2022-2023 PGA Tour Season

[SouthernDukie]

Lol, well we both know that isn’t what I said, but since you went there, we know where one of them has been trending recently and the opposite direction the other has been trending! Everyone has their issues, both of them included. But regarding the PGA Tour, Tiger has way more allegiance to it.

I know that's not exactly what you said. Sorry. I'm still salty from all the crap that Phil took, both from other players and the media, when all this started. The guy was all but crucified. Just didn't like all the holier-than-thou stuff spouted about him from people who (as you say) have their own issues. And of course there will never be any mea culpa.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I know that's not exactly what you said. Sorry. I'm still salty from all the crap that Phil took, both from other players and the media, when all this started. The guy was all but crucified. Just didn't like all the holier-than-thou stuff spouted about him from people who (as you say) have their own issues. And of course there will never be any mea culpa.

To be fair, I see similar vitriol being lobbed at most players going to the LIV Tour. I suspect Phil got the most because he is a huge name and was one of the first.

[dudog84]

3 more leaving, not worth mentioning their names since they are all in their 30s and have never won on the Tour.

Maybe Cam Smith wants to win every tournament he enters.

[CameronDuke]

3 more leaving, not worth mentioning their names since they are all in their 30s and have never won on the Tour.

Maybe Cam Smith wants to win every tournament he enters.

Cam Smith to me seems like he’s less concerned about legacy and wants to simply get paid and do what he wants in his own time (fly fishing, diving, whatever he does as a Brisbanian!). The Aussie may have peaked winning the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrew’s career wise and just wants $$$ and to fade into the background with enough $$$ to live off of for the remainder of his life.

[rsvman]

... But I fear it will come out of the charitable contributions.

Not to worry. Most of what the PGA says it contributes to charity is actually money raised by local charities that piggyback on the PGA events.

Estimates are that the PGA itself is spending approximately 3-4% on charitable giving. If they want to continue giving the same amount of money to charity they will have to increase that percentage, but they aren't going bankrupt anytime soon.

[dudog84]

Not to worry. Most of what the PGA says it contributes to charity is actually money raised by local charities that piggyback on the PGA events.

Estimates are that the PGA itself is spending approximately 3-4% on charitable giving. If they want to continue giving the same amount of money to charity they will have to increase that percentage, but they aren't going bankrupt anytime soon.

Well, no PGA Tour event, no piggybacking. No stars, less piggybacking. Do you really think LIV and the Saudis are going to have the same commitment to charities? I don't.

[rsvman]

Well, no PGA Tour event, no piggybacking. No stars, less piggybacking. Do you really think LIV and the Saudis are going to have the same commitment to charities? I don't.

Good points. And I agree that the Saudis will not have the sane commitment to charitable giving.

[Rogue]

I've heard Cam Smith ( an Aussie ) is a huge fan of Greg Norman. Growing up playing golf in Australian, we can expect this. I heard Greg got to him and a deal was struck. For better or worse, I understand.

Unless LIV gets on TV, no one really watches. Unless we discover the courses are set up like US Opens, PGA, The Masters, The Open, we're all going to think they are playing on the equivalent of The Greater Hartford Open, Travelers , type course. We as fans, watch to see how the best play these courses set up to be very difficult.

It'll be interesting to see where all this lands in say 2 years.

[Indoor66]

It'll be interesting to see where all this lands in say 2 years.

You know what they say - Live and Learn - whoever "they" are.

[CameronDuke]

I've heard Cam Smith ( an Aussie ) is a huge fan of Greg Norman. Growing up playing golf in Australian, we can expect this. I heard Greg got to him and a deal was struck. For better or worse, I understand.

Unless LIV gets on TV, no one really watches. Unless we discover the courses are set up like US Opens, PGA, The Masters, The Open, we're all going to think they are playing on the equivalent of The Greater Hartford Open, Travelers , type course. We as fans, watch to see how the best play these courses set up to be very difficult.

It'll be interesting to see where all this lands in say 2 years.

That is a good point. I have heard many Aussie guys favor the LIV tour because of their emphasis on events in Australia, including Cam Smith. The Aussies obviously love Norman. The PGA Tour has largely neglected Australia in terms of scheduling events there recently. I remember lots of PGA Tour guys used to play the Australian Masters before that tour was done away with. LIV is going to have events there in Australia I’m pretty sure.

[CameronBornAndBred]

You know what they say - Live and Learn - whoever "they" are.

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[dudog84]

Gary Player tees off on LIV golfers:

"How can you ever be a champion playing a tour with 54 holes and no cut?” Player said. “What sort of tour is that? 54 holes, no cut, a team event nobody understands. It’s a tour for people who don’t have confidence in their future. They don’t have the confidence they can be winners."

Worth noting he has changed his tune from earlier.

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/gar...-cameron-smith

[rsvman]

Gary Player tees off on LIV golfers:



Worth noting he has changed his tune from earlier.

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/gar...-cameron-smith

Worth noting, also, that Gary Player at one time had a Saudi Golf patch on his shirt and has made a crap-ton of 'blood money' himself. He is not in any position to opine about the LIV tour, in my opinion.

[dudog84]

Worth noting, also, that Gary Player at one time had a Saudi Golf patch on his shirt and has made a crap-ton of 'blood money' himself. He is not in any position to opine about the LIV tour, in my opinion.

There are only excerpts in the article, not the full interview, but Player does not take issue with who is backing LIV, only the competition. Others have issue with 'blood money'.

In my opinion, there is blood on everybody's money, and the amount depends upon your perspective/location.

[rsvman]

There are only excerpts in the article, not the full interview, but Player does not take issue with who is backing LIV, only the competition. Others have issue with 'blood money'.

In my opinion, there is blood on everybody's money, and the amount depends upon your perspective/location.

Oh. Interesting.

With the latest defections, I think a case could be made that it is now the second-strongest tour in the world.

[dudog84]

Oh. Interesting.

With the latest defections, I think a case could be made that it is now the second-strongest tour in the world.

I disagree wholeheartedly. After Cam Smith, the quality of player drops off dramatically. The next big name is DJ, and I've shown elsewhere how he has not won on the Tour in almost 2 years (when he was previously averaging about 2/year). Koepka is not the same golfer he was a few years ago.

Only Cam Smith is in the conversation with the following European golfers currently:

Rory
Jon Rahm
Matt Fitzpatrick
Viktor Hovland

And I realize I wasn't clear, but based on Player's comments I meant his point was competition in the sense of no-cut 54-hole tournaments. Hard to see how these guys will stay sharp when they've been paid so much money to defect that they really don't have to win. I suppose I'm old school but I still consider these LIV events to be exhibitions or shows.

[dudog84]

Should be a fun weekend in Virginia Water. That's in Runnymede. That's in Surrey. That's in England.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/gol...4hY?li=BBnbfcL

[rsvman]

A very reliable source, that has yet to be wrong on any of its defection predictions, is saying that another one of the world's top ten golfers is going to go to LIV very soon.


Let's do a little guesswork, shall we?

1) Scottie Scheffler. Highly doubtful.
2) Rory McIlroy. Um...no.
3) Cam Smith. Already gone.
4) Patrick Cantlay. Possible, but unlikely.
5) Xander Schauffele. Story goes that he has already been offered an insane amount of money and turned it down, so a definite no.
6) Jon Rahm. Given some of his comments at the last event, I think this is one of the more likely choices.
7) Justin Thomas. Heck no. He and Rory have been a couple of the most vocal opponents of the LIV tour.
8) Will Zalatoris. Highly unlikely.
9) Collin Morikawa. Like McIlroy and Thomas, he has spoken out against the new tour, so unlikely.
10) Viktor Hovland. Certainly possible.


Of the list, in my opinion, the two most likely candidates are Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland. If I had to pick one and put money on it, I'd say that it's going to be Jon Rahm, but I've been wrong before.

[CameronDuke]

A very reliable source, that has yet to be wrong on any of its defection predictions, is saying that another one of the world's top ten golfers is going to go to LIV very soon.


Let's do a little guesswork, shall we?

1) Scottie Scheffler. Highly doubtful.
2) Rory McIlroy. Um...no.
3) Cam Smith. Already gone.
4) Patrick Cantlay. Possible, but unlikely.
5) Xander Schauffele. Story goes that he has already been offered an insane amount of money and turned it down, so a definite no.
6) Jon Rahm. Given some of his comments at the last event, I think this is one of the more likely choices.
7) Justin Thomas. Heck no. He and Rory have been a couple of the most vocal opponents of the LIV tour.
8) Will Zalatoris. Highly unlikely.
9) Collin Morikawa. Like McIlroy and Thomas, he has spoken out against the new tour, so unlikely.
10) Viktor Hovland. Certainly possible.


Of the list, in my opinion, the two most likely candidates are Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland. If I had to pick one and put money on it, I'd say that it's going to be Jon Rahm, but I've been wrong before.

I think you and the reliable source you mentioned may be wrong if you think Jon Rahm Rodriguez is going to join the LIV Tour. He just released this tweet:

20B87CEB-78D6-470C-B9B9-BA84F7E24451.jpg

[mkirsh]

A very reliable source, that has yet to be wrong on any of its defection predictions, is saying that another one of the world's top ten golfers is going to go to LIV very soon.


Let's do a little guesswork, shall we?

1) Scottie Scheffler. Highly doubtful.
2) Rory McIlroy. Um...no.
3) Cam Smith. Already gone.
4) Patrick Cantlay. Possible, but unlikely.
5) Xander Schauffele. Story goes that he has already been offered an insane amount of money and turned it down, so a definite no.
6) Jon Rahm. Given some of his comments at the last event, I think this is one of the more likely choices.
7) Justin Thomas. Heck no. He and Rory have been a couple of the most vocal opponents of the LIV tour.
8) Will Zalatoris. Highly unlikely.
9) Collin Morikawa. Like McIlroy and Thomas, he has spoken out against the new tour, so unlikely.
10) Viktor Hovland. Certainly possible.


Of the list, in my opinion, the two most likely candidates are Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland. If I had to pick one and put money on it, I'd say that it's going to be Jon Rahm, but I've been wrong before.

I have no inside information, but Scheffler just spent the past weekend hanging with Sergio at the UT-Bama game, and has a 5 year exemption to all the Majors via his Masters win. I'm at the point that only Rory and JT are PGA Tour locks in my mind; I would not be shocked by anyone else on the list moving to LIV.