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

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182155#Comment_119182155

In fairness shipnuck single-handedly ruined Phil's career with his book, can't blame him for having him removed.

Mantis Toboggan

Like the idea of the shotgun start, would like to see it trialed on Sunday of a major.

Rikand

There's a thread on current affairs about this

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058249550/golfers-taking-saudi-money-and-splitting-the-sport

For people who want their political and ethical freedoms of speech unchallenged

Jimbee

I enjoyed the format shotgun start is the fairest system. No one gets caught on the wrong side of the draw. Team element makes everyone keep trying up to the end. Plus it's free viewing on YouTube what's not to like. The pga tour events is so long and can be boring and I really only ever watch the back 9 on Sunday. The media are really demonising the league I hope it stops soon it's a race to the bottom. Considering the Americans dropped 2 atomic bombs on innocent people of Japan you know no one has a problem taking their money.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182166#Comment_119182166

With Phil calling the author of the book? Completely Phils own doing, and this makes it even more petty. He gambled on Shipnuck not doing his job and lost (quelle surprise!)

boccy23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119181987#Comment_119181987

His interview earlier in the week will form a thesis for people in time to come. He really should know better than to try and justify it in that way. If the money is what you want, then be up front.

Can't wait for his accent as you say. Should be class!

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182259#Comment_119182259

True but Phil didn't want it published it, yet he still published it. Shipnuck was only thinking of his own pocket.

Anyone else no why they've shortened everyone's name when they cud easily fit the full name over on the left. Majority of the players are unknowns with there names shortened. It's safe to say I won't be getting the leaders name on the back of me LIV tour jersey. I'd need a boatload of cash to afford it🤭

Trampas

If liv was part of the owgr might be different. The players who are filling up spots be dropped and forgotten about no matter what Norman says. I think this is more a Norman vs pga fight than Saudis vs pga.

The bs coming out of players and time with family etc. feel sorry for me.

They plan 26 weeks of the year. Fly private jets here there and everywhere. Green and sports washing is out of this world

Pdoghue

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182227#Comment_119182227

Is golf allowed to be discussed on the current affairs forum, or is that off limits?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119180410#Comment_119180410

How will he survive?

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182465#Comment_119182465

Phil didn't want it published after it had been published. "Oh I thought it was off the record"...come on Phil, own it

DuckSlice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182732#Comment_119182732

Exactly, he has dealt with media for years, he knows well you have to say off the record!

slave1

If I can be so bold to put two layers into the LIV field, the "low OWGR/elder tapering off" and then "currents".

The Low OWGR/Elder tapering off are clearly here for the cash, some have outright said it, good luck to them, they have a life to lead and family to support.

The Currents, they obviously do not care about PGA/Ryder Cup impact etc, the money also comes into play but not as much as the other category.

I think the missing piece is The Majors, if DJ gets kicked out of all the Majors then others will think again, golf is a legacy sport, Tiger/Rory are all about the Legacy, it starts with Majors and works it's way down from there.

Interesting times, even if this falls flat on it's face the PGA (who are overpowering) are getting a wake up call.

One piece missing here with the shotgun start is the much tighter rounds, LIV should be highlighting round times which looks like being reduced significantly.

I will miss the grandstand finish though, the leader could well end up finishing on a bleak hole with little spectators around, I assume they will adapt the tee times to predict a 18th finish for the leader(s).

Watched this and it was shocking. I watch sport to see people playing with the pressure of something important on the line. First time winners on the PGA Tour. Guys trying to keep their card. Seamus Power making cuts and finally getting a win. Will Zalatoris trying to win the PGA being a dodgy putter. LIV is exhibition pure and simple, its not sport. What a waste of money.

Shank Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182876#Comment_119182876

That’s it exactly - this is like one of this rubbish pre season football tournaments they organise in Qatar- meaningless

hope they are banned from all majors

Martin567

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182833#Comment_119182833

This shotgun thing is a gimmick and there is nothing positive to say about it.

Firstly, it can only be done in a reduced field and would have no impact on a full field of 156. Three shotgun starts would be required with little or no time saving.

Final rounds played with a shotgun start would be a disaster as you say as the winner could finish on any hole.

Fattybojangles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182227#Comment_119182227

Brilliant they can all bask in their smug self righteousness over there.

boccy23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182876#Comment_119182876

I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong with it, but this is it! I had the feeling it was the backing, but from a sporting aspect, this wasn't it. As you say, it is no different than a Pro-Am or a YouTube video as there is nothing really at stake. There are no storylines to be developed, no career to be advanced, no career resurrected (looking at big Phil's PGA win) or no chokers who will always be remembered. This will never be remembered for any other reason than why it exists in the first place.

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119183281#Comment_119183281

Just the small matter of 4 million for the winner and 5 million for the winning team! I'd call that plenty at stake 😉

SeeMoreBut

GMac should really stop the PR crap. He's making himself look worse. More important is the team element.

You ask Eldrick and the likes they'll never mention teams over any individual achievement

I guess it'll spot him mentioning pebble

boccy23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119183404#Comment_119183404

But for me, that's the point. If we know that Phil, Bryson etc. already have $100M+, what's the drama over them winning??

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119183424#Comment_119183424

sure everyone on the PGA tour is set for life, top 50s probably in the 10mil plus at least

do they need any more money?

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119183424#Comment_119183424

Whats the point in Rory winning the RBC Heritage this week? It adds nothing to his legacy. Once LIV have a few more of the Top 50, winning a LIV event will be equal to any normal event on the PGA Tour. For the casual viewer, its only majors that matter and maybe a handful of other events.

boccy23

If you enter a tournament with 160 world class golfers with a number of the top 20 and win, of course there is more prestige to winning a staged money event. The Canadian Open is winning that countries #1 event and has a history over 100 years old. In London, there are 48 invitees, no cut, no pressure and a split of good in the past and never heard of.

The two are in no way comparable.

Players a collective +107 for the first round. Looks like plenty of rubbish golf played

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119183588#Comment_119183588

Of course it adds to his legacy, golfers are judged on their tour wins. Not as much as majors for sure but it will be part of his legacy. Brooks has 4 majors but few other wins. That will be held against him and rightly so. LIV wins will mean nothing. A tour that cant sustain itself cant last. The Saudis will turn their focus elsewhere at some stage.

Richard Hillman

I like the shotgun start and the constant score graphic. Broadcasters got rid of the scores tickers because they didn't want people tuning in, checking the score and flicking back off.

I think 3 day tournaments are much better bar the majors. But 4 day events bring more viewers and punters in the gates.

Putting aside the source of the money, which is the main objection. I like what they are doing on a golfing point of view. It seems more golf fan friendly. It's more visual, there's more happening, it's not actually quicker, but it appears quicker, and you don't have Ewen Murray constantly blabbing on about the golfers family life. Win-Win, bar the source of the money which is my only objection.

The problem for it and the greater game is that yesterday evening I flicked on and they had 100k viewers near the end of play. I flicked on a few mins ago and it was 40k viewers. Essentially whilst everyone is talking about the entity, nobody actually cares about it, or who wins. I don't even think the wealthier players care who win, as you can see the bottom of the field is riddled with European former great Ryder cup names.

So with more names jumping in the next few months, nobody will care who wins the LIV events, nobody cares about who wins your weekly PGA event (which was true without LIV) and nobody will care about who wins the majors because the sport has split.

Quite simply, in a couple of years there will be no professional golf that anyone cares about. Viewership falls off, less people play, more golf clubs close down, game becomes more exclusive to wealthier people, the sport eventually fades into obscurity.

Dodge

Think that’s a bit OTT. Some here are old enough to remember when feck all golf was televised. The majors and some events in Britain like the Dunhill Cup maybe but golf was always a popular past time here.

In between then and now the European Tour went from being a rare thing on TV to being extremely prestigious and now it’s mostly a B level tour. Pro golf will always be changing but that doesn’t really effect the game for most

We’re quite lucky in that Ireland is one of the very few countries where it isn’t a sport solely for the wealthy.

Richard Hillman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184512#Comment_119184512

Obviously the major's were a big driver in keeping golf in the public realm and there are a lot of golfers that play and don't even watch much golf, if any. But we are seeing a lot of golf courses closing. The type of golf courses that are great for beginners. I got into golf originally through watching on TV and majors only, as the other golf was behind the paywall bar the odd one.

But the major's were important, you could feel the tension and the drama. With golf splitting, they are not important anymore. So essentially, how will younger people grasp an interest in golf, when none of what they see actually matters, or people care about.

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119183706#Comment_119183706

whats the collective score in the RBC? probably +250 or +300 with a field size of 150, is that rubbish golf?

Could this in a round about way help the european tour, the players might needs reps or ranking points to get into majors and would play events due to the suspension from the pga

DuckSlice

Will the 15th year old get the prize money he wins or does that not apply here as it’s not sanctioned by the PGA😀?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119180200#Comment_119180200

have you not stuck up for the owners of city and newcastle in the past?

Pdoghue

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184512#Comment_119184512

Hold on.. you have to remember that the terrestrial broadcasters including BBC and RTE used to show a lot of golf up until the advent of Sky. Just because golf is covered wall to wall on Sky doesn't mean more people are watching golf.

CSWS101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184728#Comment_119184728

c. +198 currently with triple the field size, so yes I would say that is rubbish golf in London

me89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184786#Comment_119184786

Different courses in different conditions can't really be compared scoring wise in fairness

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184786#Comment_119184786

i have it at 273 over par myself, so pretty close, two different courses of course 😁

CSWS101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184830#Comment_119184830

Jaysus I wouldn't make it as a mathematician anyway

Richard Hillman

I am based in Italy at the moment. Is it true that the LIV is blocked on youtube in the UK or even Ireland?

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184912#Comment_119184912

no where did you hear that

Richard Hillman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184955#Comment_119184955

Sorry, I thought I read somewhere that it was blocked on YouTube. My mistake. Thanks for clearing that up.

Richard Hillman

Seen a video from Sky Sports News saying the 3 known, Bryson, Fowler and Reed are gone but also Jason Kokrak, Bubba, Pat Perez and Mathew Wolff.

Bubba was expected as he played in the Saudi open a couple of times. Mathew Wolff is a bit of an eye opener. A young guy with a future but ready to just take the leap straight away.

With more expected, you'd wonder how McDowell, Westwood etc will keep their LIV Golf Tour Card 🤣

Mushy

Wolff is looking for guaranteed pay cos he's missing nearly every cut, may as well guarantee a payday.

Is the viewership really down that amount already? Not that it'll affect the organisers really.

CSWS101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184979#Comment_119184979

Bryson can provide good talking points but is generally incredibly annoying, can't say I will miss watching a single one of the other players mentioned.

Dodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184777#Comment_119184777

That’s simply not true. Neither covered the Irish open for many years. As I said there would be the majors shown (and even then I don’t think the PGA was shown). BBC would show Uk based events and that’s it.

I didn’t argue more people were watching either. I argued that TV coverage has little correlation with people playing the game.

Dodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119184912#Comment_119184912

Not blocked here or in the UK

Mantis Toboggan

How do people who didn't want to pay for sky sports to watch the golf feel about LIV now that it is FTA?

Trampas

Blubber got a knee op other day and out till autumn so he won’t be moving anytime soon and by then hopefully it be a bit clearer where things stand

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185404#Comment_119185404

Still zero interest in watching LIV .