Being allowed on the range to host a live show at Pebble, being on TV commentating an event, playing in a PGA sponsored event
Okay, so no actual evidence. You do realize that the PGA is not the same as the PGA Tour, right? They never commentated at a PGA Tour event.
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yeah I agree but Niemann is also getting close to 25 participations in Majors with only 1 top20 …and what, between 4 and 8 of those participations coming on the back of special invites?
At some point, he has to do something to justify him getting those invites and I’m sorry but no, beating Bryson and Rahm 4 to 8 times a year on LIV isn’t enough anymore. Show up in a Major for once, or go play on a Tour where you can qualify like everyone else.
At this point, Niemann has to be the most underachieving player in majors, relative to his baseline ?
Edit : Niemann’s talent justifies his place in majors and I would like to see him there 4 times a year …but at this point it’s almost like throwing an invite in the garbage cause you know he won’t do anything with it. If I’m in the shoes of a Major committee, it’s getting hard to justify giving him invites. He left, took the money to go play on a Tour where you can’t automatically qualify. We recognize his talent so we invite him every time …but then he doesn’t show up. Like… never. So yeah …go play where you can qualify like everyone else if you want to be back. In the meantime, keep having fun on LIV.
The ghost of Rickie Fowler has been more relevant.
Pebble beach? Twice I believe
No one wanted to kick Rickie Fowler out of majors when he was a top 12 player in the world? Beating and nearly beating 3 of top players in world over a season long points chase is an incredible accomplishment
That’s the live show. You said they TV commentated an event. That happened at the PGA Championship. Anyways, I’m done. Good points made by @samdanc.
Majors should be opening arms to give auto spots to top LIV players to get the best fields. LIV has many of the worlds top players and way too few get into events based on their recent play, it’s simply ridiculous collusion that helps the PGA Tour and harms the golf fan
What’s the difference? They are partners with PGA Tour is my point
They aren’t partners. Unless you classify any media member who goes on-site to cover an event as a partner.
The majors are also run by organizations that are considered custodians of the game. They probably don’t think LIV was/is good for the sport, and so they aren’t going out of their way to incentivize players to take the money bag and go to LIV. I really don’t think the PGA Tour is on weekly calls making sure all the major orgs are still on board with them.
If the majors didn’t play hard ball maybe more players would have gone to LIV, and pro golf would be even more of a mess than it currently is.
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Also, again, nobody is kicking Niemann out of majors. He isn’t qualified. Big difference.
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Not really a big difference to me. Because my view is to try and get the best fields at the best tournaments. What the majors seem to have tried to do is to help the PGA Tour by taking away the single biggest incentive in golf (PGA play leads to major qualification while LIV doesn’t). They have gotten involved in the battle between the two biggest leagues instead of trying to put best golfers in fields to give us best events.
My goal is to watch the best golfers play best events
I mean they let them set up on the range. I do consider that a partner
If that is your goal to watch the best field play a tournament then why do you support LIV. That seems pretty counterintuitive
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I like LIV because the PGA Tour had become incredibly stale and bloated. The schedule was quite random, points race not really existent, and way too many people held cards and made starts. Competition is always a good thing and the PGA has improved product massively. I like seeing more high level golf and I love the presentation of LIV (graphics, scoring, amount of golf shown) and loved the team idea (though they haven’t quite nailed it down as well as it could be)
Plus there is just more high level golf to watch now. And the rivalry storyline adds a bunch to majors
The thing is, I agree with a lot of what you’re saying. I, too, want to see LIV guys in Majors (the ones that will show up, that is).
However, I think the Majors committees (and Ryder Cup, I think?) have done a good job of simply forgetting about all the shit and inviting good players to their tournaments. I mean, about 20% of LIV is in Majors no?
And you state that your goal is to watch the best possible field in Majors, while defending a guy that has added absolutely no value to every major he’s ever played in. It’s a bit contradictory.
At this point, if we built a LIV-players rankings for their performance in Majors since LIV started, with points or SG or whatever, pretty sure Niemann is one of the most disappointing LIV guys in majors. Make that relative to these guys’ baseline and it’s even worse for Joaco. So …What justifies inviting him over Dean B if Dean B has a better chance of showing up and actually do something? What good does it do to the US Open that Niemann won in Hong Kong if he’s gonna be just a guy in every major?
Niemann’s performances on LIV where half the guys are bums (relative to top level pro golf, of course) and half the others simply dgaf aren’t enough anymore. If he wants to take the Majors off and chill at the venue, he can come back on DPWT/PGA and qualify. If he wants to keep getting paid to beat Ben Campbell and Anthony Kim, he can let another guy enjoy the Majors in his place.
Let me repeat. I am totally in favor of LIV Guys in Majors …but the Niemann thing is tiring. Give the chance to others unless Niemann finally shows some life.
You seem more interested on hammering your point that Niemann is a world class player, defending him at all costs and blaming anybody but LIV, than having an interesting discussion. So that will be it for me, we can agree to disagree here. Let’s hope Niemann shoots a 66 to a backdoor T-10 so we can stop doing this everytime it’s getting tiring
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You are not in favor of LIV guys at majors if you are not in favor of Niemann. He was player of year and then 2nd last year.
And no, the majors have not set up auto qualifiers for LIV which would be needed to make sure LIV good players make it in
Brother I have to be the one to just call it like it is: you’re delusional. The contingent who left the PGA left for a big fat paycheck at the hands of the Saudis accept everything that comes as a result of it. Blame them or don’t blame them for their choice, but this is not little kids in the school yard choosing cliques. They made their bed and they can lie in it.
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I am talking from point of view as a fan of golf and the majors, not the PGA Tour. Almost everyone who gets heated over this speak as a fan of the PGA Tour. I think it was a terribly structured,
Bloated and lazy product when they left and what’s happened has broadly been good for the game.
What’s also good for the game is one of biggest leagues with many great players having its players automatically qualify for majors. How is that debatable at all? Unless you are trying to pressure LIV to give in it doesn’t make any sense