Category: Golf

150th Open Championship at St. Andrews

Fish & Chips

Photo courtesy of siriusxm.ca

I know, I know, I said I was not going to watch, but the drama and the LIV Derangement Syndrome patients got the best of me, so I had to watch.

I am going to start by saying, PGA Tour rookie, Cameron Young, looked like a tour veteran on his way to an opening round 64 at the Old Course. Great start in his first trip to the Open Championship.

In the world of golf fashion, I could not ignore Justin Thomas and his ‘Beta Male’ outfit. I am sure all the ‘Beta Males’ who hangout at GWRX.com are running to the store to buy the outfit. Enough said!

The biggest whooper was listening to the commentators at the Golf Channel drooling over Tiger Woods mediocrity. Tiger Woods shot an opening round 78 and it is currently tied for 146.

His round started with a bad break at #1 and it did not get any better. At +8, Tiger Woods is going to need a really low round on Friday to make the cut. I never count him out, but with his bad leg and a shaky game, I will be surprised if he does make the weekend.

Note to the Golf Channel, there are many other cool stories going on at the Open Championship than Tiger Woods and his mediocre golf.

On the other hand, several LIV Golf “rebels” are in the hunt. Talor Gooch at -4, former Masters and U.S. Open Champion, Dustin Johnson at -4, Lee Westwood at -4, Ian Poulter at -3, former U.S. Open Champion, Bryson DeChambeau at -3, Paul Casey at -1, former Open Champion, Oosthuizen at -1, and several other LIV Golf “rebels” at EVEN par.

This bunch includes Phil Mickelson, Kevin Na, and Patrick Reed. I will have to say the “rebels” are doing well at the 150th Open Championship and I am sure Greg Norman is having a good laugh.

To be clear, I did not labeled the LIV Golf players as “rebels”, all the credit goes to the Golf Channel.

For LIV Golf, there is no such thing as bad publicity and the analysts at NBC and the Golf Channel have given LIV Golf all the free publicity LIV Golf could dream of.

Do not forget the fish and chips.

Tiger Woods Claiming The Moral High ground?

A Pathetic Joke That is Far From Funny

THE Tiger Woods. Go figure!

I am not going to invest too much of my or your time on Tiger Woods. Anybody who has followed professional golf as I have, understands Tiger Woods may be the greatest golfer alive, but he has been a rotten human being.

Not until he realized his days were numbered, he never cared for the fans. The fans were a nuisance and he did not have time for them. Probably because he carried his father chip on his own shoulder, who knows.

Now, he is taking shots at Greg Norman, LIV Golf, and the players who chose to jump ship. He went as far as to say that the R&A was right in uninviting Greg Norman, a two time Open Champion, from the Champions dinner and the 15oth anniversary celebrations.

Imagine if people had demanded Tiger Woods be banned from any festivities because he was a rotten husband, hit a fire hydrant, was high as a kite, and was taken into custody? Exactly!

Tiger Woods have no moral high ground to criticize anybody. To hear him talk about how these players turned their backs on the tour, it is laughable. Golf is a business and people make business decisions.

Tiger Woods has been sponsored by Nike his whole career, despite the fact Nike uses factories in China, with child labor, and working conditions they could not get away with in the United States.

Do I think Tiger should give up his “business” decision? Absolutely not, but with that Tiger needs to understand he has zero room for hypocrisy.

As we speak, the United States Department of Justice antitrust division is conducting an investigation of the PGA Tour and their shoddy practices. It has been reported they have contacted player’s agents seeking information about the PGA Tour bylaws.

The PGA Tour, been the arrogant entity they are, have said, “This was not unexpected.” “We went through this in 1994 and we are confident in a similar outcome.”

Sure, the only difference is that back in 1994, professional golf was small potatoes and today is big business. I am sure the liberal DOJ is going to take a closer look this time and the outcome may be far from similar.

As I said many times, I welcome this antitrust investigation. The PGA Tour has no right to monopolize professional golf, they do not own it.

This chapter is far from over and LIV Golf has all the money they need to litigate until the cows come home.

As for Tiger, well, he is not the Tiger Woods he used to be, so I guess this is the only way he can remain relevant. Sad and pathetic!

From Royal & Ancient to Ridiculous & Absurd

The R&A Decided Not To Invite Two Time Open Champion Greg Norman to Open Champions Dinner

Enough said!

As the LIV Derangement Syndrome continues to cause havoc among professional golfers and their monopolistic institutions, the R&A has decided that Two Time Open Champion Greg Norman, is not worthy of attending the Champions dinner.

When they denied Norman’s request for an exemption to play the Open at St. Andrews at the age of 67, I kind of understood, but to deny him an invitation to the Champions dinner, is low class.

In their statement, the R&A stated that next week’s Open is an “extremely important milestone for golf.” Really? Well, that may have been the case, but the R&A made it about Greg Norman instead.

They want “to ensure that the focus remains on celebrating the Championship.” Again, the R&A failed miserably by making it about Greg Norman.

My message to the R&A? You chose to take the low road instead of taking the high road and welcome Greg Norman as a gesture of good will. It is obvious the R&A, the DP World Tour, and the PGA Tour, do not want an amicable resolution and rather continue to fight.

These people do not care about the game of golf or its legacy, all they care about is the bottom line.

Unfortunately for them, they refuse to find a cure for LIV Derangement Syndrome, and that is a shame.

Needless to say, I will not be watching the 150th Open Championship.

https://golf.com/news/ra-disinvites-greg-norman-open-champions-dinner/

Hypocrite of The Week

Professional Golfer Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy, of North Ireland, waits to hit on the 12th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament, Thursday, May 19, 2022, in Tulsa, Okla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

After months attacking Greg Norman, LIV Golf, and the players who chose to join LIV Golf, Rory McIlroy, the de facto loudmouth of the PGA Tour, has suggested perhaps is time to have a conversation with LIV Golf and CEO Greg Norman.

I guess McIlroy finally realized LIV Golf is here to stay, and most likely than not, more defections will come about after next week’s Open Championship at St. Andrews. The money is just too good!

McIlroy, as much as PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, has been part of the problem. Week in and week out, running his mouth with his other ‘compadres’, Justin Thomas, and self appointed PGA Tour messiah, Billy Horschel, he has done nothing but antagonize and disrespect Greg Norman and the LIV Golf players.

Now he wants to talk? I hope Greg Norman tells the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour to pound sand. The way they have behave, with little class and bullish attitude, gives them no leverage in my book.

LIV Golf has proven to be a successful product and Greg Norman does not need the PGA Tour’s approval or assistance for continued success.

Greg Norman tried and was rejected. Sorry Rory, but your hypocrisy is several months too late.

My only advice for Mr. McIlroy? Like the Irish saying goes, “Who keeps his tongue, keeps his friends.”

By the way Rory, Greg Norman has two Open Championships. Just saying.

https://golf.com/news/rory-mcilroy-liv-comments-path-forward/?user_email=0b23a2633b8c0ffdde12df935ad0aec7ac4dfa2c26aaa9ad94f63b96b039de38

LIV Golf Series Continues to Succeed

Branden Grace Wins Second Leg of The LIV Golf Series at Pumpkin Ridge

Branden Grace captures LIV Portland Invitational Photo courtesy of compleatgolfer.com

Another successful week for Greg Norman and LIV Golf with Branden Grace capturing the second leg, and first United States LIV Golf event, at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, Oregon.

With his win, in front of a sold out crowd, Grace got a nice trophy and a nifty $4 million dollar check for his first place finish.

Do not believe the blabbering clowns at the Golf Channel and the PGA Tour, this money does not come out of their signing bonuses, that rumor was already debunked by LIV Golf this week.

I watched all three rounds at LIV.com and I enjoyed every second of it. While the PGA Tour and CBS spent most of their broadcast time basking in wokeness, LIV.com was all business, nothing but golf.

The streaming was flawless and the commentary has gotten a lot better. The golf course was beautiful and the setup was demanding.

The final round was not only very entertaining, but in front of a sold out crowd, the likes of Dustin Johnson, Carlos Ortiz, and Branden Grace, put up a show and great golf.

I do not know for how long LIV Golf will be around, but if I were to judge by the first two events, I think Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour, and the DP World Tour, better grab on to their trousers; it is going to be a turbulent ride.

Greg Norman spent a lot of his time walking around and talking to the fans. I am sure he was very happy to see a sold out crowd, despite the fact Monahan has done everything in his power to put a dent on the future of LIV Golf.

Pat Perez was right, the strongest field was at Pumpkin Ridge this week. From former Masters, to Open, to U.S. Open champions, they were there.

I was looking for the current Masters, PGA, and U.S. Open champions, at the John Deere Classic, but they were nowhere to be found.

Funny, they have been whining about LIV Golf, but they were not at TPC Deere Run to support the opposite field to the LIV Golf event. Go figure!

As the PGA Tour hypocrisy and pettiness continues, LIV Golf marches into the future.