That would seem like a very big domino has just fallen.Smith, Leish, Niemann, Varner all off to LIV.
Apparently a bunch of the best South Koreans about to leave as well.
That would seem like a very big domino has just fallen.Smith, Leish, Niemann, Varner all off to LIV.
Apparently a bunch of the best South Koreans about to leave as well.
The Tour still has Rory, Rahm, Schauff, Snuff, Morikawa, Cantlay, Thomas, Zalatoris, Hovland, Spieth, Fitzpatrick etc. In fact 18 of the top 20 in the world still play on the Tour.That would seem like a very big domino has just fallen.
And Matsuyama, who, by most reports, was very close to defecting; maybe only just dissuaded by the latest special (copycat) offerings orchestrated by Rory and Tiger for the future PGA tour - which will only benefit these very elite players anyway. But if Hideki went, for an alleged LIV lure of $US400m+, would have taken the huge Japanese/Asian market with him.The Tour still has Rory, Rahm, Schauff, Snuff, Morikawa, Cantlay, Thomas, Zalatoris, Hovland, Spieth, Fitzpatrick etc. In fact 18 of the top 20 in the world still play on the Tour.
For now…
Good post Leon Spinks. Good post…And Matsuyama, who, by most reports, was very close to defecting; maybe only just dissuaded by the latest special (copycat) offerings orchestrated by Rory and Tiger for the future PGA tour - which will only benefit these very elite players anyway. But if Hideki went, for an alleged LIV lure of $US400m+, would have taken the huge Japanese/Asian market with him.
I can understand Cam Smith's motivations a lot better now he's come out and made his statement especially re his homesickness and being able to probably spend much more time at home including possibly play some tournaments here. I totally get that; it's a much more difficult thing for our players, who virtually have to emigrate to the US and live there which often becomes ongoing, almost becoming Americans. The Yanks just kind of assume that the golf world is theirs, and anyone who thinks they're good enough wants to compete for the huge $$, must just be grateful the US allows them. It's much easier for Europeans, Asians or Latin Americans to get home on a break from a fairly relentless US PGA tour than for an Aussie.
But I still think it's a real shame (for the reasons inserted into my prior post on LIV) that Smith won't be able play (and beat) the best with a real chance of becoming our next World No.1.
Makes me laugh though the 'critics' who knock him for doing it for money. DUH !! (As if you'd say no definitely if someone comes along and offers you US$100m for doing your job but significantly less days and hours work).
Bit of tension at the European PGA Championship it appears …….
Yes, have to say, that there's a lot of moral righteousness being put about by pros who play for money and don't worry too much about where it comes from. Like, the USA, Britain and leading European countries don't buy/consume Saudi oil, or sell then expensive weapon systems and arms. Or trade in a hundred other things.'A win for the good guys'.
I've always liked Shane Lowry but he lost me today.
Yeah. It gets a bit over the top.Anyone watching the Kayo/Foxtel (same/similar) coverage of the Italian Open for DP tour?
Alll enjoying the "Isn't Rory just absolutely fantastic" show!? For 2nd Rd there was, I swear, greater coverage x 5 times of Rory warming up on the range, walking around or to the 1st tee, or of him scratching his arse for that matter than any Aussie player.
Saw one about shot from Herbie and MWL before i gave up and turned in about 1.30 last night.
The "Rory, Rory, Rory" adulation and monomania is truly sickening.
Anyone watching the Kayo/Foxtel (same/similar) coverage of the Italian Open for DP tour?
Alll enjoying the "Isn't Rory just absolutely fantastic" show!? For 2nd Rd there was, I swear, greater coverage x 5 times of Rory warming up on the range, walking around or to the 1st tee, or of him scratching his arse for that matter than any Aussie player.
Saw one about shot from Herbie and MWL before i gave up and turned in about 1.30 last night.
The "Rory, Rory, Rory" adulation and monomania is truly sickening.
I haven’t seen any of the LIV , how do we watch it gents ?
Totally concur. PGA coverage just interrupt the actual play so much: their ads actually take up real-time play, it's not paused but we miss crucial play/shots; their long-winded promos for companies and causes etc. etc. It's just painful and they are so American focused. Once an "Ossie" in contention drops a couple of shots, forget it, you'll hardly see him again. But plenty of say, Kuchar because he's an American idol, even though he's 8 shots further back. They were obsessed with Dechump before he defected, just in case he hit a big one!Another example of the painfully slow play that’s infected the PGA Tour and the coverage’s obsession with certain players.
In the 2nd round of the Fortinet, Rickie Fowler hit a shot into a green side bunker. From the time there was coverage of him standing at his ball to the time he actually hit it, 4 minutes had gone by. It may have been closer to 5 minutes that he took given that the coverage picked him up already standing at his ball.
That is just an insane amount of time to take. The guy and his caddie stood there talking about what shot to play for ages, then they walked back and forth to the green not once but twice, then they stood around talking to each other for an eternity yet again before he eventually got into the bunker, took a bunch of practice swings, and FINALLY played a shot. If I’d been his playing partner I’d have told him to get on with it.
But anyway, the whole time the cameras never moved off him, or showed anyone else playing. Just Rickie and his caddie standing around for 5 minutes. You couldn’t even hear anything they were saying, not that you’d care anyway.
Excruciatingly slow play and American tv’s fascination with a particular golfer - one that hasn’t played well in ages anyway either.
Infuriating !
The Rory obsession is way OTT. So amusing when he failed to win the BMW in spite of the incessant barracking. I reckon they just hate Cam Smith over there as, this traitor, stopped beloved Rory from taking the anniversary Open that was, of course, rightfully his. There was just one problem!Yeah. It gets a bit over the top.
And how *smile* is that golf course too. No wonder a lot of players, media etc are bagging out that place as the Ryder Cup venue for next year.
Because it’s run by the PGA, the Ryder Cup is prone to throwing up ordinary courses. Le Golf National, Celtic Manor, Valhalla, The Belfry, K Club, PGA National, Valderrama come to mind.