Category: Golf

PGA Tour Confidential

Player Impact Program and the Rewards of Being Mediocre

The PGA Tour should not reward mediocrity! Photo courtesy of tlnt.com

By now, most of my readers know my total disdain towards the PGA Tour and its mafioso style commissioner Jay Monahan, so my next opinion blog will not be a surprise.

The $40 million dollar Player Impact Program has been clouded under ridiculous secrecy. Most people think that if it needs to be kept secret, is probably garbage, and I agree.

When you understand the purpose of the program, which is to compensate players based on them driving their fan base and sponsor engagement, you come to realize this program is nothing more than a PGA Tour welfare program.

It gives the mediocre player an opportunity to make money, not because they are a talented player, but because they can tweet the most or have the most endorsements.

I have not given the program much though until today. Tiger Woods posted a video of him on Tweeter hitting some golf balls just months after his almost fatal car accident.

Former PGA Tour player Colt Knost was quoted as saying, “So @PGATour we just need to know who finishes 2-10 on the PIP. Enjoy the 8 mil @TigerWoods.”

Seriously Knost? I do not know if he meant to be funny or cynical about it, but it was a ridiculous comment in my opinion.

So, Tiger Woods got over a million hits on Tweeter and that entitles him to make $8 million dollars? The man is lucky to be alive, which is a good thing.

After today’s frenzy, I was reminded how this indeed is a welfare program for professional golfers. Ricky Fowler has been a bust for most of the past two seasons, but he can sell you some mortgages and some beer.

He is a better advertisement agent than a golfer these days and he will probably make more money by selling stuff and tweeting than playing golf, go figure. We will never know because the PGA Tour has decided to keep the program and who gets the money a secret.

What are you ashamed of Jay? You do not want people to find out how mediocre players are going to make more money from this welfare program than on the course?

I understand in today’s society, when everyone is a victim and working hard is an afterthought, the PGA Tour had to do something to try to keep the mediocre players happy.

What kind of message the PGA Tour is sending to kids learning the game? Be a better online personality than a player? Mediocrity pays?

Jay, you and the Tour should be ashamed.

LPGA Tour Confidential

Korda Sisters: Sour Grapes or Pure Ignorance?

The Korda Sisters Photo courtesy of knews.uk

The Korda sisters must love the attention. This time they are complaining about an LPGA Tour rule that require players to play a minimum of 70 rounds or 70 percent of tournament rounds to qualify for the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average on tour.

Nelly Korda claimed she learned of the rule recently on a chat room, going to the extend of calling the rule, “weird.”

Seriously? She has been on tour for quite some time and do not know her employer’s rules?

But their comments at the Pelican Women’s Championship is what got me thinking and made me write about them. Some of the answers to the questions went like this.

Nelly Korda: “I mean, I would say Jin Young has had an amazing past couple of events. If she was to win, she deserves to win it. I would say the same for me. It kind of sucks that that’s just how it is. Yeah, that’s all I have to say.”

Jessica Korda went on to say: “is just that the person who’s now in the running, is it consider an asterisk or- I don’t know. It’s just a weird rule when you’re No.1 and 2 player in the world.”

Nelly Korda: “And 3, right?

Jessica Korda: “And 3 player- is it 1,2, and 3 aren’t eligible? So it’s just weird.”

There’s nothing weird about a rule that has been around for a long time Jessica.

Note to Jessica Korda, if you are going to complain about another player, in this case Lydia Ko, do not be a coward. Everyone knows Lydia Ko is the next in line for the award, so if you are going to call out a multiple Major winner out, do it by name.

Lydia Ko is much more than an asterisk, she is a class act and very talented player. The comment was a low punch and classless.

When asked if the rule should be changed, Jessica was quick to say, “One-hundred percent.”  But when asked if they would alter their playing schedule, Nelly was quick to say, “No.”

Well, it sounds like a Korda problem, not an LPGA problem and they should not change the rule to accommodate any one player.

Perhaps instead of crying and insulting their fellow LPGA players, the Korda’s should learn the rules and requirements of their employer.

Awards are earned, not given.

Disclaimer: Quotes were verbatim. Any grammar or syntax issues should be brought up with the Korda’s publicist.

The Shark vs. The PGA Tour

The Shark, Greg Norman Photo courtesy of newsofamerica.org

To read holier than thou commentators, including the mostly underachieving PGA Tour Radio ankle bitters and The Golf Channel less than stellar crew, disparaging Greg Norman, and his new position as CEO of LIV Golf investments, is laughable and hypocritical at best.

Sure, for people like me, golf is just a game, but for people like Norman, it is also a business.

Norman will be the commissioner of a new golf league, funded by Saudi Arabia, and with emphasis on the Asian Tour. By attaching this league to the Asian Tour, players who wish to play on it will be able to gain world rankings. If that is the case, well, that is a smart move.

Greg Norman attempted something similar back in the mid 90’s, but was blocked by the PGA Tour, and the idea never flourished. This time it appears Norman’s chances are much better, and with a $200 million dollar investment, there’s money to be made.

Of course, the media is having a field day and jumping on Norman and anybody who even dares to approve of such an idea.

USA Today writer, Dan Wolken, suggests players must decide between the money and morals. Is this guy serious?

He forgot how the PGA Tour saved an honorary tee time for crackhead, convicted felon, and women’s abuser, George Floyd, at the Charles Schwab Challenge in June 2020.

Spare me the morality Dan. Wolken is nothing more than your typical USA Today leftwing writer. Not much substance, little facts, and tons of nonsense.

You can read Wolken’s opinion piece below.

Wolken: When it comes to Saudi Arabia-backed golf league, players must decide between money and morals

PGA Tour Commissioner, Jay Monahan, has said any player who joins this endeavor will lose their PGA membership. Well, I am not sure is that easy Jay.

I guess the PGA Tour is ready to spend lots of money on legal fees and high power attorneys.

Typical Jay Monahan, he sounds more like a mafia boss than the PGA Tour commissioner. He was quoted as saying, “anybody who joins a breakaway tour would be suspended and likely barred from playing the PGA Tour.” 

What’s Jay afraid of? Let the free market speak Jay, that is the American way.

I am happy to see a viable alternative to a PGA Tour that has become, political, preachy, woke, and anti-free market. I do not watch PGA Tour events other than the four Major Championships, and even then, I do not get out of my way to do so.

I applaud Greg Norman for having the guts to go against the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour lapdog, the European Tour. These organizations have monopolized the golf industry while at the same time preaching phony equality and inclusiveness.

As to the government of Saudi Arabia’s involvement? This is not news. They are host to the Saudi International, an Asian Tour event and only professional golf tournament played in the Kingdom.

Furthermore, Jack Nicklaus announced he will be designing a new golf course in Saudi Arabia, outside Riyadh. Is the PGA Tour going to shun Jack Nicklaus for his business enterprise with Saudi Arabia? I think not.

The PGA Tour, and all the golf governing bodies, wanted golf to be a more inclusive and a more global sport, well, they succeeded, and Greg Norman is taking full advantage of it.

The only controversy here is the one created by the mafia bosses at PGA Tour headquarters. The PGA Tour is damaged goods, morally and ideologically.

The Ryder Cup and the PGA of America Biggest Injustice

Larry Nelson

Larry Nelson, PGA Tour Professional and Vietnam War veteran

With all the hype about the Ryder Cup this week, after been delayed a year due to Covid-19, I cannot stop thinking about one of the biggest injustices in professional golf and Ryder Cup history.

The United States team has had some exceptionally good captains, some not so good, and the ones that never were. Larry Nelson falls into the later category and the PGA of America should be ashamed of themselves over it.

Larry Nelson is not only an American war hero, but also had a remarkable PGA Tour career and an excellent Ryder Cup record. Him, along with Lanny Wadkins, accrued a 4-0-0 record in the 1979 Ryder Cup. Only one other team in Ryder Cup history have accomplished such a feat, the duo of Molinari and Fleetwood at the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris.

Why Larry Nelson never given the opportunity to be Ryder Cup captain is a mystery to me.

Back in a 2012 article by Stan Awtrey, Nelson did not minced words regarding the selection process and the rationale behind it.

“It never really made any sense to me,” he said. “I played on three Ryder Cup teams and two of the captains I had (Billy Casper in 1979 and Dave Marr in 1981) were not really playing on the TOUR anymore. I feel like their decisions were much more effective, because they weren’t based on friendships or relationships. Sometimes it can be a positive.”

When addressing the issue regarding his age, at 65, he went on to say:

“It’s not like a lot of us are out of the game and don’t know what’s going on. We still love the game. We love to compete. Inside our minds we’re just as competitive as we were 30 or 40 years ago. Our physical bodies aren’t quite as good, but I don’t have to arm wrestle anybody. All I have to do is put together a team and get a team prepared. I don’t think age or actually being part of the TOUR is a detriment at all.”

Larry Nelson’s Ryder Cup record of 9-3-1, two-time PGA Champion, United States Open Champion, and the fact he beat Seve Ballesteros 3 and 2 in singles, should have been good enough for the PGA of America to have reach out to Nelson with a captaincy offer.

This has been one of the biggest mistakes, and injustices, ever made by the PGA of America and the Ryder Cup committee.

As we get closer to the first tee shot at Whistling Straits, I salute the great golfer, American hero, and Ryder Cup captain who never was, Larry Nelson.

PGA Tour: Heckling is Here to Stay

“Please, stop yelling Brooksy” Photo courtesy of Skysports.com

The PGA Tour has enjoyed very much privilege since the Covid-19 pandemic started.  As people were mandated to stay at home, the PGA Tour was busy running tournaments while padding themselves in the back.  They bragged about been the first sport to come back while American families were suffering.

The PGA Tour didn’t care, and they had individuals at PGA Tour Radio and The Golf Channel carry their dirty water.  As a golf fan, and a player, I have pretty much written out Jay Monahan and the Tour for their hypocritical stance on many issues, from race to the state of the game.

Watching golf has been painful in the last two years. I didn’t miss much the fan experience, not having to hear “Mash Potatoes” or “Get in the Hole” was refreshing.  Once the fans returned, I knew exactly what to expect. 

I always thought the Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau rivalry was cool and interesting.  I don’t know what the Tour thought it was going to happen once the fans were allowed back in.  You have fans who love Koepka, like me, and you have those who love DeChambeau.  It was only natural that fan heckling was going to be part of the rivalry.

It is obvious Koepka has managed this drama much better while DeChambeau has melted down on national television and stormed press conferences. 

Some commentators, like Michael Collins of ESPN.com, are going as far as blaming the fans for DeChambeau state of mind.  Is he serious?  If DeChambeau can’t handle a few fans yelling “Brooksy” perhaps he needs to find another line of work.

Heckling has been part of sports, and golf, for a long time, dating back to WW2.  Sam Snead was heckled at the 1942 PGA Championship while playing against Jim Turnesa.  The reason behind it was the fact that Turnesa had enlisted in the United States Army and fans didn’t know Snead had enlisted with the United States Navy. 

Tournament marshals could not control it and Snead ended up telling the marshals to ignore it and allow the fans to say whatever they wanted to say.  Many of the hecklers were soldiers stationed at Ft. Dix and they were cheering for the Army guy, Jim Turnesa.

At the end of the day, the PGA Tour has brought this upon themselves.  This is the price of growing the game and now Jay Monahan wants to put the genie back inside the bottle by telling fans they will be ejected from events if the yell “Brooksy”.

I’m all about decorum on the golf course but yelling someone’s name is not heckling and I think is ridiculous to suggest a player can get rattle by such a thing.  Or maybe they are that fragile, who knows. I guess DeChambeau is too mentally fragile to handle it and needs Monahan to justify and Monday morning quarterback his behavior.

Excuse me PGA Tour, we have young men and women dying in Afghanistan, so forgive me if I can’t feel sorry for a professional golfer who can’t handle a little bit of heat.

On Tuesday’s press conference, before the Tour Championship, Monahan was even more ridiculous.  He goes on to suggest that fans were acting that way because of Covid-19.  He says fans are “frustrated” and have “brought extra and unwelcomed energy to tournaments”.

No way!  Fans are acting the same way they did before Covid.  The problem with Monahan is this time is affecting the PGA Tour’s bottom line, meaning revenues.  DeChambeau is a star and when your star doesn’t want to talk to the press, well, it becomes a problem.

Heckling is part of the game, and it will be part of the game for years to come.  Thankfully the PGA Tour has nothing to do with the Ryder Cup because the heckling is going to be loud and clear at Whistling Straits.

I agree, fans who are disrespectful need to be dealt with immediately.  That type of behavior should not be tolerated at any level, but who determines that is another thing.

Finally, I do have several questions for the Commissioner.  Who’s going to enforce this policy?  The eighty-year-old volunteer?  Are they willing to kick out every fan who says something stupid?  Good luck with that. 

As long as they keep selling alcohol at these events, and not some suggested Covid induced rage, they will always have alcohol induced behavior, is inevitable. 

I don’t dislike DeChambeau, but it appears he needs to book a couple of sessions with Dr. Rotella.