Midweek Musings - Torrey In Remission Edition

Remember when Torrey Pines was the unofficial kick-off to the PGA Tour's West Coast swing?  It wasn't very long ago but, like the Honda, quite the swing in fortunes..... Everyone keeps telling us how important it is to know when the top players will peg it, seemingly unaware of the fact that that also tells us when they won't be playing.  

Arrivederci Farmers - I felt a little bad for Josh Allen last weekend, but it could have been far worse.  After all, he could have been a PGA Tour sponsor....  Shockingly, the rats are heading for the exits:

Another longtime PGA Tour tournament sponsor seems to be on its way out.

Farmers Insurance, which has been the title sponsor of the San Diego event at Torrey Pines since 2010, will not renew its agreement with the PGA Tour after its current contract expires in 2026, Sports Business Journal reported Thursday.

Farmers is sending fewer executives to the Farmers Insurance Open later this month and returned a number of hotel rooms to the tour, along with plans for less activation, SBJ reported. Farmers Insurance also sponsors the APGA Tour event at Torrey Pines.

Tiger ain't ever coming back and the move to a Saturday conclusion, clever as it might be, leaves them with only the one weekend day to make hay.

But the problems lie in that 904 area code:

It’s also the second notable company to not renew its contract with the PGA Tour. Wells Fargo will not renew its agreement after it expires this year to host the championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. SBJ reported the company wanted to remain a sponsor but didn’t want to pay the higher asking price.

Full-field events on the PGA Tour have been commanding between $13 million to $15 million per year from title sponsors.

Is it me, or did Honda get swept down the memory hole awfully quickly?

Interesting how they deal with those economics because, while a full-field event sounds like it would be significant, it's actually loserville.  The cost to be a Signature/Designated event is far higher (might have been an interesting figure to cite), but without that status you're fighting over the dregs....

And this is maybe even more ominous:

RBC, which is the title sponsor for the Canadian Open and the Heritage at Hilton Head, a signature event, signed a one-year deal for 2024 instead of a long-term extension to get a feel of the changing golf landscape. Could this be the way many major companies are thinking with the tumultuousness in golf?

Yowzer!  How many of those stopgaps has the Tour accepted?

Reality intrudes.  When you make some of your events "special", it leaves the other events looking, well, not so special....  Really, who coulda seen that coming?

With everything going so swimmingly for Farmers, the last thing they needed were hits like these.  This first one is completely understandable:

Nick Dunlap’s encore will have to wait at least another week.

Less than 24 hours after his breakthrough win at The American Express, the 20-year-old amateur pulled out of this week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

“After a life changing last 24 hours, I’ve decided to withdraw from the Farmers Insurance Open,” Dunlap wrote in a statement released by the PGA Tour. “I plan to return home to Alabama to be with my family, friends and teammates. Thank you to Farmers Insurance and American Express for giving me these opportunities.”

The term "life-changing" can be hyperbolic, but in this case it's pretty much true.

But this is the one that Jay might want to think through the ramifications thereof:

After securing T3 at the American Express, Justin Thomas has withdrawn from the next event of the PGA Tour. The American Express was the first event for Thomas in the 2024 season and he is reported to miss the next big event. As per what ‘Justin Thomas Tracker’ shared on X, the golfer has withdrawn from the Farmers Insurance Open, starting next week. This would have been the fifth time the 2x major winner had played the Open, but he will continue his 2024 season with AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am after that.

The tweet read, “NEW: JT withdraws from Torrey. Not too surprised, playing 5 times in a row isn’t something he does and with the AMEX result his status in the elevated events is now secure. I’d assume this was always the plan.”

I don't know where that five times comes from, given that Torrey is the fourth event on the Tour calendar.  But, given that he's committed to the next three (Pebble, Riv and Phoenix), we can agree that it's an insane amount of golf.  Why is he doing that?  Because his spots in those Signature events was at risk.  Does this make any sense in a rational world?  How about we just make them full-field?  JT, you know who have to blame for this insanity?  yeah, your good buddy.

But spare a moment and think through how this must feel to the folks at Farmers.  Their only chance to get a name-brand golfer like JT was because of his fading fortunes, but once he's solved his access problems he's outta there in a heartbeat.  So, Jay is asking Farmers for $13-15 million for the privilege of being a feeder event for Pebble.  How can they turn down such a screaming hot deal?

Obviously a few guys show up pretty much anywhere, but this is the best they could rustle up for featured groups (amusingly, there's apparently a higher status called a marquee group):

Marquee group

1:40 p.m.: Tony Finau, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele (South Course, first tee)

Featured groups

12:12 p.m.: Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, Patrick Cantlay (North Course, 10th tee)

12:23 p.m.: Ludvig Åberg, Justin Rose, Hideki Matsuyama (North Course, 10th tee)

Your best grouping includes Tony Finau?  Yeah, he's a nice guy and at least hasn't gone to LIV, but that sound you here is the scraping at the bottom of the barrel....

She Walked Up To Me And She Asked Me To Dance -  I left this one on the cutting room floor on Monday, but this issue was bound to present in our little golf fishbowl.  And it covers the full gamut of human emotion, and I will approach with all the delicacy and sensitivity you've come to expect.  But they say that denial isn't just a river in Egypt, and you'll see how that plays here as well.

Let's start at the start:

Trans golfer Hailey Davidson pushes back on ‘misinformed hatred’ after backlash over win on women’s tour

Pot, kettle!  The people putting tampon machines in men's rooms are outraged about misinformation?  Noted.

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson reacted to the backlash over her victory earlier in the week at a tournament on the NXXT Women’s Pro Golf Tour.

Davidson won the NXXT Women’s Classic in a playoff.

Davidson wrote on Instagram the win put her in first place in the race to earn an Epson Tour exemption. The Epson Tour is the developmental tour of the LPGA Tour.

The top 10 players of the Epson Tour graduate to the LPGA Tour.

A few thing worth noting include that she's still far removed from qualifying for the LPGA Tour, as she's not even yet qualified for the Epson Tour.  

So, what is this shocking misinformation?

“It’s crazy the amount of misinformed hatred I have received so far today,” Davidson wrote. “All of these people (think) I hit it 300 yards or even 280 yards. How about 250 on a good day.”

C'mon, that's the best you got?  Somewhere else there's a reference to death threats, and you'll shocked to know that I am solidly anti-death threat.   There's a lot of idiots on social media and a lot of angry people, so maybe, but color me skeptical that an NXXT event generated that level of response.  Because Hailey seems a little thin-skinned....

let's cover a few more aspects of this about which you're excuse for being uninformed.  First, this might surprise:

The LPGA Tour removed its “female at birth” requirement in 2010. Davidson began hormone therapy treatments in 2015 and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2021, Golfweek reported in May 2021.

Jeez, where does that end?  Here's more on those LPGA guidelines:

LPGA's gender policy, applicable to applicants for membership in LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, LET, LETAS and LPGA Professional states the following on it's website:

• Tournaments and membership are open to "transitioned female athletes," though they must identify themselves upon application. LPGA retains the the right to require the athlete to substantiate her status if questions on eligibility arise, the site states.
• The athlete must provide a written declaration that her gender identity is female, and can not be changed in the context of the sport for a minimum of four years.
• She must have undergone gender affirming surgery.
• She must have received hormone therapy for one year and "maintained testosterone levels in a verifiable manner sufficient to minimize or negate gender-related advantages in sport competitions."

The testosterone testing seems especially creepy, and I'll add this from the protagonist herself, what a lawyer would call an admission against interest:

Hailey Davidson, a transgender golfer who has been in the spotlight after winning the NXXT Women’s Classic last week, said that she “definitely had an advantage” — but not anymore.

Davidson, appearing on Good Morning Britain, detailed the contrast between herself and other competitors who have just begun their transitioning process.

Davidson was asked by host Noel Phillips about studies that it is an “undisputed fact men are physically stronger than women” and that the golfer had an unfair advantage against her fellow competitors.

Davidson, who reportedly underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2021 after beginning hormone therapy treatments in 2015, said she would agree if that was in the past, acknowledging that it would’ve been “clearly unfair.”

“My whole philosophy behind all of this is I don’t believe trans people should be banned from sports, but I do believe there needs to be guidelines in effect,” Davidson said. “Going back even four years ago or even before I had surgery, I definitely had an advantage. I would 100% agree with that.

Apparently, we're just supposed to take her word for it and ignore that we see that she clearly has the body of a man.....  Did Orwell nail it, or what?

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”

― George Orwell, 1984

Additionally, Hailey is saying all sorts of ridiculous things.  That yardage bit above is part of it, insisting we ignore that voice in the back of our heads telling us that, were she not a man at birth, she'd probably be hitting it 220.

But here's another good one:

“It’s always interesting how no one gets angry until there is any form of success,” Davidson wrote in an Instagram post.

Duh!  This article is behind a paywall, but the headers tell us all we need to know:

It is time golf crushed noisy trans ideology with some common sense

Hailey Davidson admits to an inherent physical advantage and then absurdly insists the sport should just turn a blind eye

 Yes, its....what's the word, Orwellian.

I do actually feel tremendous sympathy for Hailey and those similarly situated.  The problem with transgenderism to me is that it's merely an Orwellian language change to divert our attention from the fact that such folks such folks suffer from what we used to call gender dysphoria, a truly debilitating psychological condition. 

The other point I'd like to make is that I'd prefer to ignore her comments, because she's overly invested in the outcome.  This is why lawyers with conflicts recuse themselves and why we reject the opinions of those with vested interest.  One of the problems with our therapeutic culture is that it wants us to make decisions with our hears, not our heads.

One important aspect that I suspect Hailey doesn't get is that a statement like this provides zero comfort to those concerned about biological men in women's sports:

“While this win was amazing, unlike every article is saying, I am so incredibly far from the LPGA Tour with a lot of work to be done to possibly earn my way there one day.

It's probably true that Hailey herself isn't sufficiently talented to make to the top of women's golf.  But what she can't understand is that the pushback is about who comes next.... there's no limiting factor as to what will be allowed.

But two points and then I'll move on.  The first, a point every time this comes up, is that I understand the instinct to want to create opportunities for people, especially those who have suffered (and, if you're lopping off a piece of your anatomy, we can stipulate that you've suffered).  But this leads to one blindingly obvious conclusion, whatever the merits, that it will kill women's sports.  I don't expect that Hailey Davidson to understand that, but shouldn't those running the major women's sports organization have a clue?

I have one last piece of speculation that occurred to me in connection with this story.  While the libertarian in me has no issue with an adult making their own decisions, we have developed a gender reassignment industrial complex that is quite freakish.  Because of the compromised media, these stories don't get any oxygen:

Doctors say there is a “perverse” monetary incentive structure built around pushing “transgender” drugs and surgeries on children.

Breitbart News sat down with two Richmond-area physicians — a neurologist and a pediatrician — to discuss left-wing movements in the practice of medicine. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity so as to not face professional backlash.

As Breitbart News has reported, there is a significant difference between how western Europe and the United States treats children with gender dysphoria.

While the American medical establishment is pushing heavily for the “affirmation” model — which includes prescribing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and mutilation surgeries to children — European countries have sounded the alarm on how harmful such a model is for children.

Got that?  This is so out there that the Europeans think we are crazy....

The point I'm trying to make is, has anyone thought through the perverse incentive we're creating?  You'll be justifiably skeptical that a man would transition to the distaff side solely to play women's sports, but is it so crazy?  We're talking about confused people with limited hope, who are presumably desperate to create a place for themselves in this world.   Could they find a purpose in being able to compete at a higher level on the other team?

Yowzer, this really freaks me out, that we are offering incentives for people to mutilate their bodies.

A Palate Cleanser - Trust me, I need it more than you do....  Dylan Derthier is one of golf journalism's (oxymoron alert) young turks, and I found some interesting bits in this week's version of his Monday Finish feature.  First, on Nick Dunlap, I very much felt the same as Dylan here:

I felt delighted for Dunlap as I watched him revel in the victory on Sunday afternoon. This is his dream, after all, realized faster than he ever imagined. But then I felt something else, too: a bit of sadness for him. The promises of status and money and Signature Events — it’s all likely too tantalizing to turn down. His life has changed overnight. There’s no going backwards from here. This is likely dumb and overly sentimental but I wonder if there’s part of him that isn’t yet ready to say goodbye to bus rides with his teammates, no matter how hard they’re pulling for the guy on their screen.

It was a great story, but like Dylan I worry that it's too much, too soon.  The talent is evident, but he's all of 20 years old and it's a lonely, isolated existence out there.

But here's where it gets really interesting, as he exposes the rot at the core of the new golf world:

2. The PGA Tour can still produce moments — and create stars

The LIV vs. PGA Tour era has empowered individual players and emphasized their value, and I’m all good with that. But somewhere in this new world of pros negotiating their specific values and signing guaranteed contracts we’ve probably overcorrected; I’d argue we’re overrating individuals and underrating the game’s biggest institutions, namely the majors and the PGA Tour.

I’m not here to beat my chest about how great a tournament the American Express is. If anything, I’d argue the opposite; I’m not a huge fan of the three-course setup nor the pro-am format, and it lacks the gravity of the West Coast events that follow. But despite all of that, and despite the fact that it was running up against the end of one massive NFL game and the start of another, it still felt like Nick Dunlap produced a significant moment. A star moment. The world was aware of what he was doing because of decades and decades of building the context around what it means to win a PGA Tour event.

There are holes in this argument. Not all PGA Tour events are created equal, particularly in the age of opposite-field events (much weaker fields) and, now, Signature Events (much stronger fields) and at some point we’ll need to make better sense of how to measure one type of Tour win against another. Dunlap’s win was a reminder of the virtues of full-field events, too, where Cinderellas can become champions. But after a relatively quiet fall — and despite the Tour’s imperfections — Sunday was a reminder that it’s still the place for golf fans to turn in the waning hours of their weekend, looking for something that matters.

What I think Dylan is trying to get to is that we've been sold quite the bill of goods.  The product is GOLF, not Patrick Cantlay.  The PGA Tour works  (not every week, for sure) because it provides a context and significance to these guys trying to get a ball into hole.  

Rory and Tiger are trying to convince us that THEY are the product, yet all you have to do is tune into any installment of The Match to see how that falls flat.  And that's why the WGCs and LIV are so lame, so naturally we're taking the best Tour events and chasing a failed business model.

Rendering this from Rory quite lame:

It’s been nice, having actual golf tournaments to talk about rather than theoretical future tours. But this week included some chatter about a hypothetical vision for the future of the game, a topic advanced by McIlroy’s musings.

“The way I view it is a bit like Champions League in football,” McIlroy said, describing a hypothetical top tour. “It’s like the best of the best in Europe, and then all of the other leagues feed up into it.

“There’s lots of different tours getting interest and a lot of great players. But if you want to create something that is real value for the game of golf, I think it’s this top-level tour, and then all the other tours feed into it. And there’s promotion and relegation and you have to earn your way in, and you have to earn your spot to stay in, as well. I think that’s really important, too.

“I think it has to be global in nature, and to me, you need to figure out a structure where all these other tours feed into that so it gives people a chance to come up.”

What he’s describing sounds like the PGA Tour, particularly its Signature Events model, but with a more global presence. What he’s describing sounds like LIV but with more cache and a greater emphasis on meritocracy. But it’s not clear to me how what he’s describing works with ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour and the PIF — particularly given that in his vision, LIV gets relegated to a team series in the game’s shoulder season.

We had that Rory.  It was called the PGA Tour, so naturally you're tearing it down.

Yeah, it was more U.S. based, but overseas events have been pretty big failures, as they pretty much can only get the guys there with huge appearance fees.

That's it for today kids.  Catch you down the road...