With our fifth consecutive Saturday rainout upon us, what's a fellow to do? Given that I fell slightly guilty about taking that back half of the weekend off....
LIV In The Time of Cholera - Hey, at least I didn't go with a Wings song like you-know who.....
It's been an interesting two weeks for sure, as so many idiots have self-identified as being entirely comfortable with Jew killing. Alas, Alan Shipnuck might readily fit in that category, although first I want to revisit one of Alan's Olympic-worthy pieces of moral equivalency, from back in March:
I still haven’t found out if you are for or against LIV? @ReneSchaufussGood. Why do I have to pick a side? The golf world, and the golf media, has already become too tribal. I am intrigued by LIV, and exasperated and amused. The new league has made some monumental mistakes and gotten some things right. The players can be obnoxiously self-righteous and comically oppressed, but they also make a lot of good points. The tournaments are kind of ridiculous but also sort of fun. The Saudi Arabian government has done, and continues to do, abhorrent things, and the outcry around the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi undoubtedly stoked the sportswashing campaign that birthed LIV. But from the genocide of the Native Americans to the internment of Japanese citizens to the treatment of Blacks during the Jim Crow years to the torture at Abu Ghraib and the policy of “extraordinary rendition,” the U.S. government has often been on the wrong side of history. The source of LIV’s money is extremely uncomfortable, but it’s also true that we all happily burn Saudi oil and many American politicians (and business leaders) are in bed with the Kingdom, so it seems weird to hold golfers to a higher standard than public servants. I know nuance is unfashionable in these polarized times, but that is what I aspire to.
Do you see the parlor trick? First he has to assure us of his impeccable moral judgment, notice the speed with which he works through his alleged Saudi concerns, before pulling up a chair to dig into the entrée, which is his lengthy recitation of all the moral failings of the U.S. Now, you might also notice how feeble that U.S. list is... I mean, I'm not minimizing Jim Crow, but it was, yanno, a while ago and I'm guessing Abu Ghraib and extraoridnary rendition doesn't get your pinkos to the barricades quite like it did twenty yuears ago, eh?
It seems he wants a world in which no one is ever subject to any moral standings, except that you'll know that that's not true...... In fact, there's only one party that's ever held to any standards, and those standards are always unachievable. Are you ready for it, here's Alan working up a head of steam:
With a Dec. 31 deadline looming for the PGA Tour and the PIF, the stakes are rising as parties jockey for position in golf’s new world order
In Gaza and Israel, the streets run red with blood. In London, the blue bloods at the OWGR vote to uphold the status quo and deny LIV Golf precious World Ranking points in its ongoingattempts at respectability. In Ponte Vedra Beach, Jay Monahan and his lieutenants flail for a consensus and a way forward. In New York and Silicon Valley and even Hollywood, private equity sharks and other moneyed predators circle, eying an embattled sport. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers watch every twist and turn intently, subpoenas at the ready. Meanwhile, the pros play through all the noise, chasing cartoonish checks—this week alone, a combined $58.5 million is up for grabs in Florida and Japan. (That $50 million of it is being handed out at LIV Miami speaks to the disparities between the haves and the have-mores that has cleaved the sport.)Professional golf, as never before, convulses from events in faraway lands and shadowy back rooms. Who could have ever guessed that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia putting out a statement of support for Palestine would impact the future of the PGA Tour? Mohammed bin Salman had previously been laying the groundwork for an unprecedented normalization of relations with Israel, but last week, in the wake of Hamas’s terrorists attack and Israel’s extreme military reaction, MBS said, “The kingdom continues to stand by the Palestinian people in their pursuit of their legitimate rights, striving for a dignified life, realizing their hopes and aspirations, and achieving a just and lasting peace.” Given that MBS’s Public Investment Fund is in protracted negotiations to forge a partnership with the PGA and European Tours, his carefully chosen words still inflamed an already delicate situation for professional golf.
The bolding is mine, but you see the sickness in the liberal mind.
Hamas paragliders are free to paraglide in to Israeli territory, beheading infants and gang-raping women, but the Israeli military reaction is dismissed as "extreme"? Like you, I of course live my life according to the dictates of Alan's preening and virtue-signaling sense of right, but what would Alan recommend to the Israelis in response to this medieval attack? It's pretty clear that the Israelis are not allowed to protect and defend themselves so Alan,. you can go to hell.
And Alan, this is the region in which Israel operates:
Just to be clear, Alan, the Hamas charter still calls for sweeping the Jews into the sea. Just to be clear, Alan, I'm putting you into the Pro "Wiping out the Jews" camp, because that's exactly what you're supporting when you parrot Hamas propaganda.
But even within the ne column Alan can't decide what kind of world he wants to live in:
LIV has always been about much more than golf, chief among them money, power and politics. This week LIV is paying a former U.S. president millions of dollars to host its season-ending extravaganza at Trump Doral. As President, Donald Trump helped bin Salman maintain his iron grip on power amid international outrage over the state-sanctioned assassination of Jamaal Khashoggi, the dissident Saudi journalist who had become MBS’s fiercest critic. (When MBS was vulnerable, Trump dispatched U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Riyadh for photo ops and staged denials. “Mike, go and have a good time,” Trump said, according to Pompeo’s recent memoir. “Tell him he owes us.” It was a make-or-break diplomatic rescue mission that blunted efforts to isolate MBS in the halls of Congress and around the world.) It must be noted that Al-Rumayyan has donned a Make America Great Again hat when playing in the pro-am at LIV events at Trump courses.
But, Alan, you're the guy that says we can't criticize the Saudis, because Abu Ghraib or something.... You're happy to point out Jay Monahan's hypocrisy, and that's admittedly hard to miss, though you seem rather clueless as to your won.
But what does Alan fail to admit? That the whole world has gone to hell since January 2021..... But while here he's trying to make fun of Trump and Mike Pompeo, above he did actually acknowledge the great work those two did to align Sunni Arab states against Iran, all of which the Biden administration has undermined to our misfortune.
Thank you, Alan, for clarifying that you stand with the baby beheaders and gang rapists. Noted.
I'm done with that particular rant, but there's lots of LIV-related idiocy to be found elsewhere. First, Greg Norman hasn't been seen anywhere lately, with the exception of milk cartons. But, it so happens that everything is going according to plan:
Norman spoke with a small group of reporters at this week’s LIV Golf Team Championship at Doral, a former PGA Tour venue where Norman won in 1990, 1993 and 1996.“I knew it wasn’t true,” Norman said regarding reports of his potential ousting. “There’s so muchwhite noise running around out there, I paid very, very, I actually paid zero attention to it. I know sitting in this seat today, I know every step I’ve made has been for the right reasons, right reasons for the game of golf. … So I was never in any fear of anybody saying anything or any animus against me or anything like that. Because the business model works.”The two-time Open champion and former World No. 1 said LIV's 2024 schedule—which officials say will be released within weeks—was an indication the league was full steam ahead. LIV will have eight overseas events and six in the U.S. New international events will be held in Hong Kong and South Korea, while the league will return to Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Singapore, Spain and England."As we look forward into 2024, we’ve got a full schedule now, some places we’ve been to before, but we’ve got some new venues as well, reaching different new regions," Norman said.
Ya got that? The business model works.....reminds me of the old Steve Martin bit about how to become a millionaire. First step, get a million dollars.... As long as the Wahabis are willing to piss away $2 billion large, Sharkie is your man.
This had me laughing, though:
“The framework agreement really is a bit of a catalyst because of the recognizing the commercialization of what we are doing here at LIV,” Norman said. “Private equity has never been invested in the game. We’re an asset class now. And that asset class is in the teams.”
OK, you better be, because you're certainly not a golf tour....
But for those tired of their pablum about growing the game, hold my beer as you read this Norman-written editorial:
When we started LIV Golf, our mission was to change the game of golf for the better – to innovate and make the game we love more diverse and attractive to a broader, younger, moreinternational audience. Our goal is to be a force for good, and already, we’ve seen an explosion of support around the world, particularly from young people and young families, who believe in the mission and love the experience of attending a LIV Golf tournament.We’ve accomplished so much over the last two years to move the sport into the future and give fans of all ages an experience that they’ll never forget. But our mission is so much bigger than just the game. At LIV, we believe golf has incredible potential to create significant positive social change, potential that has never truly been unleashed. We can upend the status quo and push the boundaries of how things have always been done in golf.Potential, Unleashed, our recently launched social impact and sustainability strategy, reflects our ideas to address the challenges facing our society and our planet. Our guiding principles focus on two main ideas: positively impacting the lives of 5.4 million young people across the world and becoming climate-positive by 2030.
They're not doing it just to grow the game, they're also saving the planet..... Apparently by having a bunch of entitled millionaires hop on private planes, but thank God they're doing God's work.
So, it was LIV that stopped the rise of the oceans? Not Obama? I'll have to correct my style book...
Just a reminder at this point that the LIV-PGA Deal is supposed to be wrapped up by year-end, and we've been reliably informed by Jay Monahan that LIV's continued existence is at the convenience of, checking notes, Jay Monahan.... Yeah, Alan touched on where things stand with that:
Monahan spent a year demonizing the Saudis, up until the moment his tour was running out of money. Then he sold a piece of his soul to forge a tenuous armistice. The framework agreement announced in June had a lot of words but no hammers; it was basically a pledge to try to work things out, but there is nothing binding in the document, including the notion that the Saudis can veto other investors. Even the Dec. 31 expiration date is fungible, with room for an extension. Good thing, too; one finance titan deeply involved in the negotiations says, “It’s a mess. Any deal is always about more than the numbers—there is a human element. There are so many obstacles to getting this done, starting with government scrutiny and intense media attention. But the cast is too big. There is too much ego and too many agendas.”Is there any chance a deal will be consummated by the Dec. 31 deadline?“Not really, no. I’m sure it will get extended. And changed.”
The LIV guys have been chirping lately, although they do seem in a world of hurt. For instance:
Something they might well have thought through beforehand....
But Phil initially was crowing on June 6th, whereas he now seems to be singing from a different hymnal:
Speaking Wednesday ahead of LIV Golf’s teams championship in Miami, the six-time major winner was asked if there will be an “exodus” of players from golf’s two major tours.“Do I think that? No. I know that's going to happen,” Mickelson said at Trump Doral. “When players look at LIV, they are wanting to be a part of it. Everybody here is happy … [they are] enjoying the team aspect of it and the camaraderie and playing golf globally. There are a lot of players that see that and want to be a part of it. But the reality is, I've been fielding calls, as we all have, from players that are free agents to PGA Tour players to DP World Tour players that want to come over. You know, the spot's probably going to be filled by the time the qualifying tournament is here.”
Listen, Phil, I know the two of us haven't seen eye-to-eye in some time, but could do me a slid and take Patrick and Xander? We're pretty fed up with them, so they're perfect for you guys....
But there's this wee little problem, one the OWGR folks tried to point out:
If there is any significant interest from players to join LIV in 2024, the question is who would be squeezed out of the league, and how? The top 24 on LIV’s points standings who are guaranteed for next season were cemented last week after its individual season finale. The 20 players who finished from 25th to 44th on points includes players who are contracted to the league beyond 2024. Those 20 are now open to being traded among teams, while four players were relegated to qualifying school set for Abu Dhabi in December. LIV also needs to account for four more players in 2024: the winner of the Asian Tour’s International Series order of merit—which is currently Andy Ogletree—and three others who will earn LIV cards at qualifying school.
Did you catch the news on relegation? Yeah, not sure we have enough asterisks to demonstrate how bogus it all is:
LIV’s relegated four.A quick primer on LIV’s relegation system: If you finish in the top 24 in the season-long standings, you’re locked in for 2024 on your same team. If you finish 25-44 in the standings you’re in what’s called the Open Zone, which means you can get re-signed by your LIV team or another LIV team but there are no guarantees. (Matthew Wolff, for instance, seems unlikely to return to Koepka’s Smash GC.) And then if you finish 45th or worse, you’re in what’s known as the Drop Zone (incidentally also the name of this beloved, award-winning golf podcast) and face mandatory relegation, which means you’re booted from LIV unless you play your way back through the league’s promotions tournament, which is expected before the end of 2023.There’s one wrinkle: Team captains are immune from relegation.So who got booted from LIV? That would be Jediah Morgan, James Piot, Chase Koepka and Sihwan Kim, who logged just one top-20 between them in 14 events each.
Seriously, Jediah Morgan was playing on LIV and they still think they deserve OWGR points? But this is the laugh-out-loud funny part, some guys can't play badly enough the be relegated:
The captain exemption protected Lee Westwood (45th) and Martin Kaymer (49th), while Bernd Wiesberger played his way to safety with an 11th-place finish to ascend to 41st.
Can someone explain to me how Martin Kaymer can be in 49th place on a tour with 48 players? But shouldn't Phil be on that list as well....
But to me the saddest case there is James Piot, a former U.S. Amateur Champion who elected to forego the grind of qualifying for the PGA Tour to cash an easy seven-figure check. Just a horrible decision for a young man, in your humble bloggers esteemed opinion. He's denying himself the experience of that grind, a hard path indeed, but one that allows a young player to develop their game. My belief is that James Piot will now look back and never know how good he may have become, because he didn't bet on himself.
But boy are they bringing the silliness. Just like the big-boy tour bragging about all the merchant banks that have returned a pone call, this I'm sure has to be true:
Bubba is so damn cute, having taken the riches because he's no longer a relevant player, I'm sure they're lined up at the door:
Speaking at LIV Golf’s $50 million season-ending team championship in Miami, two-time Masters winner Watson said he had been fielding requests from others to purchase his RangeGoats team as far back as April.Watson would not reveal the price he’d set on his RangeGoats, which includes LIV’s 2023 season-long individual champion, Talor Gooch, as well as Harold Varner III and former DP World Tour star Thomas Pieters.“The evaluation, it's not a small number,” Watson said at Trump Doral. He is also part owner of the AA baseball team, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. “We're pretty high up. Luckily, I've had a franchise, I've been part of a baseball team, so I know how things work and run and been part of those discussions about things.“[We have had] anywhere from 10 to 20 people have asked to buy the RangeGoats. There were three in Singapore [where Gooch won the LIV Singapore event], and then after Singapore the floodgates opened, there was even more. There's been talk this week. I met with people this week.”
Ummm, psst, Bubba, the word you looking for was "valuation", but please check back after money has changed hands....
But if any of these franchises had actual value, this would be the one, no? But even DJ will only beclown himself so much:
Added Johnson, the 2016 U.S. Open winner and 2020 Masters champion: “There's quite a bit of interest. Each team is going to differ. We'll get more into that in the offseason once we are done after this week.”
Just remember that the team competition is what makes LIV different and it's the value of these franchises that will yield a return on investment to the PIF. So, pretty important how that team competition comes off this week, right? I mean, this is their Super Bowl and World Series all wrapped up into one nice package.
So, how's it going?
Vegas oddsmaker dunks all over LIV Golf's team finale with shocking reveal
Do tell:
Depending on who you talk to, LIV Golf is either doomed or about to dominate the pro golf landscape. Yes, we're referring to the ever-optimistic Phil Mickelson with the latter. But while there are questions about the league's future—especially with the partnership with the PGA Tour still being worked out—the numbers haven't seemed to be on LIV's side.First, there's the matter of painfully low TV ratings on the CW that magically seemed to vanish after a few (tough) weeks. Then there's the repeated denial of Official World Golf Ranking points. And now, as we head into the team championship at Doral, one Vegas oddsmaker has delivered quite a dagger as well.This week's event, which started Friday afternoon, is the season finale and it's supposed to be a big deal. Afer all, the entire basis of LIV and why it's so different than the PGA Tour is that it's a team-driven league. But according to Superbook Sport's Jeff Sherman, no one is betting on it. Literally.
I don’t think anyone will be … we have 1 ticket across all jurisdictions on this team format https://t.co/kmS8AHkQXP— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) October 20, 2023
ONE ticket?! At one of the biggest sportsbooks in the land?! How is that possible?!
That many?
It's completely lame, so why would anyone give a rat's ass about it?
Now, I don't know why anyone would bet on golf under any circumstances, but you'll agree that this is pretty damn funny:
But somehow, it gets even worse. Golf News Net's Ryan Ballangee asked Sherman to compare this week's LIV betting action to that of the PGA Tour Champions, AKA the Senior Tour, and, well . . .
13X LIV lol— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) October 20, 2023
Ouch. This doesn't mean LIV is dead, but people will bet on anything, and yet they aren't betting on LIV's biggest team event? That can't be a good sign.
Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys.... To be fair, a round-belly event is far more exciting than anything these clowns have put on.
Damage Control Fail - That U.S. Ryder Cup team really made us proud, eh? Standing up for truth, justice and the almighty dollar. Terrific Peni Nos. 1 nd 2 have mercifully taken a powder recently, but now one of them is back to deal with the clean-up in Aisle 3:
Xander Schauffele clarifies his father's 'skewed' Ryder Cup comments
This will be good because, as the article lays out, Stegfan's comments were the epitome of clarity, he simply wants his spawn paid.
But, as the header makes clear, we know who Xander will blame:
"If you look at what he said, I wasn't super fired up that he was speaking to media just because I know how things get twisted," Schauffele said. "I had to look back at what he said specifically, and he specifically said that if the tournament's for-profit, then players should get paid. He also said that if it's charitable—it should be a charitable event most likely and that everything should get donated."Ryder Cup players aren't paid directly, but they do receive $200,000 to donate to a charity of their choice, plus have all their travel accomodations paid. And according to the PGA of America, 20 percent of Ryder Cup media rights fees also go to PGA Tour players’ deferred compensation plans."I don't know, when I look back on what he said, I think the headlines sort of skewed obviously what he was trying to say, but I don't think he ever really spoke directly to what you're referring to in terms of playing getting paid," Schauffele said. "He just said it should be either or, not really as confusing as it is."
Yeah, except that Xander is gaslighting us, because Stefan made clear that he thinks the only thing holding back the event is that there's nothing in it for his son:
“If the PGA of America is a for-profit organization, they need to have the players share in that profit instead of being so damned intransparent about it with intent,” Stefan said. “They should reveal the numbers, and then we should go to the table and talk. Alternatively, they can donate all proceeds after opening the books to a charity of our joint choice, and then we will happily play for free. Please print that.”“I think it’s absolutely non-controversial,” he continued. “Imagine if the winners got $2 million and the losers get nothing. How good of a competition would we have now? I think it could be made so much better because of that. I don’t see a negative there. I think we need to talk about it without bringing up the issue of patriotism, which I think is a really, really cheap shot. Because they’re so wrong, especially these (PGA of America members) are not owning any mirrors in their houses because they’re the ones that are not patriotic. Hopefully the conversation, in seriousness, leads to talks about it that make sense. And then everyone can be happy.”
Not only is the PGA of America a not-for-profit, but notice how his son plays cute with that bit.... But he actually thinks that we care about the money, and that the only way to make the event of interest is to pay Xander.
LIV wants more players and Patrick and you don't seem happy where you are, so Win-Win, baby!
Tiger In Full - In the modern history of our game, the three American players have forged a unique bond with the town and citizens of St. Andrews. The first was Bobby Jones, who after walking off the Old Course after making a big number on the Par-3 11th hole, though he always insisted that he never actually ripped up his scorecard.
Jones subsequently fell in love with the Old Course and he and Sr. Mackenzie used it as the defining template for the creation of Augusta National. Jones' returned to St. Andrews in 1958, and I'll allow the great Herbert Warren Wind to describe that scene, one that typically results in your humble blogger reaching for the Kleenex:
There were several other assemblies during the week that will be long remembered by those fortunate enough to attend them. They were held to honor Robert Tyre Jones Jr., the truly immortal Bobby, who had come over to captain the American team. It was his first visit to St. Andrews since 1936 when he had sneaked into town, he thought, to play a quiet round and found 2,000 townspeople waiting for him at the first tee. Before he had finished his round, the whole town had come down to the links and was following him. This quite unique love affair between an athlete and a town—and a foreign town to boot—did not "take" in 1921 on Bobby's first visit to St. Andrews, when he could not get along with the Old Course and picked up in the middle of the British Open. But he came back for Walker Cup matches, and he came back in 1927 to win the British Open on the Old Course with a record-breaking score, and it was on the Old Course in 1930 that he won the British Amateur and was started on his grand slam. And during these visits an affection and mutual respect grew up between Jones and the golf-wise people of St. Andrews that has never died. Perhaps they love Bobby even better in St. Andrews than they do in Atlanta, and if you think this is going too far, do not be too sure.In any event, there was one grand evening, a team dinner in the Borough Hall, and whenever Bobby's team was mentioned in one of the speeches, every St. Andrean jumped to his feet and roared his affection for his dream-golfer and old friend. Later in the week at another assembly in the Younger Hall auditorium Bob was made an honorary freeman of the Borough of St. Andrews, the first American to be so honored since Benjamin Franklin. (As you probably know by now, this allows him to take divots on the Old Course, to chase rabbits there, and to dry his laundry on the first and 18th fairways.) It would be wonderful to be able to present the complete transcript of the ceremony that night, and worthwhile to do so. That is out of the question, though, and so we must limit ourselves to a few of the meaningful remarks Bob Jones made in reply to the provost's graceful address in which (with the packed galleries of Scots stamping and shouting their endorsement) he was saluted as "the most distinguished golfer of this age...I might say, of all times." Bobby spoke for 10 minutes, beautifully and movingly. He told his friends in the audience, "You people have a sensitivity and an ability to extend cordiality in ingenious ways." He said of the Old Course, "The more you study it, the more you love it, and the more you love it, the more you study it." He said near the end of his talk, "I could take out of my life everything except my experiences at St. Andrews and I'd still have a rich, full life." He left the stage and got into his electric golf cart. As he directed it down the center aisle to leave, the whole hall spontaneously burst into the old Scottish song, Will Ye No' Come Back Again? So honestly heartfelt was this reunion for Bobby Jones and the people of St. Andrews (and for everyone) that it was 10 minutes before many who attended were able to speak again with a tranquil voice.
And now I might need ten minutes to compose myself....
Jack Nicklaus won two Opens at St. Andrews, and was awarded a similar honor to Jones:
Benjamin Franklin. Bobby Jones. Jack Nicklaus.That’s the full extent of the Americans bestowed honorary citizenship in the Royal Burgh of St.Andrews.It’s something special to be in company with Jones, the great amateur golfer who won the 1927 British Open here and boyhood hero of Nicklaus, and Franklin, known as the first American, the Newton of Electricity and the Prophet of Tolerance. It made Nicklaus, an 18-time major champion and three-time Champion Golfer of the Year, choked up and teary-eyed.“When I won the Open in 1966 at Muirfield I couldn’t speak and I can’t speak right now,” said Nicklaus as he wiped away a tear with a handkerchief Tuesday at Younger Hall at St. Andrews University upon receiving the one-of-a-kind distinction.
There's this other guy that has also won two Opens on the Old Course, and seems to understand its importance in our game and strategic intricacies. But when it comes to the people of the Royal Burgh of St. Andrews? C'mon, guys, he's got a brand to exploit:
Just a month ago, Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake opened a “dining and entertainment experience” in midtown Manhattan. The T-Squared Social enterprise opened to positive reviews,a hubbub of press and a good deal of excitement. The same certainly cannot be said about the duo’s plans to replicate their NYC success at St Andrews.Woods and Timberlake’s project of transforming the Scottish 1930s New Picture House into a “premium sports and entertainment gastro pub” has been met with much resistance by locals in the area fond of the historic independent cinema. Residents want to protect the region's beloved movie theater and are irritated by the potential sports bar that would mostly appeal to tourists. A campaign to not allow Woods and Timberlake to “strip away a vital part of our town's identity and history,” organized by University of St Andrews student and President of the St Andrews Film Society Ash Johann Curry-Machado, already has almost 9,000 signatures within just seven days.
“The proposed transformation of the New Picture House into a luxury sports bar by T-Squared Social, an American company, is deeply alarming," reads the petition. "Under these plans, the cinema will be reduced to a single screen, overshadowed by golf simulators and cocktail bars that cater predominantly to wealthy tourists.
“St Andrews is a town with a rich Scottish identity, and the New Picture House has played an indispensable role in preserving that heritage. Converting it into another sports bar is a grave mistake that will contribute to the ongoing gentrification of our beloved town. Our culture, our heritage, and our community spirit are at stake. We must act now before it’s too late!”
Yeah, he's no Bobby or Jack, which no doubt the citizen's of St. Andrews are figuring out themselves.
That's it for today kids. I mostly blogged so that I won't feel guilty if I don't feel the need to on Monday. Enjoy your weekend.
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