Competing tours turning golf world ‘inside out’ | Golf Central | Golf Channel

The Golf Central team discusses how golf tour negotiations are affecting the golf world and react to Rory McIlroy’s latest comments explaining his position. #GolfChannel #GolfCentral #RoryMcIlroy
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Competing tours turning golf world ‘inside out’ | Golf Central | Golf Channel
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TABLE. THREE OF THE LAST FIVE MAJOR WINNERS HAVE GONE TO LIV. BROOKS KOEPKA, JON RAHM, AND CAM SMITH. RAHM AND SMITH THE LAST TWO WINNERS HERE ON MAUI. JAY MONAHAN SENT THIS MEMO TO THE PLAYERS, WE ALSO CONTINUE OUR ACTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH PIF AND THE

DP WORLD TOUR. WHILE WE HAD INITIALLY SET A DEADLINE OF DECEMBER 31 TO REACH AN AGREEMENT, AND WORKING TO EXTEND NEGOTIATIONS INTO NEXT YEAR BASED ON THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE TO DATE. WE HAVE MADE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS AND HAVE PROVIDED SSG, PRIVATE EQUITY GROUP WITH ALL THOSE WELL

KNOWN AMERICAN TEAM SPORTS OWNERS STRATEGIC SPORTS GROUP WITH A DUE DILIGENCE INFORMATION THEY REQUESTED AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WE’RE FOCUSED ON THE FINALIZATION OF TERMS AND DRAFTS OF NECESSARY DOCUMENTS. RIGHT BACK WHERE WE WERE THIS TIME OF YEAR A YEAR AGO ON MAUI,

WITHOUT THE DEFENDING CHAMPION, THE SPORT STILL LOOKING FOR RESOLUTION. RORY SAYING THE WORLD OF GOLF IS HEAVIER THAN IT SHOULD BE RIGHT NOW. WITH MORE, ONCE AGAIN, WE WELCOME TODD LEWIS. TODD? >> YEAH, HI THERE, RICH. YOU MENTIONED SSG AND THAT MEMO FROM JAY MONAHAN, THAT STRATEGIC

SPORTS GROUP, THEY ARE NOW PART OF THIS EQUATION IN REGARDS TO NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE PGA TOUR AND PIF. AND HAVE COMPLICATED THINGS A BIT AND THAT IS WHY NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE PAST THE DEADLINE OF DECEMBER 31st. NOW, FANS, MEDIA MEMBERS, EVEN

PLAYERS ARE UNSURE OF WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN MOVING FORWARD. AND WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF OPINIONS FROM STARS IN THE GAME. BUT THE MOST INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE THIS WEEK SO FAR HAS COME FROM McKENZIE HUGHES. A MULTIPLE WINNER ON THE PGA TOUR.

HE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE SENTRY, BUT WHEN JON RAHM LEFT TO GO TO LIV GOLF, THAT OPENED UP A SPOT AND McKENZIE WAS NEXT IN LINE. HERE IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY IN REGARDS TO THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS IN OUR GAME.

>> THE FAN JUST WANTS TO WATCH GOLF. YOU KNOW? AND I THINK YOU WATCH SPORTS FOR, LIKE, AN ESCAPE FROM OTHER NONSENSE. BUT I THINK GOLF HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF NONSENSE ON TO ITS PLATE. AND NOW YOU DON’T GET JUST GOLF.

YOU GET A LOT OF OTHER STUFF GOING ON, IT IS A BIT OF A CIRCUS. AND SO I JUST FELT COMPELLED TO SPEAK ON IT, THAT, LIKE, NOT EVERYONE OUT HERE IS JUST THINKING, LIKE, OH, LIKE, LET’S MAKE THESE PURSES $3 MILLION, THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

NO, IT DOESN’T. BECAUSE IN TWO YEARS THE PGA TOUR WILL HAVE NO ONE SPONSORING TOURNAMENTS BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO PAY THE PRICES. SO, IT IS A FINE LINE. I THINK THAT ALSO THERE IS A LOT OF GUYS THAT FEEL ENTITLED OUT HERE, LIKE, YOU START TO SEE ALL

THESE BIG AMOUNTS OF MONEY FLYING AROUND, AND THIS OFFER AND THAT OFFER AND PEOPLE THINK, OH, WELL, I STAYED LOYAL, WHERE IS MY MONEY? YOU’RE NOT ENTITLED TO PLAY THE PGA. LIKE, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AND YOU ARE — YOU HAVE A PRIVILEGE TO

PLAY OUT HERE AND IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT IS NOT, LIKE, ANYONE OWES YOU ANYTHING. NO ONE’S, YOU KNOW, FORCING YOUR HAND, LIKE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO STAY, YOU CAN GO PLAY OVER THERE IF YOU WANT. SO, LIKE, THIS WHOLE, YOU KNOW, THE TOUR OWES ME SOMETHING

ATTITUDE, I DON’T LIKE EITHER. SO, KIND OF A LONG ROUND ABOUT WAY OF ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, BUT I FELT COMPELLED TO SPEAK ON IT. I FEEL PRETTY STRONGLY ABOUT IT. AND JUST WANTED, LIKE, MAYBE THE CASUAL FAN OR FAN TO REALIZE THAT IT IS JUST NOT WHAT

EVERYONE IS THINKING ABOUT. SO — >> NOW, THERE ARE TWO PLAYERS IN THE FIELD HERE AT THE SENTRY THAT ARE PART OF THE PGA TOUR POLICY BOARD. I’M TALKING ABOUT PATRICK CANTLAY AND JORDAN SPIETH. THEY ARE VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.

AND I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO JORDAN SPIETH ABOUT BEING ON THE POLICY BOARD WHILE TRYING TO PLAY ON THE PGA TOUR AND HE SAYS IT IS VERY, VERY TAXING. HE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS IN MEETINGS TRYING TO GET THIS DEAL DONE, BUT HE SAID HE AND THE

REST OF THE BOARD ARE DETERMINED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. RICH? >> THANK YOU. EAMON WHAT DO YOU THINK FROM WHAT YOU HEARD FROM MA KCKENZIE HUGHES. >> IT REPRESENTS THE SCHISM BETWEEN THE BEST AND THE REST. THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN RUN ON THE PRINCIPLE

THAT THE VOTE OF MACKENZIE HUGHES COUNTS AS MUCH AS THE VOTE OF TIGER WOODS, BUT IT DOESN’T. IT IS NOT GOING TO AGAIN BECAUSE LIV AIN’T COMING FOR MACKENZIE HUGHES. THIS TOUR IS BEING ORGANIZED AND RUN FOR THE BENEFIT OF A VERY VERIFIED STRATA OF SUPERSTARS.

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN HAS ILLUSTRATED WHERE THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES LIE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CIVIL WAR. YOU SEE THE SAUDI STRENGTH IN MONEY, THE WEAKNESS IS IN A PRODUCT THAT IS — SEVERAL BILLION DOLLARS LATER AND THE PGA TOUR HAS THE STRENGTH OF

STATURE IT HAS CREDIBILITY, HAS AN AUDIENCE. BUT IT HAS TALENT THAT ISN’T CONTRACTED AND FREQUENTLY ISN’T LOYAL TO THE TOUR EITHER. SO, WHAT YOU’RE REALLY SEEING IS, YES, PRIVATE EQUITY IS WILLING TO LINE UP BESIDE THE TOUR, IT IS A SAUDI ROUNDING

ERROR TO WOUND THE TOUR AGAIN, WHICH IS WHAT THEY DO. THEY CAN’T BUILD A PRODUCT, BUT THEY CAN DIMINISH AND TO THE POINT OF REALLY DAMAGING THE PGA TOUR PRODUCT. AND WE’RE REALLY GOING TO SEE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE HOW MUCH LEVERAGE THE TOUR HAS.

YES, YOU GOT ALL THESE INVESTORS WHO ARE WILLING TO INING TO LI THEY THINK THEY’RE GOING INTO BUSINESS. >> IT IS THE THREE LETTER WORDS PIF AND LIV THAT HAVE TURNED THIS GAME INSIDE AND OUT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

HERE WE ARE, MORE THAN TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND THE GAME IS — EMPLOYE PROFESSIONAL GAME IS MORE FULL OF QUESTIONS THAN IT IS ANSWERS. ONE THING WE KNOW FOR SURE, TO MACKENZIE’S POINT, YOUR POINT, THE GAME HAS BEEN TILTED TOWARD GREEN.

THE GAME OF GOLF ENJOYED SO MUCH GOODWILL, SO MUCH — SO MANY COMPLIMENTS LAUDED EVEN ABOUT THE VERY NATURE OF PROFESSIONAL GOLF AND THE VERY NATURE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO PLAY FOR THE PGA TOUR. THE PURE MERITOCRACY OF THE SPORT AND THE PHILANTHROPIC

ASPECT OF IT THAT WAS THE FOUNDATION THAT NO LONGER REALLY EXISTS. THE GAME IS NEVER GOING TO BE THE SAME. LIV MAY BE IN DOUBT. BUT PIF IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. AND SO THE QUESTION NOW IS HOW DO YOU CO-EXIST? AND I THINK WE’RE GOING TO HEAR

RORY’S COMMENTS LATER IN THE SHOW, BUT I THINK RORY’S COMMENTS SORT OF SPEAK TO THAT. THE BEST CASE SCENARIO SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW IS IF PRIVATE EQUITY CAN DILUTE PIF, LIV DOWN TOWARD SOMEWHAT PALATABLE, ABSORB, MAYBE DISSOLVE LIV, CREATE A PRODUCT THAT NOT ONLY

APPEALS TO A TRADITIONAL AUDIENCE, THE TRADITIONAL GOLF AUDIENCE, BUT APPEALS TO A BROADER AUDIENCE, A GLOBAL AUDIENCE, SOME PRODUCT THAT WE NEVER HAD SEEN, NEVER THOUGHT OF BEFORE, REALLY, AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT PRIVATE EQUITY IS GOING TO COME IN, AND DILUTE PIF

AND LIV DOWN TO WHERE IT WILL BE SOMEWHAT PALATABLE. >> PRIVATE EQUITY IS GOING TO BE ASKING WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL RISKS AND IF THEY CAN’T GUARANTEE THE STAR PLAYERS, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO INVEST. THEY’RE NOT HERE JUST TO SAVE

THE GAME FROM THE SAUDIS, THEY ARE THERE TO GET A RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT. SO THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE IS RAPPROCHEMENT, SOME SORT OF A DEAL THAT WILL BE PALATABLE TO — >> THERE IS THE RUB, THOUGH. TO DO THAT, THEY HAVE TO

CONTRACT THE PLAYERS, THE STAR PLAYERS. AND THEY CAN’T GO DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR WITH THE SAUDI. >> PROXIMITY TO THE NEXT ATROCITY IS A RISK THAT IS INVOLVED FOR PRIVATE EQUITY. IT IS A RISK FOR THE PGA TOUR HERE. BUT THEY HAVE LEGITIMIZED THIS

CONVERSATION AS OF JUNE 6th WITH THE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT AND EVERYTHING WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT FROM HENCEFORTH ONWARD, IT IS A COMMERCIAL DISPUTE. THE MORAL ARGUMENT OUGHT TO CONTINUE TO BE MADE, BUT LET’S BE CLEAR, THE MORAL ARGUMENT LOST HERE BECAUSE PLAYERS PRICED GREED OVER CHARACTER.

>> STAND ON WHAT I SAID ON JUNE 6th, THERE WILL BE A RUNNING OF THE BULLS FOR THE SAUDI MONEY. IN ANY EVENT, WE’RE HOPING AN AGREEMENT COMES TO PASS SOON. BRANDEL MENTIONED THOSE RORY McILROY COMMENTS. RORY WAS ON A SOCCER PODCAST CALLED STICK TO FOOTBALL.

HERE’S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. >> I WAS MAYBE A LITTLE — I WAS PROBABLY JUDGMENTAL OF THE GUYS THAT WENT AT THE START. I THINK THAT WAS A BIT OF A MISTAKE ON MY PART. I NOW REALIZE NOT EVERYONE IS IN MY POSITION OR IN TIGER’S

POSITION AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GET THIS OFFER AND IT IS WHAT DO YOU DO? WE ALL TURN PROFESSIONAL TO MAKE A LIVING, PLAY ON THE SPORTS THAT WE DO, AND I THINK THAT’S WHAT I REALIZED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, I CAN’T JUDGE PEOPLE

FOR MAKING THAT DECISION AND SO IF I REGRET ANYTHING, IT WAS PROBABLY BEING TOO JUDGMENTAL AT THE START. I THINK AT THIS POINT WITH THE — SO THIS WHOLE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT AND THE SORT OF MERGER NEWS BACK IN JUNE, I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS THE TOURS

LEGITIMIZED WHAT LIV WAS TRYING TO DO. IT MADE IT EASIER FOR GUYS TO JUMP — JON RAHM HAS NOT GOT ANY OF THE HEAT THAT THE FIRST GUYS GOT FOR GOING. SO, IT MADE IT EASIER FOR GUYS TO JUMP. I THINK JON, YOU KNOW, HE’S

SMART AND I THINK HE SEES THINGS COMING TOGETHER AT SOME POINT. SO, OKAY, I TAKE A LOT OF UP-FRONT MONEY AND WHICH IS HIS PREROGATIVE, HE CAN DO THAT, AND IF THINGS COME TOGETHER, PLAY LIV FOR A YEAR, COME BACK ON THE TOUR AND PLAY TEAM GOLF ON THE

FRINGES, AND SO I THOUGHT IT WAS QUITE, YOU KNOW, IT IS A SMART BUSINESS MOVE. IT IS OPPORTUNISTIC. I THINK HE SEES THAT THINGS WILL COME BACK TOGETHER AND HE’S IN A LUCKY POSITION, HE’S EXEMPT FOR ALL THE MAJORS, AND THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON THAT WOULDN’T WANT

HIM ON A RYDER CUP TEAM BECAUSE OF HOW GOOD HE IS. HE WAS IN A GREAT POSITION WHERE THERE WASN’T A TON OF RISK INVOLVED FOR HIM TO GO. BUT I’VE NO PROBLEM WITH JON GOING IF THAT’S WHAT HE WANTS TO DO AND HE THINKS THAT’S THE

RIGHT DECISION FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY, THEN WHO AM I TO SAY ANY DIFFERENT AT THIS POINT? >> CURIOUS. HE SEEMS TO BE SUGGESTING, YOU KNOW, RAHM IS GOING TO BE BACK, THEY’LL ALL BE BACK IN A COUPLE OF YEARS WITH WHATEVER THE NUMBER WAS, COUPLE HUNDRED

MILLION, MAYBE MORE FOR JON RAHM, NO WORSE FOR THE WEAR. LEADS YOU TO WONDER, WILL RORY AND TIGER AND SOME OF THE OTHER STARS SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, IN THIS NEW ARRANGEMENT, NEW ENTERPRISE, WHERE’S MINE? HOW DO I GET TAKEN CARE OF?

>> THAT’S BEEN PART OF THIS CONVERSATION THAT IS GOING ON FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND HOW DOES THE PGA TOUR MAKE GOOD WITH THE GUYS WHO DIDN’T GO, WHICH IT IS A REASONABLE DEBATE WHETHER OR NOT THAT’S EVEN SHOULD HAPPEN.

THEY MADE A BUSINESS DECISION NOT TO GO. AND IT IS A DECISION I WOULD ARGUE HAD MORE CHARACTER THAN THOSE WHO DID DECIDE TO GO, BUT THE IDEA THAT THEY OUGHT TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THAT DECISION, I THINK IT IS GOING TO BECOME A

BIT OF A THORNY ISSUE GOING FORWARD IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS NEW DISPENSATION LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW. THIS IDEA OF HE HAD GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH GRAHAM McDOWELL, BROOKS KOEPKA, JON RAHM, LIV GUYS, NOT SUCH FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH PHIL MICKELSON, KEEPING IT CIVIL

WHERE HE CAN, BUT THIS IS WHAT THE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT BROUGHT AROUND. IT GREEN LIT ANY GUY WHO WANTS TO GO TO LVIV BY SAYING THESE GUYS ARE WELCOME, THEIR MONEY IS STAYING HERE, WE’RE REDIRECTING IT TO WHERE WE WANT IT TO GO, THAT’S WHAT THE FRAMEWORK

AGREEMENT SAYS AND IT HAS GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR EVERYONE ELSE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF JON RAHM IS AS WELCOME ON LIV — VIEWED AS POSITIVELY. HE WAS THE GOLDEN PARACHUTIST HERE. HE JUMPED WITH THE GREATEST REWARD, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RISK

AND LEAST AMOUNT OF BLOWBACK. THERE WILL BE GUYS AT LIV WHO THINK HE MADE THE GUTLESS MOVE KNOWING HE HAD NO COST WHATSOEVER TO HIS CAREER AND COULD POSSIBLY RECYCLE HIMSELF BACK INTO THE PGA TOUR IN SHORT ORDER. >> MAY HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT,

PROBABLY THE MOST SEISMIC DEFECTION. PHIL MICKELSON GOING, BROOKS KOEPKA GOING, ALWAYS A SENSE AT SOME POINT THE SAUDIS WERE GOING TO PULL THE RUG OUT. IT WAS GOING TO FOLD. THEY WERE NEVER IN FOR THE LONG GAME. BUT I THINK THEM OFFERING 400,

500, $600 MILLION TO JON RAHM OPENED SOME EYES. THEY’RE HERE FOR THE LONG RUN AND THEY HAVE UPPED THE ANTE. THEY’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. NOW, I THINK IT IS MORE PRESSING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CO-EXIST. INITIALLY I SAID THE WORSE POSSIBLE SCENARIO HERE IS IF

THIS DEAL DOESN’T GO THROUGH. I HATE THE FACT THAT THEY BROUGHT THE GAME OF GOLF TO THIS, EVERYBODY EARLY DEFECTED. I HATE THE FACT THEY TILTED THE GAME TOWARD THIS. BUT AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME, LIV CAN CONTINUE TO CANNIBALIZE PLAYERS EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY

HAVE A GREAT RUN, THERE IS ALWAYS THE THREAT THAT THEY’RE GOING TO GO TO LIV BECAUSE THEY’RE GOING TO FIND THE NUMBER. JON RAHM W THE MOST VOCAL OF STARS OTHER THAN RORY I WOULD SAY AGAINST THE IDEA OF EVEN ENTERTAINING THE THOUGHT OF

GOING TO LIV. CRITICIZED THE WAY THEY PLAYED, CRITICIZED THE IDEA THAT HE COULD BE BOUGHT, WELL, HE WAS BOUGHT, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE’S PARROTING ALL OF THE SAME THINGS THAT EVERY OTHER PLAYER THAT WENT THERE SAID, WHICH WAS IT IS A GREAT FORMAT, I’M HERE TO GROW

THE GAME, PROVING HE WAS CAPABLE OF BEING BOUGHT AND HOW MANY OTHER PLAYERS DO YOU THINK WOULD FALL IN THAT SAME LINE? A GREAT MANY. >> RORY WAS DEFIANT IN THE EARLY DAYS WHEN THIS SAGA FIRST BROKE. AND NOW HIS TONE SEEMS TO CLEARLY BE WHAT CAN I DO?

THE MONEY WINS. IT ALWAYS WINS, DOESN’T IT? >> IT CERTAINLY WON IN THIS CASE. THE PGA TOUR HAS MADE IT CLEAR THESE WHO ARE THE FOLKS THAT WE’RE GOING INTO BUSINESS WITH NOW. AND THEY HAVE MADE THE DECISION, IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE LADIES

EUROPEAN TOUR SOLD ITS SOUL TO THE SAUDIS, THEY DON’T GIVE THE PLAYERS AN OPTION, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, RETIRE OR GO WITH — >> COULD THE PGA TOUR HAVE