Liv Golf Central Thread: Events and News

[Thin2win]

DJ going is a surprise / not a surprise.  It's a big name for liv. I'm sure he is getting a hefty appearance fee outside the purse. He has already shown willingness to sell his NIL for sponsors.  He has the most cringe worthy commercials on TV. The NetJet one where he declares he couldn't go on vacation without a private plane,  then the one where he hits a left handed shot.  So bad.  So this doesn't completely surprise me.

[Middler]

That was quick.

RBC cuts Dustin Johnson after LIV Golf announcement: 'We are extremely disappointed in his decision"
https://www.golfdigest.com/story/rbc-dustin-johnson-liv-golf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=060122&utm_campaign=hitlist&utm_content=DM28284&uuid=99042de7dcf842f183e890f9d596f55d

[MattWillGolf]

2 hours ago, Thin2win said:

DJ going is a surprise / not a surprise.  It's a big name for liv. I'm sure he is getting a hefty appearance fee outside the purse. He has already shown willingness to sell his NIL for sponsors.  He has the most cringe worthy commercials on TV. The NetJet one where he declares he couldn't go on vacation without a private plane,  then the one where he hits a left handed shot.  So bad.  So this doesn't completely surprise me.

I wonder if this is partially due to his friendship with Donald Trump as they often play golf together. Two of these tournaments are on Trump courses. I was listening to the Fire Pit Collective podcast with Michael Bamberger. He spoke with Trump. Trump was angered by the PGA pulling out of playing the Championship at Bedminster.

[Thin2win]

1 hour ago, Middler said:

That was quick.

RBC cuts Dustin Johnson after LIV Golf announcement: 'We are extremely disappointed in his decision"
https://www.golfdigest.com/story/rbc-dustin-johnson-liv-golf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=060122&utm_campaign=hitlist&utm_content=DM28284&uuid=99042de7dcf842f183e890f9d596f55d

I'm sure the LIV group is paying him a significantly bigger appearance fee then RBC was giving him as sponsorship. I'm also sure he had talked to RBC and knew that was going to be their position.

[RickyBobby_PR]

4 hours ago, ZJBogey2 said:

I'm not sure of the point here...comparing anyone to Tiger isnt a fair comparison as Tiger IS the needle. Ok, replace DJ with anyone's else name not named Tiger and it would be the same answer (outside of MAYBE Spieth and that isn't even close?). There is also no Rahm, JT, or Rory logo/line. Well, DJ does have his own limited putter (https://www.taylormadegolf.ca/DJ-Limited-Putter/M7044127.html?lang=en_CA)...I imagine others have had something similar along the way. 

I think your statement is the same regardless of the top name you put in there in place of DJ...Rahm with 2 no name players isnt going to grab as big of a crowd as a marquee group with 3 big names...but he is still going to draw more eyes than not and be a bigger draw then 95+% of other tour players. I'm more likely to watch an event with DJ than not DJ. And if I get to watch Rory at the Candian and DJ at LIV the same weekend, awesome as a viewer! 

 

 

Exactly. The golfers that people think move the needle really don’t. You take pretty much anyone in the top 50 right out of an event and the attendance for the event doesn’t change nor will the tv coverage. 
 I walked confessional with Adam Scott during one of the AT&T events there with no tiger in the field on a Friday and there was nobody following him. 
 

Rickie Fowler had a bigger following playing with furyk and angle Cabrera. Outside of fowler, Spieth, Bryson, Koepka and maybe Thomas the rest aren’t moving needles.

Fowler does for puma, Spieth maybe a little for UA and Koepka a bit for Nike shoes.

Koepka had more people interested in Srixon than dj does for adidas or taylormade. Koepkas 4 majors with the Scotty button back increased the secondary market price for that putter.

The DJ putter is an interesting piece of equipment because I’ve never seen a thread in a golf forum talk about it and it’s been listed on eBay for less than the price it originally sold for. That’s not a good sign for moving the needle.

[LICC]

3 hours ago, TBS said:

Where there could be issues impacting majors will be if LIV does not count towards OWGR points. That would essentially eliminate their members from all majors, except the lifetime people. I wouldn't put it past the R&A, USGA, PGA of Am, and Augusta National to twist the arm of the OWGR to do something like that. OWGR needs these 4 orgs to stay relevant.

My biggest takeaway is for people like Gooch and the college guys and really young talent like Andy Ogletree. Rather than betting on themselves to make a name for themselves on the PGA tour, they are taking guaranteed money that might impact their ability to play on the PGA tour and any future majors for the rest of their career.  

You are correct about the majors, especially the PGA. Even if LIV events counted toward OWGR, how much weight would they have? 54 hole, no cut, weak field events wouldn’t garner much. 

Edited June 1, 2022 by LICC

[fixyurdivot]

3 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Although not a fan of the league I'll probably tune in out of curiosity for at least a few minutes. 

M my fantasy team isn't really effected at all thankfully and that's a major reason why i watch anything that isn't a major. 

Same here.  There is something about a pending train wreck that makes it nearly impossible not to watch .  Kidding aside, if it's televised on TGC, I'll watch it for sure.  But then I watch virtually every tour and NCAA events and don't really care if it's superstar studded or not.  In fact, I like watching players who are closer to the amateur game - still in oxygen starved air, but closer nonetheless.  Also, I suspect the new format and some of the planned side contests, etc. might be fun.

[FrogginBullfish]

Even if LIV wasn't funded by the Saudi Public Interest Fund, I'd have a hard time being interested at all in the series given the info that's come out about how the tournaments are going to be run.

The PGA Tour isn't perfect and there's a number of things I'd like to see them do differently but I still think it's the best type of  platform to display professional golf.

[LICC]

“When asked by Golfweek’s David Dusek via email Tuesday night if former world No. 1 Johnson will continue to wear TaylorMade hats and use branded bags, a TaylorMade representative responded, “We have no comment to make at this time.” That response also included Sergio Garcia’s use of a TaylorMade bag. Other companies such as Ping and Adidas did not respond to initial emails seeking comment.”

[BIG STU]

9 hours ago, LICC said:

“When asked by Golfweek’s David Dusek via email Tuesday night if former world No. 1 Johnson will continue to wear TaylorMade hats and use branded bags, a TaylorMade representative responded, “We have no comment to make at this time.” That response also included Sergio Garcia’s use of a TaylorMade bag. Other companies such as Ping and Adidas did not respond to initial emails seeking comment.”

Right now at this stage all of those companies have their lawyers circling the wagons along with the PGA Tour.

Now to state up front I do not care where DJ plays or anyone for that matter. Now locally the ramifications are already starting for DJ. He does have a big fan base here being from Columbia SC and going to CCU here at the beach. He does have a golf school about a mile or so up the road from me at TPC. The RBC deal is another can of worms. RBC came in here a few years back and saved the Harbour Town tournament after Verizon did not renew the contract. One of the reasons he became an ambassador of the RBC brand was because he was popular and a native of SC. Me like I said could care less what happens either way.

[LICC]

3 hours ago, BIG STU said:

Now to state up front I do not care where DJ plays or anyone for that matter.

Some people don't care or don't want to bother to think it through, but many others rightly take a negative view of those supporting one of the most brutal, horrific, abusive dictatorships in the world. It's perfectly understandable for DJ to lose his sponsors and damage his reputation over this, but the promise of a $100 million payday is his choice.

[PMookie]

I hardly watch golf outside of majors at this point , so there’s DEFINITELY no reason to watch the Saudi league at all with such a weak field! I couldn’t care less what happens each week most weeks, and if I have to go and search for where it’s broadcast, there’s absolutely zero chance I’m viewing. 

[Middler]

Did y’all notice three in the field are amateurs? Desperate much? 

[JerBooth]

On 5/31/2022 at 8:34 PM, Mtbryant01 said:

They just announced who is going to be playing in the first event.

Notable names: DJ, Talor Gooch, Kevin Na, Louis, Poulter, Garcia and Westwood. See players list below.

I really like Talor Gooch and it sucks to see him leave the PGA tour. Also, not a good look for DJ based off these comments...

Your move PGA tour.

Id be curious what the OEM club makers are going to do with them all.
DJ being a Taylormade staffer for so long makes you wonder if they drop them too and they become free agents to the club market.

Be interesting to see how this plays out

[LICC]

21 hours ago, LICC said:

I have read that the PGA Championship eligibility could be affected, because PGA Tour players are automatically members of the PGA. If a player is no longer a member of the PGA Tour, they could lose their PGA membership too, and thus not be eligible for the PGA Championship, absent a different exemption to play.

@DaveP043 - in case you were puzzled:

At the PGA Championship last month, PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh said, “We don’t think this is good for the game and we are supportive of [the current] ecosystem. We have our own bylaws that we will follow towards those fields.” Pressed on if the PGA’s bylaws preclude letting LIV golfers play, he said, “not specifically, but our bylaws do say that you have to be a recognized member of a recognized Tour in order to be a PGA member somewhere, and therefore eligible to play. If that becomes — if something else became one of those — obviously we’d have to recognize it.”

[RickyBobby_PR]

9 minutes ago, LICC said:

@DaveP043 - in case you were puzzled:

At the PGA Championship last month, PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh said, “We don’t think this is good for the game and we are supportive of [the current] ecosystem. We have our own bylaws that we will follow towards those fields.” Pressed on if the PGA’s bylaws preclude letting LIV golfers play, he said, “not specifically, but our bylaws do say that you have to be a recognized member of a recognized Tour in order to be a PGA member somewhere, and therefore eligible to play. If that becomes — if something else became one of those — obviously we’d have to recognize it.”

So far none of the players have terminated their membership with the pga or dp world tour and the pga tour has only said that players will be suspended which indicates they still have membership they just aren’t eligible to play.

It may be mute come next pga championship because if the players are suspended from the pga tour they won’t earn world ranking points and will drop in rankings and thus fall out of qualification for the event based on that criteria. Won’t be an issue for some guys that have other exemptions but could be an issue for those who don’t have anything but world ranking points 

[Middler]

45 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

So far none of the players have terminated their membership with the pga or dp world tour and the pga tour has only said that players will be suspended which indicates they still have membership they just aren’t eligible to play.

It may be mute come next pga championship because if the players are suspended from the pga tour they won’t earn world ranking points and will drop in rankings and thus fall out of qualification for the event based on that criteria. Won’t be an issue for some guys that have other exemptions but could be an issue for those who don’t have anything but world ranking points 

A grand game of chicken going on. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

11 minutes ago, Middler said:

A grand game of chicken going on. 

Could be. I think most of the European players aren’t to worried about because they would still have active membership on the dp world tour so they can get points there, just not as many as most pga tour events and they could still maintain whatever chances of Ryder cup captaincy they have. 
 

DJ gives her nonchalant appearance about whether he plays in events or not. But again he has membership on dp world tour and can play there too. 
 

Im more curious about what other players decide to do event two.

[LICC]

14 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Could be. I think most of the European players aren’t to worried about because they would still have active membership on the dp world tour so they can get points there, just not as many as most pga tour events and they could still maintain whatever chances of Ryder cup captaincy they have. 
 

DJ gives her nonchalant appearance about whether he plays in events or not. But again he has membership on dp world tour and can play there too. 
 

Im more curious about what other players decide to do event two.

Both the PGA of America and DP World Tour have previously said players who join the rival league would not be allowed in the Ryder Cup. 

They would have to backtrack on their prior statements.

[LICC]

1 hour ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

So far none of the players have terminated their membership with the pga or dp world tour and the pga tour has only said that players will be suspended which indicates they still have membership they just aren’t eligible to play.

It may be mute come next pga championship because if the players are suspended from the pga tour they won’t earn world ranking points and will drop in rankings and thus fall out of qualification for the event based on that criteria. Won’t be an issue for some guys that have other exemptions but could be an issue for those who don’t have anything but world ranking points 

Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley, when speaking to the media at the Masters in April, gave somewhat of a non-answer about LIV defectors, but did say “our mission is always to act in the best interests of the game in whatever form that may take. I think that golf’s in a good place right now.”

At the PGA Championship last month, PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh said, “We don’t think this is good for the game and we are supportive of [the current] ecosystem. We have our own bylaws that we will follow towards those fields.” Pressed on if the PGA’s bylaws preclude letting LIV golfers play, he said, “not specifically, but our bylaws do say that you have to be a recognized member of a recognized Tour in order to be a PGA member somewhere, and therefore eligible to play. If that becomes — if something else became one of those — obviously we’d have to recognize it.”

As for the U.S. Open, in a statement to the Golf Channel last week, a USGA official said: “We pride ourselves in being the most open championship in the world, with roughly half our field securing their position via local/regional qualifiers, however we reserve the right, as we always have, to review any competitor’s situation on a case-by-case basis.”

A spokesperson for the R&A, which runs the Open Championship, told GOLF.com on Wednesday that “we haven’t commented on it and don’t plan to as it stands.”

In December, though, the R&A said it would be dropping its Open Championship exemption given to the winner of the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit. That came just months after LIV Golf Investments, backed by Saudi money, announced it committed hundreds of millions of dollars to the Asian Tour.

[BIG STU]

6 hours ago, LICC said:

Some people don't care or don't want to bother to think it through, but many others rightly take a negative view of those supporting one of the most brutal, horrific, abusive dictatorships in the world. It's perfectly understandable for DJ to lose his sponsors and damage his reputation over this, but the promise of a $100 million payday is his choice.

On the political human rights end I do care. I hate it for innocent folks. All I can do is pray for them. 

What I was talking about was that as far as the players go I could care less who wants to play there and who does not--- Like you said it is their choice and has no bearing on me but I will not watch any of their events

[MacTourney]

Know very little about LIV, but I like the idea of shotgun starts for the entire field.  Will probably check it out a little to get more informed on it. 

[Dog Faced Pony Soldier]

I absolutely love that DJ is challenging the PGA's ban on competing in LIV. I find PGA's efforts to sabotage LIV offensive and disgusting. The irony here is I didn't care about LIV until the PGA started up their attack machine; now I do. Streisand effect!!

[LICC]

5 minutes ago, Dog Faced Pony Soldier said:

I absolutely love that DJ is challenging the PGA's ban on competing in LIV. I find PGA's efforts to sabotage LIV offensive and disgusting. The irony here is I didn't care about LIV until the PGA started up their attack machine; now I do. Streisand effect!!

LIV is trying to take players away from the PGA Tour. What is "offensive and disgusting" about protecting your business? What if the Saudi's decided to start a new football league and tried to convince Pat Mahomes, Josh Allen, Derrick Henry to go play in its league, and the NFL said (as it would) that they couldn't or else they would be suspended? Would that be offensive and disgusting?

[Dog Faced Pony Soldier]

44 minutes ago, LICC said:

LIV is trying to take players away from the PGA Tour. What is "offensive and disgusting" about protecting your business? What if the Saudi's decided to start a new football league and tried to convince Pat Mahomes, Josh Allen, Derrick Henry to go play in its league, and the NFL said (as it would) that they couldn't or else they would be suspended? Would that be offensive and disgusting?

The PGA's behavior is indeed offensive and disgusting to me. Hard to say how I'd feel about a theoretical situation. As I said earlier; the PGA is actually bringing attention to LIV. If the PGA was more confident in their product, they would have simply ignored LIV and let them fail quietly. Their attacks on others are really a sign of their own insecurity. 

Looking forward to checking out LIV at Trump Bedminster NJ instead of the NY-Metro PGA event this year... OH WAIT! There isn't a PGA Tour event in the NY-Metro proper this season. 

[LICC]

9 minutes ago, Dog Faced Pony Soldier said:

The PGA's behavior is indeed offensive and disgusting to me. Hard to say how I'd feel about a theoretical situation. As I said earlier; the PGA is actually bringing attention to LIV. If the PGA was more confident in their product, they would have simply ignored LIV and let them fail quietly. Their attacks on others are really a sign of their own insecurity. 

Looking forward to checking out LIV at Trump Bedminster NJ instead of the NY-Metro PGA event this year... OH WAIT! There isn't a PGA Tour event in the NY-Metro proper this season. 

Please explain what behavior exactly you find offensive and disgusting? Not giving approval to go play for a competing tour that is competitively attacking it and trying to take its players? How is the PGA Tour bringing attention to LIV? Mickelson and Norman and the golf media is bringing attention to LIV. By ignoring, you mean the PGA Tour should actively give approval for its members to go play for a competing tour? I would like to hear your reasoning behind all this because none of it makes sense to me.

[RickyBobby_PR]

6 hours ago, LICC said:

Both the PGA of America and DP World Tour have previously said players who join the rival league would not be allowed in the Ryder Cup. 

They would have to backtrack on their prior statements.

I haven’t seen anything from the DP world tour about Ryder cup. What I’ve seen and granted it’s been awhile since I looked at anything from them on the subject is that players who join the league may be penalized and there was no statement on what that penalty would be. 

[Bang60]

1 hour ago, LICC said:

Please explain what behavior exactly you find offensive and disgusting? Not giving approval to go play for a competing tour that is competitively attacking it and trying to take its players?  because none of it makes sense to me.

This situation is in my mind a case of "double standards" criticism against the Saudi's for Murdering the Journalist but, no criticism against the white Americans who murdered the American Indians!!! Too long ago was it ??

I'm disgusted at both atrocities, and the bigger problem is the way that the World watches on while people in Ukraine are murdered. What has to happen for the World to say enough is enough and put a stop to Putin, but the topic is about a game of Golf and if you or anyone has a right to Tee it up where WE want without any one else objecting and I say WE should be able to do just that... end of my rant.

[Shapotomous]

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[Shapotomous]

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