It doesn’t have anything to do with the Saudis for me really other than they finance it. They will finance the PGAT soon and none of you will quit being fans of it then
Guess you should cancel your sub since it’s you versus us, and you hate the product?
1 Like
It’s debatable because you are being short-sighted. In a vacuum, do we all want the best fields in the majors? Sure. But if the majors had quickly decided to give LIV 5 or 10 spots starting in 2023 or 2024, more guys would have made the switch, and we’d have more guys playing in irrelevancy apart from 4 times per year. I don’t think the Masters wants to help LIV. It’s not pressure from the PGAT; you honestly think the Green Coats at Augusta are taking direction from the tour about how to set their field? C’mon, that’s ridiculous, Augusta National is probably the most powerful body in pro golf, I don’t think they are listening to anybody.
Also the reality is that the majors have still managed to get everyone into the majors that needs to be there. Could you make an argument for some guys on LIV to be in? Yes. You could also make an argument for some PGAT guys who aren’t in. But it’s not like there is an asterisk on this event because Dean B and Carlos Ortiz aren’t playing.
6 Likes
I broadly agree here, but that’s more because LIV’s best players are still eligible from leftover qualifications or special exemptions. Rahm, hatton, Bryson, Sergio, reed, koepka all have qualifications from the past and Niemann has got in other ways. The problem is still there in that great play on LIV is not being rewarded.
And yes, it does work in a way by taking away the number one incentive to making LIV events relevant. You say the league is irrelevant, I kind of understand it, but if top 10 LIV golfers made majors it would be relevant! The relevancy can be given immediately by the majors, PGA is only more relevant because they qualify for majors (and now have a quicker relegation system which LIV would likely adopt if it had those major slots…right now it seems they are being super coddling to original signees because they haven’t got the major qualification system yet).
The reasons may be different as you say, but I don’t see what majors get out of being so punitive toward LIV. It’s the only way to keep it from being established strongly or giving it leverage in negotiations. The majors have treated LIV exactly how PGAT needs them to
I love the product, I just found the tone of blog bitter
Bashing LIV lends more credibility to an outlet. Falling for the sportswashing casts doubt.
2 Likes
These guys all have a path to qualify for the Open majors. They can go try and win qualifiers if they are as good as you think they are.
1 Like
Following up on this. This is because they are partners with AT&T (Pebble’s sponsor).
I doubt they get invited to host a show without PGA approval. And doing a pre show at a PGA event vs LIV kind of shows which league they support
I suspect almost none of those bashing LIV now will bash the PGA for negotiating with and accepting money from the Saudis
I suspect most of the LIV criticism is just PGA protectionism , the arguments against LIV have been all over the map because of that. They know the target and then just try every argument to try and protect PGA
I think they should! And most do, and do well. But it hurts majors credibility to so openly take sides in the LIV v PGA battle (and probably in the end kill LIV off by doing so) instead of recognizing lots of good players play in this league so they should qualify for their play there…which they do do for the PGA
I lol’d during this entire thread. I think the only one here that is bitter is you @hogtrough. You said over and over that you are taking this view point as a fan of golf and the majors… you almost had it right, you just have to add the word delusional in-between the word “a” and “fan”. Take your bitterness elsewhere, seriously.
1 Like
Just admit you claimed they have financial ties without any evidence. If you are member of the media of course you’ll need approval to cover an event (we had to get approval to go the few events we’ve covered in person).
And ya obviously they would go cover Pebble over a LIV event… there is zero interest outside of a weird twitter bubble in LIV events.
2 Likes
I am not bitter really , it’s a minor thing in the big scheme of things. I just love what LIV has brought to the game (both in league and through competition at the PGAT) and think the majors conspiring to kill that will give us more of the stodgy, bloated, corporate first old style tour
I mean don’t you think those are financial ties? The podcast does well because of the access it got
I think financial ties means that the PGA Tour is paying NLU. Which I’ve seen no evidence of, and neither have you.
So you don’t find it at all disappointing that Jon Rahm is spending prime years of his career playing in events in Singapore that nobody is watching?
2 Likes
I consider the podcast making money through PGA giving them access, prime space, and branding to be financial ties. But we can disagree there.
If they were on tour with LIV giving softball interviews and on the range I think it would be more obvious for some reason and would be called out
A little bit, yes. But mainly because the true competitive nature of LIV has been a bit crippled by the majors colluding against them. I also think a fall champions league style event series between LIV, PGA with a sprinkling of KFT and Euro is exactly what would fit perfectly into schedule.
McKibbon, puig, surratt are having their futures and narratives harmed by majors refusing them a pathway for their play on tour. I understand the argument they took money and knew risks but it’s childish and unfair from majors point of view to just give in no matter what to the PGAT
The Masters has granted special invites to LIV players. The USGA and R&A have already both announced qualification via LIV standings. And both of those events already have open qualifiers that any pro can sign up for and try to qualify. Many PGA tour and euro tour players currently do so to this day. Lucas Glover won a US Open going through qualifying.
Great thing about golf, there are countless opportunities to play well enough to qualify for bigger events. Hell, Evan Beck finished ahead of a former Masters Champ and a top 50 golfer in the world this week.
3 Likes