Weekend Wrap - Arrivederci Match Play Addition

A fun week of bookending actual golf (36 holes, in total) with endless hours watching from Austin.... I'm sure I'll watch just as many hours from Houston next year....NOT!

The Tour, Stymied - The fact that it was such a good week of match-ups to this observer is salt in the wound.  Oh, a certain kind of person will focus on that Sunday afternoon 6&5 clunker, but it was quite the week of feral match-play, at least for those not triggered by such things.

The bride and I played nine holes around midday, leaving me with a dilemma upon arriving home.  I opted for the DVR tape of the semis, given that two matches is better than one....  And was I ever rewarded, of course not realizing that the final match was pushed back due to each semi going extra holes.  First, a game story:

AUSTIN — If you win in the shadows, you still win, and you can bet Sam Burns wasn't bothered by the various narratives swirling around him as he took home the title in the final WGC-Dell

Technologies Match Play with a 6-and-5 win over Cameron Young on a listless Sunday afternoon in the Texas capital. The glory, the $3.5 million prize money payout, the surprising shot of success in what has been a difficult year—all of it is sustenance transcending what everyone else might be thinking.

In other words, good for Burns. The highlight of his week came on Sunday morning, when the 26-year-old Louisiana native stared down his friend Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world and the undisputed alpha of this event, in their semifinal clash. Burns survived a blown lead and a five-foot putt from Scheffler that would have relegated Burns to the consolation match, winning on the third extra hole with a gutsy putt. That sealed a date with Young, who also went to extra holes to defeat a juggernaut (Rory McIlroy). It was little surprise that both looked—and played—exhausted as the mercury rose at Austin Country Club.

Even the crowd, in full throat during the morning matches, seemed subdued. By his own admission Burns got off to a slow start with a bogey on 2. He was still 1 down two holes later, but then Burns brought the heat; if you thought the nifty 27 on the front-nine that Young posted earlier in the week against poor Davis Thompson was impressive, what Burns unleased was almost as devastating.

Shadows?  Why ya throwing shade at the guy?

There's a lot of silly talk, but match play events often conclude with a whimper....  Were you unclear why the PGA Championship is no longer contested at match-play?  Or, more topically, why this event no longer exists?  It's a great event that offers more interesting moments than most, but those events typically come far too early in the week and at unpredictable moments.  

Just take this installment, which feature an atypically exciting Sunday.... It's just that the excitement was embargoed on Golf Channel in the morning...(technically, early afternoon).

The Tour Confidential panel had some thoughts:

Sam Burns beat Cam Young to win the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club on Sunday, which was the Tour’s last annual match-play event until/if anything gets added in the future. The match-play format has been scrutinized in the past,

much of which has been due to sponsors wanting top talent to stick around to attract fans and TV viewers. If the match play returns, should a new format come with it? And what kind of course/location might be a good fit?

Zephyr Melton: I dig the format as is. Pods allow every player at least 54 holes, and then the knockout rounds are always exciting. As an Austin transplant, I’m sad to see the tournament leaving ACC, and I’d love to see it return to the shores of Lake Austin someday.

Jack Hirsh: I agree with Z. I think this is the format that makes the most stakeholders happy. Would I love to see a true 64-man knockout bracket? Yes, but there has to be a balance between volatility, entertainment and satisfying the sponsors. Austin Country Club has been a great host. Jon Rahm mentioned earlier in the week how it’s great for match play and maybe not the best for stroke play since there are so many risk-reward holes. Match Play allows some more creative setups since there’s no par or field to protect. That allows a course like, say Bandon Dunes, that could be used. Would love to see a more out-of-the-box course, but I would definitely not be upset for Austin to return.

Jessica Marksbury: Well said, guys. I don’t think anyone can argue with the big-name talent that was showcased from the Round of 16 onward. This was a great sign-off from Austin (at least, for now). As Jack said, nothing really matches the drama of a 64-man knockout, but this format feels like the right balance.

This is an example of asking too many questions and missing the elephant in the corner, to wit, why is that gentleman taking a leak on the scoreboard?

But they really have missed the threshold bit of why no match-play ever again?  Think about what that says about the Tour management and those A-list players....  You remember them right?  The guys that pouted until it was agreed to keep the riffraff out of their big-money games?

As I've noted before, the demise of this event seems to me deliberately shrouded in mystery.  The Tour has blamed it on Austin Country Club getting greedy, which one can believe up to a point.  But those accounts are more than just a little bit curious, including the fact that ACC came around, albeit late:

The Tour sent Austin Country Club a proposal more than four months ago and ACC pushed back hard, countering with an exorbitant increase to its site fee and ticket demands for its members.

The Tour balked and for several months there was no communication between the two parties. It didn’t help matters that the membership was split with a sizable camp that thought the event had run its course there. According to one source, ACC came to its senses and tried to re-engage, but the Tour went “radio silent” for four months. Two weeks ago, ACC sent the Tour an unsolicited proposal agreeing to the Tour’s original terms and to extend the deal by an additional two years.

“I heard it didn’t go well,” said a PGA Tour tournament director for another event, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of his relationship with both parties. “They’re out of there.”

Radio silence?  Missing from those accounts was any mention of the title sponsor, though perhaps this fills in that gap:

It’s not too often that the Tour pulls up stakes and leaves a city unless a sponsor flees and doing so is the last resort. But a source says that in August, the Tour turned down Intel, which Dell wanted as a partner, to serve as the presenting sponsor. The chipmaker was ready to sign on the dotted line for five years for somewhere between $5 million to $8 million per year. But the Tour, perhaps knowing that its schedule must evolve to counter the attack of LIV Golf, the upstart league, would only commit to one year. No deal was made.

Geez, they had Intel ready to commit, but preferred nothing to that....because:

As previously reported by Golfweek, Jim Crane, the billionaire owner of the Houston Astros, has been playing hard ball in hopes of getting the Houston stop back into the main schedule, preferably with a spring date. The CJ Cup, which originated in South Korea in 2017 but has been played in the U.S. since the pandemic and was held most recently in South Carolina in October, also is itching to upgrade its dates from the fall schedule. The Tour has yet to release its schedule for next season but the loss of the Match Play could mean at least one less designated event in 2024, or its replacement in the schedule could be elevated.

Which should have us spitting out our coffee, given that The very same Jim Crane chose the Fall over the Spring just a few years ago, because apparently it gest a little toasty in Houston in May....  

One more silly bit under this header:

PGA Tour’s decision to stop match play was a mistake. Here’s how to fix it

Which ledes with this encouraging quote:

Yeah, I just think, I think for right now, for next season’s schedule, it didn’t work. But match play has been a staple out here. It’s been a staple on the DP World Tour. I think that there’s — that will certainly be a consideration as we go forward.” — Jay Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner, March 7

Why was it that "it didn't work"?  Because Jay responded to legitimate interest in saving the event with radio silence....  But after seeing Jay's nose growing, his promise that it will be a consideration going forward has the value of Hitler telling Chamberlain that, after Czechoslovakia, I'm good.  remind me, how did that work out?

Back to that Nick Piastowski piece, including this head-in-the-sand way to fix it:

Keep it as is. Keep it at Austin Country Club.

The city is great. There’s barbecue. Who doesn’t like burnt ends?

And Pete Dye-designed Austin CC — with its scorable holes and drivable par-4s (plural) and water and sand and trees — fits. Beautiful carnage.

How's that for a summary of the current state of golf journalism.  His fix is to have Jay go back to that which he gave that radio silence....  Yanno that Pennybacker Bridge that's in all the photos?  That smell is it burning....

Jay is going to save this Tour from LIV, even if he has to destroy it in the process....

But, if you thought that a stupid thought, hold my beer

Move it to TPC Scottsdale. Make the WM Phoenix Open match play.

If the concern is money, the fans will come to TPC Scottsdale. If you’re worried about having just four players on the final day, the fans will still come to the WM Phoenix Open.

But mainly here, No. 16 must have match play. Our one suggestion would be to move it up in the routing — possibly as the 11th hole — so every match goes through. And let the good times roll and the booze flow.

Gee, Nick, you might want to try to get out more.  In case, you haven't noticed, Phoenix already has an event and it's been, well, mildly successful as currently organized.  You're suggesting that they trash their model, which they've spent several decades building and which works quite well for Super Bowl weekend.

There is a germ of an idea buried in there, that TPC Scottsdale would work well for a match-play event, but so would Sawgrass.... So, should we do away with the Players?  I've long argued that one of the cups could go to either of those venues and be quite interesting, though props to the USGA for taking the Amateur there way back when.

But Nick clearly doesn't understand our brave new world:

Make a non-elevated tournament match play. Let’s have a bracket at the John Deere.

We’ve heard some concerns from the non-designated folks. (The Fire Pit Collective wrote a wonderful piece here.) It’s understandable: If the stars are going to the big events, the little guy gets lost. Here’s the answer: Make yourself unique. Stand out from the stroke-play sea.

You hearing this, John Deere Classic?

Rahm may even be in. Earlier in the week, he was asked if he would play a tournament if it had match play, regardless of its designated status.

“I most likely would, yeah” he said. “I love match play. Why not? It’s a really fun format, so I probably would, yes.”

The John Deere is likely in a nasty predicament, but a Korn-Ferry match-play bracket doesn't seem like the ticket.... 

There's two ways to get the alpha dogs to a match-play event.  Either compel as part of their membership or make the purse large enough that they can't skip it.  Otherwise, they'll be opting out due to Zika or other worthy excuses....

This I like only because I was wondering what might be worse than that staggered start?

Make the Tour Championship match play

To make this fair, you’d have to bake in some byes. A long season deserves some spoils.

But do you really want to determine your Tour champion?

Make it mano a mano.

For all the money.

I love the idea of the FedEx Cup being a high-stakes shootout, but we have years of experience at the Tour recoiling in horror at any uncertainty as to who would be left standing.  What we've learned from LIV and the designated events is that, like LIV, they want to stage exhibition matches so  all of those terrific peni (spell check is unhappy with my pluralization) will remain in their comfort zones.

Given all the range of subjects, and I would have thought previewing Masters form a higher priority, I just thought this a curious question:

Jason Day advanced to the Round of 16 of the Match Play, and although he lost 2 and 1 to Scottie Scheffler, the surge into the weekend improved his OWGR and punched his ticket to the Masters, which he failed to qualify for last year. The former No. 1 has battled vertigo, injuries and swing changes and just last year was 175th in the World Ranking. Now he’s finished top 20 in eight of his last events. How impressive has his turnaround been; what’s been the key?

Melton: Health seems to be a big factor in his return to relevance. Plus, golf is a hard game. It’s easy to lose your swag, and sometimes for years at a time. He looks to be regaining confidence in his game, and he’ll be a dark horse to contend at Augusta.

Hirsh: Super impressive. It’s actually a good model for Spieth to look at. Day was the best putter on Tour in 2016, and No. 2 in strokes gained: putting. By 2021 he was 95th in the stat. So far in 2023, he’s 12th on Tour. He’s also had a big resurgence in his ball striking, which is probably all credited to his health and subsequent swing changes. He went from 145th in strokes gained: approach last year to 23rd this season.

Marksbury: It’s great to see Day playing well again. There are few things harder than rebuilding your swing, and like Spieth, Day has been open about his struggles, which makes him an easy guy to root for. In February, Day opened up about what a difficult journey it’s been for him recently: physical and mental struggles, the loss of his mom. And with all that going on, then you have to try and play your best golf? It’s so hard. But he’s finally seeing the fruit of all his efforts with Chris Como, and hopefully, that will snowball into the confidence he’s been missing.

Huh?  Look at those four semi-finalists and Augusta coming up soon, and JDay is the one guy you ask about?  I always think Day looks good and he's certainly been playing better, but hard to understand the interest here, although happy for him to be in  the field in two weeks.

Here's who else punched that ticket:

Keith Mitchell, Min Woo Lee assured top 50 and a spot at Augusta National. The Masters field will be no more than 88 players. It's the fourth time in the last six years for a sub-90 field.

— Doug Ferguson (@dougferguson405) March 26, 2023

Unfortunately, every invective we've thrown at those 70-player designated event fields applies here as well.  Remember, while 88 sounds larger thanb 70, it's really not because of the amateurs and former champions.

 Add this to that discussion of why the PGA is no longer match play:

NBC ad sales team when there's only four balls in play pic.twitter.com/3kb1O7A9vL

— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) March 26, 2023

Funny, though more of a yeas and no situation.  Their love of that empty air time will be mitigated by the absence of actual viewers....

The Revolution Will Be Televised - OK, technically only streamed on Fridays, but you get it....

So, have you been confused by the LIV ratings kerfuffle?  Here's the background:

On Monday, some outlets reported that LIV’s second tournament in Tucson, Ariz. drew 279,000

average viewers on the CW. This data came from Nielsen and showed LIV’s audience struggling to reach even the thresholds set by the league’s first broadcast in Mayakoba.

But on Friday, for the second time in as many events, LIV released data that ran somewhat counter to Nielsen’s. LIV’s data showed its broadcasts drew some 407,000 viewers. Yes, that marked a drop of some 130,000 average viewers next to week 1 (537,000), but it also showed markedly higher viewership than was reported over the weekend and the early week.

At this point, it’s fairly reasonable that you, like me, have a ton of questions. Why are we getting two sets of data from every tournament? Why aren’t we getting data from LIV’s broadcasts as quickly as we are from the PGA Tour’s broadcasts? What’s reliable? And, of course, how on earth do we make sense of all of this?

James Colgan does a deep dive into the sources and methodologies, though I tend to focus on some obvious points.  First, even if you accept their numbers, that's not many eyeballs and, second, if you lose 25% of them each week, then this might over sooner than we thought...

Why is LIV’s data so much different than Nielsen’s?

LIV execs are quick to point out that Nielsen ratings — the ones that have been dropping overnight and in the days following LIV broadcasts — don’t provide a full picture of the LIV audience size. Are they right? It’s complicated.

Not every CW station is carrying LIV events, which means Nielsen’s CW ratings actually include LIV and non-LIV viewership. This is because Nielsen tracks audience size by network only. The data they’ve released is a measure of everyone watching the CW, in all the television markets in the U.S., during the hours LIV is on the air. This includes the group of CW affiliate stations that have withheld from broadcasting LIV events throughout the United States because those affiliates are owned by CBS (a broadcast partner of the PGA Tour). The group of non-LIV CW affiliates makes up some 23 percent of TV markets around the U.S., including some stations located in major markets, like Philadelphia and Chicago.

Until we have market-specific data from LIV or Nielsen, it’s impossible to know how much the non-CW audience is affecting LIV’s viewership. So just as it’s possible that Nielsen is underreporting LIV’s audience (as LIV contests), it’s also possible that 279,000 Nielsen number may actually be too high for the total number of people watching LIV on the CW.

Are your eyes glazing over yet?

Why is it taking so long to receive audience data from LIV?

LIV is utilizing a company called iSpotTV — a Nielsen competitor — to collect its audience data. iSpot markets itself on its ability to capture “100 percent” of audience data from a broadcast, encompassing those who watched live, out of home, and later on DVR. Capturing all of that data takes time. A source told GOLF that for the first two broadcasts of the LIV season, LIV didn’t receive its preliminary viewership from iSpot until Wednesday evening, and didn’t receive final viewership until later on Thursday at earliest.

This delay is bad for transparency and also puts LIV at a major disadvantage in public opinion, particularly as Nielsen reports data days in advance.

“That’s just the schedule of iSpot’s collection of our viewership data,” LIV chief media officer Will Staeger said. “We’ll put out the numbers when we have them.”

Does it need to be this complicated?  

What's obvious is that the Tour has crushed LIV in the head-to-head Nielsens, and there's no reason to assume that relative measure would be any different if we had iSpotTV data for the PGA.  

The rationale from the Saudi side would be that it's a start-up and folks don't know where to find it.  Those arguments have some value, though they've buried an assumption that those that have found it will hang around.    

Colgan has done some good work there, but I like the piece mostly for this precious euphemism:

Still, it’s fair to wonder if these viewership numbers represent good news to LIV leadership. Yes, as LIV execs caution, it’s still plenty early. But after spending billions getting the league off the ground and recruiting some of golf’s most entertaining talent, LIV’s foothold with golf fans remains close to 20 percent the size of the PGA Tour.

Golf's most "entertaining talent"?  That's what we're calling Poults and PReed these days?  I'm just saying, the euphemism is quite obviously needed because there isn't much actual talent on display....

The TC panel was similarly blown away:

LIV Golf released preliminary TV numbers for its Tucson event March 18-19 — its second as part of its broadcast deal with the CW — and ratings dropped 24 percent when compared with its first event of the season. LIV sources told GOLF.com some drop-off was expected due to competition with the NCAA basketball tournament, but that said, what’s your takeaway here? Surprised?

Sure, it must have been the NCAAs..... Of course, they were up against the Valspar and its historically-weak field, but whatever...

Melton: LIV is obsessed with trying to control the narrative, so it’s not surprising to hear them having an excuse ready (no matter how legitimate it might be). As far as the lackluster numbers go — is anyone really surprised? The product thus far has been pretty uninspiring, and with the big-name stars near the bottom of the leaderboard, there isn’t much reason to tune in.

Hirsh: No, not surprised at all. LIV is running a propaganda campaign to make you think more people care about their product than really do. Their first event is always going to do better just on the sheer novelty factor. After that, people lose interest, especially when marquee names (Looking at you Bryson) are finishing 44th out of 48 while guys who haven’t won on the PGA Tour in nearly a decade are winning.

Marksbury: In order to be invested in an outcome, the viewer needs to be invested in what’s at stake. The PGA Tour has the advantage of offering major championship exemptions and Tour membership in addition to the award of big-time money to its winners. LIV is working with big money alone, so the “aspiration” factor is lacking since the team format has yet to draw eyeballs. But in fairness, this is only tournament No. 2 on the CW. Things could very well change.

It's actually pretty laughable, because the Tour has culled its heard of events in reaction to LIV, attempting to create a firewall of strong events.  LIV has decided to go around this Maginot line, but is losing 10-1 to dead-man-walking events like Honda and Tampa.  Doesn't sound so very promising to me, but what do I know?

Alas, I must leave you here.  It'll likely be a low-key week of blogging, stockpiling energy for our typical flood-the-zone coverage next week.