First COVID, then LIV Golf. Acronyms and Roman numerals have been robust on the PGA Tour within the 2020s, however general, CBS and NBC stay two of its strongest and most loyal allies. Associates in excessive locations, you would possibly say, a pair of huge income streams that mix to offer a useful channel to the general public.
And not using a TV, you rock and swear at nighttime.
Pleased birthday Shark.
Bolstered by prize cash and bonus will increase of at the least $150 million – a direct response to the risk posed by the great Saudis – the Tour heads into 2023 as if getting into a courageous new world. There is no such thing as a Tiger Woods to depend on for sexier TV scores. No thought when the rival faction would possibly attain a take care of a cable community of any measurement that may bolster LIV Golf, if solely by proving that somebody is excited by its product.
There is no such thing as a assure now that the Tour has been stripped of monopoly energy. It is now not residence to each high participant within the recreation – the complete fleet of the world’s finest will solely collect on the 4 majors. The aggressive dynamic has been altered, particularly at large tournaments like The Gamers Championship, the place Tour defector Cam Smith will not be round to defend his crown.
Smith remains to be third within the Official World Golf Rankings, the one main league participant left within the OWGR high 20, however simply because Dustin Johnson fell to 41st doesn’t suggest there are 40 males higher than him. The LIV invasion has derailed skilled golf’s efficiency measurement system. Johnson was MVP of the Saudi circuit, however obtained no OWGR credit score for his excellence. Though he did little within the years main as much as his departure from the Tour, Brooks Koepka should nonetheless be thought of a giant recreation predator.
It is easy to overlook that Bryson DeChambeau received the US Open by six pictures simply two years in the past. All of those guys could have nice golf in them – it simply will not actually matter. That does not make the PGA Tour a greater place. Only a weaker one.
So we’re again to the 4 majors, the primary two of which will likely be televised by CBS, the opposite two by NBC. The Masters by no means wants a motive to be fabulous, but when the 23rd version marks the start of golf’s split-tour period, it’ll host the primary absolutely loaded discipline of the yr. Then to the PGA Championship at Oak Hill CC in Rochester, NY, the place Mom Nature by no means makes any guarantees in regards to the third week in Could. It might be good. It would as nicely be 40 levels windy and drizzling and all these LIV guys will wish to play in Ibiza.
Talking of elsewhere… the US Open not often ventures to the West Coast, virtually by no means wherever apart from Pebble Seaside, so the upcoming assembly at Los Angeles CC might need a barely totally different sound. The climate ought to be a lot better than the visitors or the scale of the gallery, for that matter – there’s rather a lot to do in LA in June.
It nonetheless appears somewhat unusual that the British Open is the final main of the yr. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have received the final two conferences at Royal Liverpool, so greatness shines there, even when the solar would not. And whereas it is possible that LIV executives will proceed to foyer for inclusion on behalf of its gamers, the possibilities of that occuring in 2023 are slim to none — Slim did not get $100 million to throw the tour and to chunk the hand that when fed. it.
With Commissioner Jay Monahan amongst these ostensibly presiding over the OWGR course of, the wheels of paperwork will transfer slower than 9 at Riviera on Friday afternoon. From there, the irony turns into humorous. If Monahan had reacted extra rapidly to the lack of high gamers by including that $150 million to the prize pool firstly of 2022, would LIV’s losses have been as heavy or noteworthy?
It is all water beneath the bridge now, leaving us to look at the structural stability of the bridge itself. All that extra cash is sweet, however for the reason that event minimal begins at 15 to 20, how a lot pushback will Monahan get from his higher echelon? McIlroy has already introduced that he is not going to play at Kapalua this week, utilizing the bye week he’ll obtain for your entire season.
What number of “again accidents” will we hear about at premium occasions after a serious? Occasions like Hilton Head and Hartford shelled out loads of further money to host a full forged of superstars. Will they ask for a reduction if three or 4 large names resolve to not present up? Would it not change their willingness to stay a title sponsor of the PGA Tour altogether?
Firstly of January, there are all the time extra questions than solutions. Sure, it is a courageous new world, however how courageous? How new? Keep tuned. Most of us do it on a regular basis.