a few events at the end of the year and Joaqiun Niemann played some DP world tour events recently too.

Russman

Meronk & Herbert now confirmed as per the LIV website

https://www.livgolf.com/news/adrian-meronk-and-lucas-herbert-headline-additional-roster-updates-2024-liv-golf-league

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121699962#Comment_121699962

Exactly this. Lots of poor PGA events - look at the leaderboards at the events in Hawaii a couple of weeks ago. There's Junior Scratch Cups with better fields 😁

Its a strange one, very few are actually watching LIV, yet arguably bar Rory, there are no "stars" left on PGAT. Even Scheffler, world no.1, super golfer, but would you cross the street to watch him ? JT & Spieth maybe could be classed as big names. If Tiger does tee it up once a month at least those events will get some traction, but expecting a small few to carry the tour won't work imo. I know people have jokingly (or not) mentioned a Ryder Cup style match between the two, but at this stage would it even be close ?

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121700416#Comment_121700416

I think Schwartzel and those guys got into those events because they were co-sanctioned events or something. Open to correction.

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121698951#Comment_121698951

if you have a way to counter 300 million quid lets hear it

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701157#Comment_121701157

The hell?

I'm not the PGA.

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701178#Comment_121701178

the hell what

you think they were slow an arrogant is it, there no way to counter that kind of money

no one said you were the pga obviously

Mushy

Big cash injection into pga tour too....all a bit meh really. Unless there's a big cohort of fans who actually care how much he prize money is, never seemed to be a thing beforehand.

Only remaining thing to see is whether there's a better improved world tour out of it all

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701187#Comment_121701187

The hell at the tone of your comment.

There are other ways to counter it I'm sure; that unfortunately we don't get to see. I'd like to see what they tried to counter, rather than threats of banning from Majors/World Ranking issues etc.

So ya, I do think they were slow and arrogant about it. They definitely didn't forsee the movement of this many players.

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701199#Comment_121701199

theres no tone to it, its very straight forward

you called them slow and arrogant but have no idea yourself

even though you are sure there are ways

they 100% knew this was going to happen, they aren't stupid

Deeper Blue

The vast majority don't care about the rich getting richer, as evidenced by the failure of the FedEx cup playoffs.

People want to see the best players playing against each other regularly. The splintered nature of the sport is really harming it I feel.

slave1

Outside the Majors and RC I have no real interest in TV golf, have enough to be at. Let LIV gain rankings and it will take a year or so but will balance out and we'll see the best at the Majors which is what the majors are all about

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701219#Comment_121701219

It’s a discussion board - Of course I don’t have a clue what has happened. I’m trying to discuss it and making assumptions just like you are.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701450#Comment_121701450

Yeh I’d say almost the majority of in-and-out golf fans would be similar. But for your weekly viewers they have definitely felt the hit I’d say.

European Tour has been poor since covid now, but PGA even not doing it for me, and generally I’d have been good to at least tune in weekly for a watch.

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701301#Comment_121701301

Yeah I think this is very true. The FedEx should have taught them that joe public doesn't care if the winner gets half a million or 5 million really, he wants good competitive golf between the best. Actually just thinking it through now, slightly ironic that the tour assumed the biggest purse in golf would become the biggest attraction for fans, yet are surprised or put out when the players take the same mentality and go play where there's more money.

Dr. Bre

I like Mcilroy idea of a formula one style calendar for golf.

kowloonkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121705134#Comment_121705134

I thought his idea was IPL a few weeks ago?

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701571#Comment_121701571

i'm not making assumptions, you are

you said they were slow and arrogant, in a discussion board its fair to question how you came up with that

it seems that you have nothing to back that up

I think this is unfair, unless you can yourself can even think of something they could have done then its hard to see that you were not wrong

theres no way to counter an offer of 300 million, golf isn't big enough for that

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121705354#Comment_121705354

Ok 👍🏻

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121705433#Comment_121705433

great discussion

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121706515#Comment_121706515

No point even trying with you, so I gave up. Don't want to de-rail the thread.

slave1

Back to topic please

Russman

Hudson Swafford and Laurie Canter confirmed as wild cards to make up the 54 players needed for the shotgun start

https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/liv-golf-announces-field-expansion-with-extra-wildcard-players

Trampas

The South African boys got to play due to sunshine tour side of it than dp tour.

Who’ll be the first big player to join liv without a signing on fee

Mushy

This new thing with Google sounds cool, essentially being able to see any shot as you want. I lnow itl prBetty much be like the Masters, but obviously on a more continuous level with more events. Literally first good thing to come out of it all.

Mantis Toboggan

15,000 people watching live on John Rahms debut!

Dr Turk Turkelton

Watched about 15 mins of it but its like strobe lights- can't stand it for too long!

I'll watch it again in about an hour or so for another 10 minutes.

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121712881#Comment_121712881

Hard to watch it when pebble is on at the same time.

FixdePitchmark

Watching Rugby - but put it on there to see how Rahm doing - it all became clear to me - that , that tour and them course set ups - will be a joke for Rahm - lad is on another planet to nearly all the field.

Dr Turk Turkelton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121712895#Comment_121712895

Is almost like sitting into a comfortable armchair after a cardio workout flicking from Liv to Pga😂

Dr Turk Turkelton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121712983#Comment_121712983

I thought the same when all the big names moved before but they all seem to fall into a rut of mediocrity.

Very hard to care about money when you have enough to light a bonfire of fifties.

The titles aren't worth sh1t as they have no history or credibility and when you watch the guys you can tell they know it as well.

The Liv players have surprised me in the majors though as they all seem up for it and have played well in them. I thought they would have lost their competitive streak with their new lifestyles.

The Big Easy

Niemann is 10 under through 12 and on fire!

They have a really good field strength now tbf and I quite enjoy it just being shot after shot with no filler.

Pebble is obviously beautiful but you have to put up with some amount of BS to watch it.

I think Niemann is a star and will be a major champion soon enough.

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121713089#Comment_121713089

LIV is still very young and many of them will have a degree of call it match fitness - this will carry them for a while. Also - they clearly have a far more relaxed schedule - and this maybe helps them stay fresh.

But this is all a honeymoon period - they will lose form IMO - see if Cam does anything this year in a major ?

But who knows - could be all merged soon and makes no odds.

FixdePitchmark

Was trying to get my head around Hatton going to LIV.

But on deeper reflection - looking at his wiki page

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrrell_Hatton

The drama around Tyrell is great - but his record for a guy with his talent and who is 32 - is very very poor.

He only has 1 PGA tour win and his major record is a shocker.

LIV is money for old rope - and in reality - whilst he has a reasonable career - has earned great money , has a great record of getting cuts and mid upper level performance.

He is surprisingly underperforming.

I'm shocked at his major performance - if you are not competing in majors - you are just in golf to pick up money , there is nothing wrong with that - so, take the easier money.

But basically, Tyrell is admitting he has not made it to the top top.

He is very different to the guys in LIV who have majors - and very significant exemptions - Tyrell is just giving up - or playing a game that a merger will happen anyway

today he is in 32nd - and 1 shot behind G McDowell and H Stenson - it is a rather sad fall from a person who we all hoped would be a star of the game. .

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121714509#Comment_121714509

Pretty much agree 100%, but I always think it's a bit mad specifying a particular weeks results. This week he may be 1 behind the likes of McDowell, but sure next week may be 10 ahead. I'd likely be as guilty as anyone saying the players gone to LIV are past it for most part, but as is the nature of golf, 1 week doesn't define a player. They're clearly good players if these lads have made a career on pga tour. People were saying last week the pga tour finish was poor due to no big names...those big names just didn't perform well enough, such is the standard that these lads play at. Outside of rahm and maybe DJ, the LIV signings aren't too eexciting, but getting to be enough to destabilise interest in pga tour.

Trampas

It’s the likes of Westwood, Gmac and Poulter who are more the comfortable to take the easy option which is fine but just shut up. Maybe they are trolling but they are just hopeless on liv and basking on the sun loungers into the sunset. Lucky to still be playing on it

slave1

Hatton is more a loss to Rory/TGL, a bit personal

Trampas

Anthony Kim is back after a decade out and straight into the wheelbarrow events. Will he need to pay back his insurance payout? He comes out with a comment of haters I’m back. I’m not sure anyone hated him bar maybe Garcia.

benny79

What actually happened him! I cant really remember him to be honest or I am getting him mixed up with another Kim. Was he locked up? How did he get straight into LIV? wonder was he offered much..

Innish_Rebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121831126#Comment_121831126

I think he got $10M injury insurance payout & that is one thing LIV has to pay back as the insurance payout is now null & void as he is now fit enough to be a pro golfer.

I know LIV hope this will get eyes on & if he had come back to the PGA tour it would have caused a level of interest but to add a golfer to the rota that will play every event who has not swung a club in a professional event since 2012 really does not add to alot of the arguments regarding the field and OWGR etc...

slave1

but if he took the $10m he wasn't allowed play again or sommit like that