Liv Golf Central Thread: Events and News

[MattWillGolf]

I wish Jon would have been honest regarding his move to LIV. Harold Varner III  has been the only honest one to make the switch. But it’s galling when they state the move is to grow the sport. The only thing growing is their bank accounts. This does nothing  to grow the sport.

[FrogginBullfish]

I guess he probably had Phil and Sergio whispering in his ear the whole time since the merger was announced.

[MattWillGolf]

17 minutes ago, FrogginBullfish said:

I guess he probably had Phil and Sergio whispering in his ear the whole time since the merger was announced.

Part of me wonders if Jay Monahan blindsiding everyone played into it. Because of that epic screw up, I suspect we’ll see more jump over.
Professional golf just got devalued. Tiger is on the way out. Phil is a blowhard. Most holes on tour are driver/wedge. 250 yard par 3s. USGA/R&A fumbling around in the dark. I’ll stick to my game and watching others grow the game like John Ashworth with Goat Hill Park or Steph Curry with Underrated Golf. 

[Josh Parker]

Just now, MattWillGolf said:

Part of me wonders if Jay Monahan blindsiding everyone played into it. Because of that epic screw up, I suspect we’ll see more jump over.
Professional golf just got devalued. Tiger is on the way out. Phil is a blowhard. Most holes on tour are driver/wedge. 250 yard par 3s. USGA/R&A fumbling around in the dark. I’ll stick to my game and watching others grow the game like John Ashworth with Goat Hill Park or Steph Curry with Underrated Golf. 

I think it absolutely played a role. He prob figured I might as well take the guaranteed money now.

[FrogginBullfish]

3 minutes ago, MattWillGolf said:

Part of me wonders if Jay Monahan blindsiding everyone played into it. Because of that epic screw up, I suspect we’ll see more jump over.
Professional golf just got devalued. Tiger is on the way out. Phil is a blowhard. Most holes on tour are driver/wedge. 250 yard par 3s. USGA/R&A fumbling around in the dark. I’ll stick to my game and watching others grow the game like John Ashworth with Goat Hill Park or Steph Curry with Underrated Golf. 

I imagine Monahan working towards a merger with no player input played a role but him having such a tight relationship with Phil and Sergio, I just feel like Phil was probably right in there needling him and working him for months to jump over and that Monahan was this and that and yada yada yada. I wouldn't be surprised if that's how it happened. Apparently JJ Watt might have been involved too, for whatever reason.

Edited December 8, 2023 by FrogginBullfish
forgot a word

[GaDawg]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:18 AM, RickyBobby_PR said:

Isn’t that what the proposed merger is for and monahan set a deadline for i believe the end of the year to have a framework in place

You mention the one person that is the major problem to golf. Jay Monahan

[GaDawg]

Personally, I feel that several other big name golfers will move to LIV unless Monahan is sent packing. He needs to go and that ridiculous 100 million dollar PIP plan does too.

[TylorJudd]

It’s official!!!!!!

 

[fixyurdivot]

As I said, where there is smoke there is usually fire.  Professional golf is no longer the sport I grew up watching and admiring.  I now wonder just how this pending merger works out... or if it ever will.  

[TylorJudd]

1 hour ago, MattWillGolf said:

Part of me wonders if Jay Monahan blindsiding everyone played into it. Because of that epic screw up, I suspect we’ll see more jump over.
Professional golf just got devalued. Tiger is on the way out. Phil is a blowhard. Most holes on tour are driver/wedge. 250 yard par 3s. USGA/R&A fumbling around in the dark. I’ll stick to my game and watching others grow the game like John Ashworth with Goat Hill Park or Steph Curry with Underrated Golf. 

Absolutely, Rahm would have stayed over at the PGA but what point is there now? Now he may as well secure the future for his family with the possibility of playing on the tour again in 2025 when this whole merger thing works out. No different than Rory being the poster boy, and Jay allowing him to be ridiculed in the public spotlight for hopeless devotion to what was a pipe dream. In my personal opinion, LIV will be the dominant force in professional golf, regardless of what that looks like in the future. 

[cnosil]

Apparently Rory wants to rewrite Ryder Cup eligibility rules because of the Rahm move. 

 

[MGoBlue100]

5 hours ago, Owengeorge13 said:

This is great news.  When it gets closer to tournament time for LIV I’ll try and put together some sort of fantasy league for it.  Looking for suggestions.  We could either do teams draft, or players draft.

Since they all play every day, and don’t miss the nonexistent (so far) cut, just do it like fantasy football. Everyone has a team of individual players, and you accumulate points based on their performance. Maybe like a Stableford scoring system?

[Owengeorge13]

7 hours ago, MGoBlue100 said:

Since they all play every day, and don’t miss the nonexistent (so far) cut, just do it like fantasy football. Everyone has a team of individual players, and you accumulate points based on their performance. Maybe like a Stableford scoring system?

All great points.  I’ll start looking around and see if LIV has a fantasy setup anywhere.  If not I’ll message Greg Norman.

[Josh Parker]

Can someone that follows LIV explain to me how the trades work?  You trade the top player of the year for someone that was down towards the bottom....  How does that make any sense?

I'm kind of glad I don't watch much golf these days other than the majors.  

[Owengeorge13]

Just now, Josh Parker said:

Can someone that follows LIV explain to me how the trades work?  You trade the top player of the year for someone that was down towards the bottom....  How does that make any sense?

I'm kind of glad I don't watch much golf these days other than the majors.  

This is what I’m talking about Josh!  Get interested!  13 teams now, no word on who is on Rahms team or how this will shake it up.  

[Josh Parker]

2 minutes ago, Owengeorge13 said:

This is what I’m talking about Josh!  Get interested!  13 teams now, no word on who is on Rahms team or how this will shake it up.  

I'm confused... get interested?  

I'm wondering how trading a top player for a low rated player makes any sense in any sport trade?  

I'll stick to my few tournaments a year for watching professional golf. But I feel that way about most pro sports.  

[EugeGall]

They are all hypocrites - Jay Monahan for selling out the PGA players behind their back, those players who moved claiming it was for the good of the sport. That's horse poo, they did it for their bank balance, at least HV III admitted this.

Why doesn't John Rahm be honest and say "Jay shafted me with the merger so I'm cashing in" - the phoney "LIV is innovative and it will help grow the sport, the whole team thing excites me" kinda grates the throat. Same guy who trashed it a year ago and said $400 million is not life changing to him and Kelly - I guess he was correct, but $600 million is. And don't get me started with him bringing Seve into.

Look don't get me wrong good luck to the guy, he's a great golfer and seemed a nice genuine guy, likeable even (hey probably still is) - it's a stupid amount of money that none of us would turn down, but just be honest. The script they all spout is just a yawn fest .

Oh and just to finish off - is it just me or is Greg Norman just a "tool", I could say worse . For some reason he comes across as one dislikeable tosser who probably has few mates. He really needs to do one.

[Middler]

25 minutes ago, EugeGall said:

They are all hypocrites - Jay Monahan for selling out the PGA players behind their back, those players who moved claiming it was for the good of the sport. That's horse poo, they did it for their bank balance, at least HV III admitted this.

Why doesn't John Rahm be honest and say "Jay shafted me with the merger so I'm cashing in" - the phoney "LIV is innovative and it will help grow the sport, the whole team thing excites me" kinda grates the throat. Same guy who trashed it a year ago and said $400 million is not life changing to him and Kelly - I guess he was correct, but $600 million is. And don't get me started with him bringing Seve into.

Lighten up Francis, he did…

But he also made it clear that the arrival of LIV and the June 6 announcement of a framework agreement between LIV's Saudi backers and the PGA Tour changed the landscape of golf.

From saying he had to "laugh" at rumours linking him to LIV in August, he had to admit yesterday the money turned his head.

"It's one of the reasons; I'm not going to sit here and lie to you," he said of a deal that he admitted came together "a lot quicker than some people maybe expected”.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Middler

[Josh Parker]

36 minutes ago, Middler said:

Lighten up Francis, he did…

But he also made it clear that the arrival of LIV and the June 6 announcement of a framework agreement between LIV's Saudi backers and the PGA Tour changed the landscape of golf.

From saying he had to "laugh" at rumours linking him to LIV in August, he had to admit yesterday the money turned his head.

"It's one of the reasons; I'm not going to sit here and lie to you," he said of a deal that he admitted came together "a lot quicker than some people maybe expected”.

I think my biggest issue with these guys is, just grow a pair and say it's for the money.  I don't blame you for taking the money but don't say it's because you want to help expand the game of golf.  It's the same narrative that they all try to say.  

It's a business decision at the end of the day.  All these guys play for their income.  

I play because I enjoy the game.  

[GolfSpy_APH]

1 hour ago, Josh Parker said:

I'm confused... get interested?  

I'm wondering how trading a top player for a low rated player makes any sense in any sport trade?  

I'll stick to my few tournaments a year for watching professional golf. But I feel that way about most pro sports.  

There is no making sense of it. There are no rules, no salary cap. It's the wild west and whatever goes happens.

[MGoBlue100]

1 hour ago, Josh Parker said:

Can someone that follows LIV explain to me how the trades work?  You trade the top player of the year for someone that was down towards the bottom....  How does that make any sense?

I'm kind of glad I don't watch much golf these days other than the majors.  

There isn’t a salary cap, so maybe one Capt (Brooks) is willing to spend more money than others (Bubba). Can’t say all the reasons make sense, but that sometimes is like a trade in another sport, eh?

Now the question is who’s coming to join Rahm? He didn’t go through all this to have a terrible team.

[Preeway]

4 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

I think my biggest issue with these guys is, just grow a pair and say it's for the money.  I don't blame you for taking the money but don't say it's because you want to help expand the game of golf.  It's the same narrative that they all try to say.  

It's a business decision at the end of the day.  All these guys play for their income.  

I play because I enjoy the game.  

Nailed it. A few of the guys came out and said it was for the money. Like Varner. The guy was never going to make serious money on the PGAT and he took his chance to make serious guaranteed money. I would have totally done the same thing in his position. If he's lucky he might make up to 5 million in purse money in his career and maybe a little more in sponsorship money. But last I checked he got 20 mil to sign and he gets additional purse money. Yep, show me where to sign. Rahm did the same thing. It's guys like Mickelson that I can't stand. 

1 hour ago, Josh Parker said:

I'm confused... get interested?  

I'm wondering how trading a top player for a low rated player makes any sense in any sport trade?  

I'll stick to my few tournaments a year for watching professional golf. But I feel that way about most pro sports.  

I think this will be different than other sports. I have no expectation that Gooch will continue his hot streak. And in the last 10 years or so, there haven't been any pros stringing together multiple seasons like that. I also wouldn't be surprised if there was some side money passed along to make the trade and since there aren't any requirements to disclose details or get trades approved, this deal didn't surprise me as much as it did others.

[Preeway]

.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Preeway
double post

[Alan K]

What do you think?

 

 

 

 

WIMBY 

Cobra Fly-Z Driver, Regular shaft, 10.5 degrees 

3-Wood: Ping G400 SFT 

2/R King Cobra Baffler 18 degrees 

3/R King Cobra Baffler 20 degrees 

5-A Callaway Rogue X - Regular shaft 

Sand: Ping G15 

64 Degree Wedge 

Putter: Ping Isopur: Super Stroke #1 Grip

[Preeway]

16 minutes ago, MGoBlue100 said:

There isn’t a salary cap, so maybe one Capt (Brooks) is willing to spend more money than others (Bubba). Can’t say all the reasons make sense, but that sometimes is like a trade in another sport, eh?

This is why all other team sports have trade rules. The lack of transparency will only hurt the credibility of the LIV concept in the long run IMO. Even if there never is a salary cap of sorts, there needs to be some sense of disclosure/transparency in order to maintain the integrity of the team concept. 

 

18 minutes ago, MGoBlue100 said:

Now the question is who’s coming to join Rahm? He didn’t go through all this to have a terrible team.

This is the million dollar question. What happens if he doesn't get 3 or 4 others of his liking to join his team before the first event? Will he change his mind (can he?) if he gets stuck with some random DPWT or Asian Tour guys to round out his squad?

[cnosil]

2 hours ago, Josh Parker said:

Can someone that follows LIV explain to me how the trades work?  You trade the top player of the year for someone that was down towards the bottom....  How does that make any sense?

I'm kind of glad I don't watch much golf these days other than the majors.  

Maybe this will help?  I assume you mean the gooch for Wolff trade.  Based on the article it seems like it is a chemistry personality thing.  If it works out I am sure there will be some trash talking going on.   Team play is a small part of the money winnings and individual earnings are still significant higher so it isn’t like they are going to lose a fortune if it doesn’t work out  

https://www.si.com/golf/news/liv-golf-bubba-watson-explains-trading-talor-gooch-landing-matthew-wolff

Edited December 8, 2023 by cnosil

[FrogginBullfish]

I understand Rahm's frustration with Monahan over the merger. But I have a hard time feeling like he's any less of a hypocrite for up and leaving. Monahan betrayed the trust of a lot of people with that merger. So Rahm's solution is to instead join that other league that he's said he doesn't like the format of, that he's not playing golf just for money, etc etc. Monahan might have turned back on his word, but why does that give freedom to the Rahms of the world not to hold to their word?

Sad to see this from Rahm. I did think he was better than this. Guess not.

[Owengeorge13]

I can’t wait to see if Shohei Ohtani comes out and says he signed his new contract for the money!  In what professional sport/job are people advised to make that statement?

Edited December 8, 2023 by Owengeorge13

[Middler]

1 hour ago, Josh Parker said:

I think my biggest issue with these guys is, just grow a pair and say it's for the money.  I don't blame you for taking the money but don't say it's because you want to help expand the game of golf.  It's the same narrative that they all try to say.  

It's a business decision at the end of the day.  All these guys play for their income.  

I play because I enjoy the game.  

He already admitted money was a part of it!

[Middler]

11 minutes ago, FrogginBullfish said:

I understand Rahm's frustration with Monahan over the merger. But I have a hard time feeling like he's any less of a hypocrite for up and leaving. Monahan betrayed the trust of a lot of people with that merger. So Rahm's solution is to instead join that other league that he's said he doesn't like the format of, that he's not playing golf just for money, etc etc. Monahan might have turned back on his word, but why does that give freedom to the Rahms of the world not to hold to their word?

Sad to see this from Rahm. I did think he was better than this. Guess not.

Hypocrite? Rahm’s strongest statements on staying with the PGA were when it looked like they would do right by the players who stayed - BEFORE Monahan pulled the rug out from under the players in June. And that was six months ago, still no agreement. I don’t fault Rahm at all, this is all on Monahan and PIF. If they do unify the PGA/LIV/PIF Rahm is going to look like a genius. If not, he’s a much richer player still in all the majors for 5+ years. I hate LIV but the PGA has been stumbling along for 2 years now - enough!

Edited December 8, 2023 by Middler