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.
During his visit to Europe, Joe Biden has sold our country to the European Union, has promised to continue the United States proxy war with Russia, and has told our NATO allies that as long as Russia is at war with Ukraine, we, the American people will pay the price for it.
On Thursday, Joe Biden gave a press conference while attending the NATO summit in Madrid, Spain. The things he said solidified that he is the real enemy of the American people.
He was asked how long Americans should expect to deal with high gasoline prices, and his answer was worthy of a good impeachment.
He told the press, “As long as it takes, so Russia cannot defeat Ukraine and move beyond Ukraine.” He went on to say, “this is a critical, critical position for the world.”
The only problem is the “world” continues to buy Russian oil and gas, while the United States produces none. NATO talks big, but in reality, European Union members cannot afford not to buy Russian oil and gas as they continue to circumvent their own Russia sanctions.
Joe Biden does not care about the American people as long as he is paying his dues to the Nazi regime in Ukraine. After all, as I said many times, Joe Biden owes Zelensky big time, and by bankrupting our own country while providing cash and weapons to the comedian in Ukraine, Biden is fulfilling his promises to Zelensky.
By doing this, Biden is not hurting Russia, he is hurting the United States. Sure, sanctions have hurt a few rich Russian goons, but the Russian Ruble has never been this strong against the dollar, and many countries are paying for their energy needs with Russian Rubles instead of the once mighty dollar.
Joe Biden’s failed foreign policy has seen the Russian Ruble hit a 7 year high against the dollar at 52.3 to the dollar. This is the highest level achieved since 2015.
Do you still think the Russians are suffering as much as we are? Think again.
Gasoline prices in the United States have surpassed $5.00 dollars a gallon, making it the highest driving force for inflation in 40 years.
The Biden administration has done nothing to alleviate the pain at the pump, instead continues to lie by saying they are doing everything it can “to reduce this pain at the pump.”
Biden continues to falsely blame the gasoline hikes and the inflation on Putin. Anyone with a brain knows Joe Biden killed the energy sector in the United States his first day in office, which is a fact.
If he really cared about “reducing this pain at the pump,” he would immediately resume the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and would open up drilling in federal lands.
His own Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, stated the inflation in the United States was not a result of the Ukrainian conflict.
Prices were already on the rise well before the conflict began. Joe Biden is a liar and refuses to take responsibility for his own disastrous policies.
Even the French president understands the need for the United States to drill and pump oil. During the G7 meeting, open microphones caught President Macron speaking to Joe Biden.
In the conversation, and I am paraphrasing, Macron was asking Biden to pump more oil stating that Saudi Arabia was tapped out and without the United States, the European Union did not have a choice but to continue to buy Russian oil and gas.
Once Biden’s staff got a whiff of the conversation, they hauled Biden away from President Macron.
Joe Biden promised Europe that he was going to fill the gap if they went along with him, and once again he lied. He cannot fill the energy gap because we do not produce energy, period.
Folks, Joe Biden does not care about you or how much you pay at the pump. As long as he can continue to fight his proxy war with Russia, he does not care if you go broke, cannot afford to put gasoline in your vehicle, run out of baby formula, or can’t find tampons.
Joe Biden and the Democratic Party hate you; they hate America.
At this moment in our history, Joe Biden and the Democrats are the number one existential threat to this great Republic.
I have no lost love for Russia or for the actions they have taken against Ukraine, but this is not our problem. Joe Biden is moving us, and the world, towards a possible world war we cannot afford to fight, while bankrupting our own country in the process.
These communists are no different than Vladmir Putin and they need to be voted out of office before they turn our country into Russia 2.0.
The future of this great Republic is in great peril, and it is up to us to save it.
The Hostile Takeover of the DP World Tour by Another Name
DP World Tour Commissioner, Keith Pelley and PGA Tour Commissioner, Jay Monahan
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and the suits at PGA Tour headquarters are suffering of what I call LIV Derangement Syndrome or LIVDS.
LIV and Greg Norman have created the perfect storm and the PGA Tour does not know how to tackle it.
Sure, they have their useful fools at the Golf Channel doing their bid on television, even during golf tournaments. Taking away from the live coverage to virtue signal about how the PGA Tour is better than LIV, the Saudis, and their billions of dollars.
Throwing silly names around like “sportswashing” and claiming moral superiority over those who chose to join LIV and Greg Norman’s vision of golf.
There is no secret that as much as I enjoy watching professional golf, I think the PGA Tour is a greedy organization and under Jay Monahan’s leadership, even more so. But that is my personal opinion of the organization’s leadership and not of the players.
In the latest stunt coming out of PGA Tour headquarters, the PGA Tour has been forced to rethink their strategy and alliances in an attempt to defeat LIV and maintain a monopoly on professional golf.
Jay Monahan and DP World Tour Commissioner Keith Pelley have disclosed a new 13-year operational joint venture partnership. The main talking points are:
PGA Tour increases existing stake in European Tour productions from 15% to 40%
DP World Tour guarantees growth in annual prize funds to members for the next 5 years
Sunshine Tour/PGA Tour Australasia now enjoy a formal pathway to the DP World Tour
Starting in 2023, the top 10 players at the end of season DP World Tour rankings will earn PGA Tour cards (in addition to those already exempt)
In their combined press conference, Jay Monahan said, “It was clear from the outset that our Strategic Partnership with the European Tour Group was a powerful agreement for both sides, and we are thrilled with today’s announcement of this expanded partnership. We will continue to collaborate on a global schedule and key commercial areas as we draw our organizations and memberships even closer together while innovating to provide the most entertaining and compelling golf possible to fans around the world.”
Keith Pelley went on to say, “Building on the success of the existing Strategic Alliance between ourselves and the PGA Tour, this move will significantly enhance the meritocratic ecosystem that has successfully served the professional game on both sides of the Atlantic for more than 50 years. It is a natural extension and progression of what we have been doing over the past few years and I passionally believe that this move is the right thing for our players, our Tour, our fans, and the game of golf in general.”
He went on to say, “Our two tours have undoubtedly drawn closer over the past few years and today’s announcement strengthens both Tours for the betterment of our memberships.”
It is curious to me that all of the sudden the PGA Tour is so enamored with the DP World Tour. After all, the PGA Tour has never encouraged their members to participate on the DP World Tour, and is public knowledge American players do not like to play in Europe or in any other continent where the DP World Tour runs tournaments.
Very few Americans are members of the DP World Tour or care to be members of the DP World Tour.
The DP World Tour has always been seen by many as a lesser tour, with most of the European born stalwarts jumping ship to join the PGA Tour in the United States.
This is all happening now because of Greg Norman and LIV Golf. Otherwise, Monahan and his crew would have never made this move. If that is not the case; why now?
Simple, the PGA Tour is in a crisis and needs the DP World Tour to fortify itself from LIV defections. Will it work? I am not so sure.
Going from 15% to a 40% investment, is a big jump, and anybody spending that amount of money is going to want something in return. Again, nobody knows the details of this “Strategic Alliance,” but if I owned 40% of the DP World Tour, I am going to expect to have a huge voice in any business decisions affecting the tour.
The rest of the talking points are nothing more than ways to deter current and future players form joining LIV.
In my opinion, this is nothing more than the equivalent of a hostile takeover of the DP World Tour by the PGA Tour. The DP World Tour will now be the useful idiot to counter LIV, and they will be at the mercy of Jay Monahan.
Even the Korn Ferry Tour, the PGA Tour feeder tour, has agreed to award 30 PGA Tour cards in 2023. That is five more PGA Tour cards. The PGA Tour hopefuls have a long way ahead to fulfil their dreams. Thanks Jay!
The PGA Tour is also bringing back the defunct Q School to spice things up and make it even harder for players to get to the PGA Tour.
All of this is good talk at a time when professional golf is evolving. The PGA Tour is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at LIV, but with over $900 billion dollars in assets, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia can finance LIV for a long time.
Nobody knows how this is going to work out, but one thing is for sure, players like McIlroy and Justin Thomas will not have to worry about earning a paycheck. They just need to keep blabbering Monahan’s talking points and they will be all right.
In the meantime, the LIV Golf Series will be teeing it up in Portland this week and people are going to watch.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; The Gift That Keeps on Giving
A loon by another name!
The representative is on a roll my friends. Her latest comes after the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
The congresswoman went on to Twitter and accused Republican lawmakers of “incompetence” after claiming they are “killing women and pregnant people.”
Say what? “pregnant people?” And she is accusing republicans of incompetence?
She went on to say, “Just a few months ago I literally had to explain to Republican members of Congress how periods work. Their complete and utter incompetence is now killing women and pregnant people across the U.S. There remains no legitimate grounding or basis to force birth in the United States.”
Notice how she doubled down on the “pregnant people.” Perhaps the congresswoman does not understand how her own biology works, otherwise she would not make such an idiotic statement as everyone with a little education knows a man cannot get pregnant.
To claim she had to “explain” to Republicans how periods work, is even more laughable. I am sure those members of Congress are mostly married and understand how the menstrual cycle works. They also teach that in biology class, so it is not classified information.
Republicans are not “killing women”, but some women have no problem killing their unborn children. Go figure!
You cannot make this stuff up folks. This is the type of people telling us how to live our lives. Oh brother!
If these communists would put that much energy on everything else afflicting the country, the future would look much brighter.
After hiding in an undisclosed location, Jay Monahan decided to face the press, and the public, at a press conference from the Travelers Championship.
On Tuesday, he had a closed-door meeting with the PGA Tour membership where they discussed the idea of adding more money to its flagship events. Does this means the PGA superstars are staying in the PGA Tour? Maybe for now.
On Wednesday, Monahan said in his press conference this was already in the works but admitted the moves were “obviously accelerated by the current environment.” He is talking about LIV and their lucrative recruiting of PGA stars.
I do not believe for one minute Jay Monahan intended to raise the purses for PGA Tour events, this is all in response to LIV.
Among other things Monahan talked about was a remake of the tour schedule and lots of more money. The total amount of the new purses amounts to a $54 million dollar increase. Jay is so clever, get it? 54 like LIV (54.)
This is supposed to be divided among the 8 biggest events, including raising the purse for the Players Championship to $25 million with six others to $20 million.
Monahan was quoted as saying, “I am not naïve.” “If this is an arms race and if the only weapons here are dollar bills, the PGA Tour cannot compete. The PGA Tour, an American institution, cannot compete with a foreign monarchy that is spending billions of dollars to attempt to buy the game of golf.”
Is Jay Monahan an utter moron? Nobody is competing against the PGA Tour, and nobody is trying to buy the game of golf. Since when the PGA Tour has a monopoly or ownership of professional golf? Let us not forget, the PGA Tour did the same thing to the PGA of America. The PGA Tour was the LIV of its time.
As to the schedule, the PGA Tour is returning to a calendar-year schedule. The schedule will go from January to August. They will also have a shorter fall season.
Speaking of the fall season and the “Fall Series.” This is where the hypocrisy of the PGA Tour and Jay Monahan are in full display.
They are going to have a series of up to three international tournaments after the conclusion of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Here comes Johnny! The events will be a limited-field and no-cut events. The format is currently under review by the Player Advisory Council.
This sounds like LIV 2.0. Jay.
This is supposed to allow the top players to increase their earnings for the season and for the tour to get some player’s commitments to play during the off season.
So far everything Monahan has disclosed only benefits the top players.
For those outside of the top 70 at the end of the regular season, they will be competing in a “compelling, consequential final stretch” that will set their status for the next season.
What that means? Only Monahan knows, if he does know at all.
As for players who have decided to join LIV, Monahan was clear. “I think our position there is very well established as it relates to any players that are going to play in future events.”
Monahan is basically saying, once you are gone, you are gone. That type of obtuse attitude only hurts the fans and the PGA Tour.
The future of the DP World Tour and LIV players remains in limbo and commissioner Keith Pelley still evaluating the situation.
Unlike the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour cannot afford to banned players. The DP World Tour does not enjoy strong fields week in and week out, so they need the likes of Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood.
The only events on the DP World Tour hurt by the PGA Tour decision are going to be co-sanctioned events and the DP World Tour already has indicated players will be banned from participating on those events.
Interesting to me is what the Major Championship bodies are going to do. So far the United States Open did not banned the LIV players and the Open Championship will not do it either.
This is at least for this year, but as “open” championships I do not see how they could get away with banning players who are either exempted or those who qualify.
That leaves the PGA Championship and The Masters. Those two could be toss ups, but I do not think is in their best interest to ban those players. If they do, I will not be watching and I am sure I will not be the only one.
When asked where all this extra money was coming from, Monahan stated, “coming from a combination of sponsor contribution, ways to continue to sell more within those events themselves, and our reserves.”
I guess Phil Mickelson was correct when he alluded the PGA Tour had money stashed away and kept it from the players. Maybe?
It seems none of this was supposed to be out in the open this soon, but Monahan agreed that the arrival of LIV speed things up.
Asked if he would consider a partnership with LIV, Monahan said, “hypotheticals.” Meaning? No way in hell.
So there you have it, Monahan’s answer to LIV is to pay the top players more money, create a LIV style “Fall Season” so the top 50 players can double dip and make more money, and no clear path for those players above the top 70 in the world.
The PGA Tour continues its journey towards irrelevancy.
