I have to assume everyone that is going is either getting some guaranteed "signing bonus" or is about to lose their tour card anyway.

raggmann54 They still play Pro Baseball??? In Pittsburgh we wouldn't know???

PA-PLAYA I can relate. Although the Phillies are starting to turn the corner.

The letdown is sure to come however.

You guys are funny, I'm a Tiger fan. Well, at least I live near Detroit

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/jay-monahan-addresses-pga-tour-changes-and-liv-threat-i-am-not-naive

Jay Monahan addresses PGA Tour changes and LIV threat: 'I am not naive'

โ€œI am not naive. If this is an arms race and if the only weapons here are dollar bills, the PGA Tour can't compete,โ€ Monahan said. โ€œThe PGA Tour, an American institution, can't compete with a foreign monarchy that is spending billions of dollars in attempt to buy the game of golf."

โ€œWe welcome good, healthy competition. The LIV Saudi golf league is not that. It's an irrational threat; one not concerned with the return on investment or true growth of the game.โ€

Monahan also framed the current narrative as a challenge to the established meritocracy of the Tour and a moral choice thatโ€™s complicated by the geopolitics of the Saudi-backed LIV series.

On the PGA Tour, our members compete for the opportunity to add their names to history books, and, yes, significant financial benefits, without having to wrestle with any sort of moral ambiguity,โ€ he said. โ€œPure competition creates relevancy and context, which is what fans need and expect in order to invest their time in a sport and in a player.

Specifically, the commissioner outlined the plan to dramatically increase purses at eight events โ€“ Sentry Tournament of Champions ($15 million), Genesis Invitational ($20 million), Arnold Palmer Invitational ($20 million), Players Championship ($25 million), Dell Technologies WGC-Match Play, Memorial ($20 million), FedEx St. Jude Championship ($20 million) and BMW Championship ($20 million) โ€“ and create a three-event international series in the fall for the gameโ€™s top players beginning in 2024.

The purse increases starting in 2023 total $54 million, and Monahan was asked where those funds came from.

One of the things that we've heard over the last several months from our sponsors is, please tell us what we can do to help. And so the changes that we're making is coming from a combination of sponsor contribution and our reserves.

Monahan was also asked about the changes to the playoff structure and how players earn exempt status. The playoffs will now begin with the top 70 from the regular-season points list, down from the top 125, with the existing fall events deciding the final exempt list for the next season.

To say that everybody supports this would be an exaggeration, but it's the right move for the business and ultimately it's the right move for our players and fans, and that's something I look forward to proving in the years ahead,โ€ Monahan said when asked the level of support for the changes to the exempt process."

    Sneakylong with the existing fall events deciding the final exempt list for the next season.

    And will the top 70 be barred from these events, in order that others have a solid chance to improve positions, like the Korn Ferry Tour does it?

    Sneakylong without having to wrestle with any sort of moral ambiguity

    Yet, most are signed with companies they really could give a shit about. They came straight from the collegiate circuit, with good records, and money was thrown at them. Did any of them step back and check into the companies before signing? Or was ...'here is $40M/yr. for the next 3 yrs.' good enough for them to grab the pens? I'll say....it was the latter. Morals be/were damned. Same as the LIV signers. People are people, and money always yells, it never talks. Esp. to the young, and the old. ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜

    I'm not saying either side is right or wrong, but 1 side is really spreading far too much BS around, and it's a helluva bad look for them. Just shut up, do your thing. You look almost stupid with some of the things I'm reading. Almost embarrassing, personally.

      sdandrea1 The PGA Tour protesteth too much-eth......or some shit like that.

      It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt...or some shit like that.

      Par4QC

      That's the first time I've heard him say that the PGA Tour can't compete money wise. It's obvious, but he acknowledged it publicly. I think he's being proactive to the threat.

      We've hashed over to death all the geopolitical / morality stuff. Now it's just a chess game with one side having the upper hand money wise and the other having the better competition model / prestige / legacy etc..

      As long as LIV remains mostly a high paid exhibition tour, then the PGA Tour's model will continue to have the upper hand. That could all change down the road, but for now I think Monahan is doing just what he needs to do in reacting to the threat.

        Sneakylong That could all change down the road, but for now I think Monahan is doing just what he needs to do in reacting to the threat.

        Except talking........I think the high road in this situation would be to just press on and operate the Tour. Defending it makes him look threatened. IMO.

          Sneakylong a high paid exhibition tour,

          And nothing wrong, if that is what it actually turns out to be. To think about it, it's needed. A 'between' so to speak, PGA Tour and Champions Tour. They still got game, but c'mon, anyone that thinks someone like Phil is more than just a name, does not watch golf. He's got name, not a lot of game. Not 4 rounds, maybe not even 3. A lot of the others, the same way. Haven't had 4 rounds in them for years. Yet, too young to quit, or for Champions Tour. This is their chance to keep going.
          The PGA should embrace this thing, not fight it. Guys are not going to jump back/forth, except for the big tourneys/Majors, on the PGA Tour. Look at the money they could have kept 'in reserves', ๐Ÿคฃ.

          Oh, I forgot about the 'morals' though. ๐Ÿค”

            sdandrea1

            I wouldn't shy away from talking about how the PGA Tour's model is superior to LIV's. I think any business faced with an existential threat with bottomless billions to spend, you have to hype your advantages.

            LIV isn't the USFL or World Hockey Assn. or a Saudi prince owning a Kentucky Derby winner. Again, the PGA Tour as of now has the upper hand. But if LIV is here to stay then they can afford to make mistakes and keep on going.

            Because if it ever comes to be just about money, then LIV can crush the PGA Tour.

            Par4QC To think about it, it's needed.

            Looks to me like the PGA has adopted a government type solution.
            Throw money at it, with no thought behind it.

            Looking at the events, it seems what they have done, for the most part, is increase purses at events that are limited to the Top Tier players on the tour. At this rate, maybe all the journeymen grinder players will want to jump to the LIV and leave the PGA with the 15 or less events these top guys play now. Then which tour is the exhibition?
            ๐Ÿ˜‰

              Spuzz Yeah, did not understand the reasoning to the 70 limit. But, if I read it correctly, they are supposed to come out with 8 more 'lesser' tournaments that run the same days as the $20M tourneys. Only problem with that is they will only be getting about $1M(maybe less) for wins, and very little down the line. In reality, only a small handful of those lower than 70 are going to make any advancement upward. There will be even more falling back to the Korn Ferry than ever before. Plus, even with a win, their rankings will go hardly anywhere. Not a good plan.

              Suddenly, the American PGA Tour now finds itself dealing with an issue that the European PGA Tour has been dealing with for years, BECAUSE of the American PGA Tour.


              So has the LIV Tour succeeded in generating the Pay equity PM was trying to leverage for the PGA Tour players? Government approach or not, did it work, albeit, for only the top 50 players? If soโ€ฆ

              Giphy - Nathan Fillion The Rookie Abc GIF by ABC Network