PGA Tour & PIF/LIV Golf Merger

[Syks7]

4 minutes ago, daviddvm said:

What happens to Greg Norman ? The PGA gonna have to put up with him?

If he didn't know I'm wondering if he was negotiated out.  If the PGA cuts Greg out again he might go nuclear.

[DeBartola_B]

Man this continues to get more and more interesting.  Going to be an awesome documentary one day!

 

As a golf fan this is nothing but fantastic news.  Getting all the stars from all across the country back together again will be fantastic.  Never been a better time to be a golf fan.

[tdroma98]

17 minutes ago, Golf2Much said:

Isn't it strange that the PGA, DP Tour and LIV announcement is the day after the Saudis agreed to cut oil production to drive the price up. 

It's certainly one way of making sure no one talked about their action of raising the price of gasoline and other petroleum-based products on the American consumer.  

My thought exactly @Golf2Much. In addition, 1 day ago Saudi Aramco announces record profits of $161 Billion. I don't want to get political however, there are no such things as coincidences any longer! 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

This is just blowing my mind lol. Jay Monahan is going to lose a ton of credibility and respect, including from me, for seemingly deciding to take the bag and run with the money. He was SO STAUNCH against LIV for how long, and now reading some quotes from him regarding the merger just make him seem like a snake in the grass. Will this be good for the game long term? Probably, but hard to say. I will enjoy seeing all of the best players in the same fields again to be sure. But man, this is just crazy.

[StrokerAce]

49 minutes ago, PeterHenric said:

Will you explain this to me? I have no idea what it means. 

A bush hog is a 4 wheeled all terrain vehicle that is typically used on farms. I'm guessing that HV3 wants to hop on and get away from any social media or news for a while.

My comment (from the top rope) comes from wrestling - it means completely demolish or eradicate with vigor...

[StrokerAce]

Just now, Jnoble89 said:

This is just blowing my mind lol. Jay Monahan is going to lose a ton of credibility and respect, including from me, for seemingly deciding to take the bag and run with the money. He was SO STAUNCH against LIV for how long, and now reading some quotes from him regarding the merger just make him seem like a snake in the grass. Will this be good for the game long term? Probably, but hard to say. I will enjoy seeing all of the best players in the same fields again to be sure. But man, this is just crazy.

fair enough, and I see Monahan catching a lot of heat (rightfully) but there is no way possible he made this decision all by himself. he's just the face of the org and more than likely pushed hard for it to protect stuff coming out in discovery during a trial.

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

1 hour ago, chisag said:

 

... Money doesn't always win out as there are still some people and organizations that value integrity. But sadly more often than not you are correct and greed wins. Thankfully we have a video of the meeting between LIV, PGA and the DP Tour:

 

 

Cant buy me but cant speak for others!

[GolfSpy_KFT]

1 minute ago, StrokerAce said:

fair enough, and I see Monahan catching a lot of heat (rightfully) but there is no way possible he made this decision all by himself. he's just the face of the org and more than likely pushed hard for it to protect stuff coming out in discovery during a trial.

For sure, he's absolutely the face of it but I agree it wasn't his decision alone. I just am always bothered when someone does a TOTAL 180 on something. It feels like a massive win for LIV and a big 'ol flop for the PGAT. Just from my point of view it makes JM look spineless, again those are just my opinions, fair or otherwise lol.

[funkyjudge]

6 minutes ago, Jnoble89 said:

This is just blowing my mind lol. Jay Monahan is going to lose a ton of credibility and respect, including from me, for seemingly deciding to take the bag and run with the money. He was SO STAUNCH against LIV for how long, and now reading some quotes from him regarding the merger just make him seem like a snake in the grass. Will this be good for the game long term? Probably, but hard to say. I will enjoy seeing all of the best players in the same fields again to be sure. But man, this is just crazy.

Not that Monahan had a lot of "credibility and respect" to begin with anyway!

[funkyjudge]

24 minutes ago, daviddvm said:

What happens to Greg Norman ? The PGA gonna have to put up with him?

I'm guessing that Norman is history with LIV Golf (maybe with a nice buyout and orders to keep his mouth shut and refrain from commenting on social media, which he isn't likely to heed, BTW).

[StrokerAce]

my attempt to add a bit of levity to the situation....

 

[chisag]

26 minutes ago, Lacassem said:

Cant buy me but cant speak for others!

 

... I was offered a European Billboard campaign for a cigarette company back in the early 90's and had always said I would never sell out period but also kids would see the image and I did not want to be a part of the cancer causing problem potentially influencing kids to start smoking. They were going to pay me a one time buyout of $15,000 and as a semi struggling actor at the time that was a ton of money. My ex said "It is only gonna run in Europe and we could really use the money right now so maybe think about it?" and before I could answer my 5 yr old son said "Aren't there kids in Europe?"  I was a very proud Dad that day. 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Perhaps the only thing that surprises me about this entire soap opera is how predictable this outcome was. For all the posturing and hypocrisy, at the end of the day it always comes down to money.  The journey was full of twists and turns, but this was always the destination. 

[Middler]

Sad day, but it will take me a while to digest, along with more details. Surprised and disappointed so far. The gloating, bashing and hypocrisy is enough reason to ignore this thread for at least a few days. Globalism has made many things more complicated and conflicted.

[funkyjudge]

1 hour ago, russtopherb said:

I think it's terrible for the golfers for the most part. The ones who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour missed out on a boatload of money. And as a viewer, now I have to see Patrick Reed again. Lose/lose all the way around.

They are getting plenty of additional money in two forms:

1.) From the increased purses and "enhanced events" on the PGA Tour, and

2.) Due to the fact that Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Cam Smith, Louis Oosthuisen and yes, even Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson are not there competing for prize money in PGA Tour events.

[russtopherb]

3 minutes ago, funkyjudge said:

They are getting plenty of additional money in two forms:

1.) From the increased purses and "enhanced events" on the PGA Tour, and

2.) Due to the fact that Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Cam Smith, Louis Oosthuisen and yes, even Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson are not there competing for prize money in PGA Tour events.

If you think the money from increased purses equals the overloaded contracts with guaranteed money that the LIV players got, then there's really nothing more to discuss here. 

[Middler]

1 minute ago, russtopherb said:

If you think the money from increased purses equals the overloaded contracts with guaranteed money that the LIV players got, then there's really nothing more to discuss here. 

+1. The elite players on the PGA Tour who stayed will never make up what DJ, Brooks, Bryson & Phil got from LIV $ to name a few. I could see how they'd feel betrayed today.

[ballhawk]

I/you have to wonder if Brooks winning the PGA didn't have an underlying affect on the mindset of the PGA Tour. I'm sure that the LIV people enjoy(ed) bragging rights and if any of the Opens were to be one by a LIV player, the PGA Tour would not look all that high and mighty any more. 

Now also, wonder if the R&A will do an about face as far as reinstating that course back into the rotation. After all since it's all joining hands and singing "show me the money", there should be no real need to remove a course from the rotation just because!!

Now you also may wonder just how much Tiger and Rory will be compensated for their stead fast stance behind the Tour and Mr Integrity........Just sayin! 

[funkyjudge]

3 minutes ago, russtopherb said:

If you think the money from increased purses equals the overloaded contracts with guaranteed money that the LIV players got, then there's really nothing more to discuss here. 

Very few of the LIV players got the massively overloaded contracts (and the "guarantees" are not as guaranteed as they were initially reported to be).  Sure, Mickelson, DJ and Cam Smith allegedly got huge payouts, but they are in the small minority on that Tour.

[JohnSmalls]

1 hour ago, StrokerAce said:

A bush hog is a 4 wheeled all terrain vehicle that is typically used on farms. I'm guessing that HV3 wants to hop on and get away from any social media or news for a while.

My comment (from the top rope) comes from wrestling - it means completely demolish or eradicate with vigor...

Loved the tweet from HV3, and spot on with HV3 hopping on and getting away from social for a while. 

I am sorry to be that guy--but for clarity sake, a bush hog is a large rotary blade mower most commonly powered by and pulled behind a tractor.  It is used to mow fields with a mix of growth that would be difficult for a commercial mower to clear.  So HV3 is getting away from social and getting back to work.  @PeterHenric

[MacTourney]

40 minutes ago, ballhawk said:

I/you have to wonder if Brooks winning the PGA didn't have an underlying affect on the mindset of the PGA Tour. I'm sure that the LIV people enjoy(ed) bragging rights and if any of the Opens were to be one by a LIV player, the PGA Tour would not look all that high and mighty any more. 

Now also, wonder if the R&A will do an about face as far as reinstating that course back into the rotation. After all since it's all joining hands and singing "show me the money", there should be no real need to remove a course from the rotation just because!!

Now you also may wonder just how much Tiger and Rory will be compensated for their stead fast stance behind the Tour and Mr Integrity........Just sayin! 

I haven't followed much of the silliness but it wouldn't surprise me if negotiations on merging have been behind the scenes and ongoing since well before Cupcake won the PGA Championship.  A little Cuban Missile Crisis on the links...

[Kenny B]

I would like to be a fly on the wall when Monahan addresses the PGA Tour players at the RBC Canadian Open at 4pm today.  I heard that none of the players knew anything about this prior to the announcement.  

[PeterHenric]

Thanks for the clarification and explanation @JohnSmalls. Funny stuff.

[JohnSmalls]

1 minute ago, PeterHenric said:

Thanks for the clarification and explanation @JohnSmalls. Funny stuff.

You got it.  I have to pass credit on to @StrokerAce though.

[Syks7]

45 minutes ago, ballhawk said:

I/you have to wonder if Brooks winning the PGA didn't have an underlying affect on the mindset of the PGA Tour. I'm sure that the LIV people enjoy(ed) bragging rights and if any of the Opens were to be one by a LIV player, the PGA Tour would not look all that high and mighty any more. 

Now also, wonder if the R&A will do an about face as far as reinstating that course back into the rotation. After all since it's all joining hands and singing "show me the money", there should be no real need to remove a course from the rotation just because!!

Now you also may wonder just how much Tiger and Rory will be compensated for their stead fast stance behind the Tour and Mr Integrity........Just sayin! 

I doubt it.  Deals like this just don't happen that quickly.    This has been in the works for a while.  I'd be willing to bet that conversations and informal feelers for this have been going on since at least the Masters, but probably well before...  With much of the heavy lifting legal work being nailed down and finalized over the last month.

[Charles Lechair]

This is such a bummer, man. 

Pro golf is going to change forever, and I don't see how this changes it for the better

 

[MacTourney]

15 minutes ago, JohnSmalls said:

Loved the tweet from HV3, and spot on with HV3 hopping on and getting away from social for a while. 

I am sorry to be that guy--but for clarity sake, a bush hog is a large rotary blade mower most commonly powered by and pulled behind a tractor.  It is used to mow fields with a mix of growth that would be difficult for a commercial mower to clear.  So HV3 is getting away from social and getting back to work.  @PeterHenric

...and real bush hogs, not wanna be bush hogs, have chains.  PTO and chains, works every time, mean combination.  No thorn bushes allowed...

[CK1over]

When I saw this, I thought this must be some sort of April Fools prank.  Nope, I checked my calendar and everything.  It's definitely June.

[jj1010]

2 minutes ago, Charles Lechair said:

This is such a bummer, man. 

Pro golf is going to change forever, and I don't see how this changes it for the better

 

Why do you say that? Wouldn't it be a good thing that all of the best golfers in the world will now play against each other more? The money was always going to go up LIV just pushed it to happen quicker. I think in the long run this is great for golf but JM will get canned and rightfully so for all the backtracking he is going to have to do now. 

[PeterHenric]

PGAMemes is having an absolute heyday with this merger. Whether you are for or against or indifferent, there is some real comedy over there.