Penton: LIV golf still lagging behind PGA Tour
By Bruce Penton
Will the LIV golf enterprise ever get on equal footing, or surpass, the PGA Tour in relevance?
With four full seasons under its belt, the upstart LIV Tour is still lagging behind the PGA Tour in importance based on television exposure, having its players compete in the majors and failing to attract a regular following by golf fans.
LIV, armed with a new Fox TV deal, certainly has its stars, led by Bryson DeChambeau, who won the 2024 U.S. Open in a thrilling finish, edging Rory McIlroy with a sensational sand shot on the 72nd hole. Other big names who would be ranked among the best in the world (if LIV players could earn Official World Golf Ranking points) are Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann and Cam Smith.
World ranking points are the most contentious issue facing LIV players today. Because LIV tournaments are not eligible for ranking points, and because most of golf’s majors base their qualifying criteria on the OWGR list, many LiV players have been shut out. The door opened slightly last week, as the USGA said it was granting U.S. Open exemptions to the top three LIV players as of mid-April.
LIV has been deemed ineligible for world-ranking points, partly because of its 54-hole, no-cut format and automatic entries into fields, as opposed to qualifying requirements by others such as the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour. After a two-year battle to try to persuade OGWR officials to allow LIV players to earn points, the upstart league withdrew its application.
Still, tournaments such as the U.S. Open and the Open Championship are ‘open’ to anyone wishing to try to qualify, and DeChambeau did just that last year. Any former Masters champion is also an automatic entry into the April classic at Augusta, which annually opens the door to LIV players Rahm, Patrick Reed, Johnson, Garcia, Charl Schwartzel, Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson. Augusta officials also reserve the right to invite anyone they please, and Niemann, a talented player from Chile, has received an invitation the last couple of years.
A recent story in the Global Golf Post by Scott Michaux said LIV has a “misguided belief that the majors are going to want to include their talent so badly that they will carve out exemptions for them into each of the four major championships. But that type of thinking is ‘delusional,’” wrote Michaux.
LIV player Kevin Na said he believes anyone who wins a LIV tournament should be exempt into the majors, as well as the top 16 players from the previous season. Niemann said he believes the top 10 would be more appropriate.
With new CEO Scott O’Neill at the helm, replacing Greg Norman, perhaps some ‘major’ advances can be made. But the players knew the risks when they took the millions of guaranteed money from the Saudis and now they’re paying the price for what many golf fans see as nothing more than a bunch of talented golfers playing exhibition golf.
Headline at Canadian parody website The Beaverton: “Leafs revamp power play by adding second pointless drop pass before entering zone.”
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: “If (Bills’ coach) Sean McDermott rode the fastest horse at the Kentucky Derby, he’d pull up on the reins and finish third.”
Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: “What’s in a trademarked name? Even the USPS is afraid of NFL lawyers. Their alert (about possible storm-related delayed packages) calls it ‘The Professional Football Championship Game in New Orleans.’”
Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen: “The Penguins were bidding for Miko Rantenan before he was dealt to Carolina. Apparently they were offering 30 years of Pittsburgh Pirates tickets.”
Rolfsen again: “I like Gene Principe as a broadcaster, but what’s up with his hair? It looks like he just finished regrowing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor’s mullet.”
Jack Finarelli on his website sports curmudgeon.com., on the 125 million viewers of the Super Bowl: “How many watch because it will be a major topic of conversation at work on Monday and they do not wish to look like a doofus?”
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “According to a recent study, getting extra sleep on Sundays can help prevent premature death. Finally, some good news for Cleveland Browns fans.”
Pre-Super Bowl headline at fark.com: “Five reasons the Chiefs will defeat the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. Presumably the referee, down judge, line judge, side judge and back judge.”
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: “The Jays rotation includes Max Scherzer, now 40; Chris Bassitt, 36; and Kevin Gausman, 34. This team should be great on Oldtimers Day.”
Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue on the Super Bowl’s immense popularity: “We have become the winter version of the Fourth of July celebration.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca