By Dan Murphy
My two favorite PGA golfers have defected to the new LIV tour. Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeu will no longer be seen on CBS or the Golf Channel for the forseeable future.
So as an avid weekend golf watcher, my first question this past weekend, (June 10,11) was, where can I watch Phil and LIV Golf? The answer was on YouTube, and I watched and was interested enough to stay with it for a few hours each day.
Phil didn’t play well, but at 51 years old, LIV, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who reportedly paid him $200 Million, will get a lot of bad rounds than good ones. Former Masters Champion Charles Schwartzel won the first LIV tournament in London, and with it, a $4 Million first prize.
Futrue LIV tournaments will be better because Bryson DeChambeu and Patrick Reed are coming on board to play, with Phil and Dustin Johnson. My only gripe about the first LIV TV event was that there were not enough notable golfers playing to keep my interest.
The other logical question that a lot of American golfers and golf fans are asking is, what did LIV offer Tiger Woods to come aboard. Some media reports claim that the offer was $1 Billion, and while an astronomical sum, in comparison to Phil getting $200 Million, is it really too high?
LIV Golf founder Greg Norman suggested that the Saudi’s offered Tiger $1B but that he declined it. And there are many more reasons why Tiger would decline the offer than accept.
He has younger children to spend time with, including Charlie, who looks to be a promising golfer. Second, many of his injuries, from a recent auto accident and millions of golf balls hit over his career, limit him from playing back to back weeks on any golf tour.
And third, Tiger is either the greatest golfer ever, or in the discussion, with Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Jones. There is little if any upside to joining LIV, especially if Tiger doesn’t need the money, and doesn’t want the bad publicity that Mickelson has received. But I will be watching when Bryon, Phil, Dustin and Pat Reed tee off in Portland, Oregon on June 30.
The other interesting part of LIV golf is where they are playing their upcoming tournaments in the US. Notably, at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, and at Trump National Doral Miami. Two interesting headlines point to this fact. In Forbes, Trump, Saudis Join Forces To Stick It To The PGA, and from The Daily Beast, Trump is Helping the Saudis Buy There Way into Americas Hearts.
The ex-President loves golf and is a big fan. He owns several clubs, including Trump National in Braircliff Manor, here in Westchester. And the Bedminster club that LIV will be playing is in New Jersey, only an hour away from Westchester, and was the site of many of Trump’s meetings and brief vacations while serving as President.
Trump had a falling out with the PGA tour in 2015, when they moved a tournament from Trump Doral to Mexico City after Trump made derogatory remarks about Mexican immigrants. So the ability for Trump to stick it to the PGA, while teaming up LIV and earning millions while they play his country clubs is a win-win.
Trump used his new social media platform Truth Social to say that the PGA tour “has been taking advantage of the players for many years. The ‘PGA’ has a Maximum Tax Exempt Status, makes a fortune and pays executive salaries higher than virtually any of the very talented players can make in a good year. LIV can change that!”
Before Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Patrick Reed departed, the PGA stated, “Those who have decided to turn their backs on the PGA Tour by willfully violating a regulation (are) being notified that they are suspended or otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour Play.”
In addition to paying Phil a reported $200 Million, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau will receive a rumored $100 Million.
Mickelson got into trouble earlier this year when a book excerpt had him saying “The Saudis are scary motherf*&*#@ to be involved with,”referring to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, (MBS) connection into the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The Saudi kingdom has denied any involvement in Khashoggi’s death, but a CIA report says otherwise.
The Saudis have had a business relationship with Trump in the past, buying Trump Tower Condos in New York City and renting out floors of the Trump hotel in Washington during his four years in The White House.
Estimates have Trump courses receiving $5 Million or more for each LIV golf tournament at each club.
Two differences between the LIV tour and PGA tour include, there are only three rounds of play for LIV, while the PGA plays four rounds. LIV has teams of four players combining their scores to win bonuses, in addition to individual play.
The bottom line is that American golf fans can choose to watch both LIV and the PGA by flipping between events that conflict with each other. Or you can boycott if you wish. I will be watching and reporting back.
