Why the animosity towards LIV Golf?
First off, we all know that there has been controversy in the PGA for a few years now and the leadership that controls the PGA has become very political.
Throughout the decades, many sports franchises, teams, leagues and players have looked for alternatives when entering and making adjustments to their careers. Whether it be alternative football leagues, baseball alternatives or other. I wrote an article, when we had Houston Sports Weekly, about the Arena Football League that many NFL fans were attacking. The article focused on how arena football brought the essence of hockey into the game of football with an “in your face” concept, and many fans enjoyed that new concept.
But, now there’s another sport, that don’t forget, began with a strong elitist influence. That sport is golf. Even Harry Vardon was limited at times, due to his economic circumstances, and look at Francis Ouimet, but there’s one underlying equation which stands in golf and that is if can you can play, you can’t be denied. This is unlike any other sport. In football, do you really think the best gets picked in college and the NFL. There are many in the ranks that are never chosen, who could have progressed much further and that can play the game much better, but they were overlooked. Golf is an individual sport and, in essence, you’re your own contractor, relying on no one but yourself. Yes, you get lessons and have your caddy for advice, but when the club is drawn back against gravity and then the earth pulls the clubhead towards the ground, it is all YOU.
Enter Francis Ouimet. All golfers know the story, whether it be from the movie “The Greatest Game Ever Played”, from all the history and articles floating around or Ouimet’s book “A Game of Golf”. An amateur, an unknown and a 20-year-old kid that had to sneak onto the golf course to watch players swing in order to learn the basics of the game defeated the great Harry Vardon in 1913, who had five Open Championships behind him at the time and Ted Ray who had just won the 1912 Open. Golf is really the only sport that an individual, in and of themselves, can compete without the politics of the sport. But can they?
Fast forward nearly 90 years from that September day in 1913 when a kid beat the best in the world and have things really changed in golf? Over the decades there is story after story of the working class kid grinding his way into the PGA and becoming a winner. Another interesting fact is that many players have chosen to bounce from tour to tour and return to the PGA, whether it be the European Tour, the Asian Tour or several others with no resistance from the PGA heads. But then a little tour called LIV Golf enters the picture during the 2022 golf season with a different concept to the traditional game of golf reducing the days of play to three, adding a team concept with the brand “Golf But Louder”, the PGA golf lords were rattled. In reality, the LIV Golf concept attracted some of the best golfers in the world. What do the names Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Lee Westwood, Mathew Wolff, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Talor Gooch, Pat Perez, Carlos Oriz, Henrick Stenson, Bryson Dechambeau, Kevin Na, Louis Oosthuizen, Brandon Grace, Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, Charl Schwartzel, Sam Horsfield, Matt Jones, Jason Kokrak, Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Brooks Koepka and Chase Koepka all have in common? They have all joined the LIV Tour in 2022, with apparently more to come. And don’t think for one moment that this does not burn the PGA heads up. Plus keep in mind, it wasn’t the LIV golfers that quit the PGA, it was the PGA heads that suspended them. Without demeaning all the current PGA players, over the last several weeks, it has been hard to keep up with the leaderboard on the PGA without saying to yourself, who are most of those top 10 in position to win this week?
Now, the question comes, why is most all and especially the mainstream media attacking the LIV Tour so aggressively and frivolously all the time, which appears to be a systematic plan. As opposed to calling it LIV Golf, their ‘go to’ is the “Saudi backed or funded league” and 99.9% of the coverage is negative. Many fans have bought into this negativity and when asked in a survey, those fans who criticized LIV Golf, not 90%, not 95%, but 100% of those surveyed by Tee Box Trader said they had never watched one round of LIV. And now some of the players have joined the negativity of media hype, not only attacking LIV Golf, but attacking their colleagues (players), who have made the decision to play in LIV. Rory, Tiger, Scheffler and several others are on the attack against these LIV players. Why?
The Tee Box Times believes that there are three primary reasons why the negativity and attack mode is being fueled and generated by the PGA heads and everyone that believes the PGA can do no wrong, has bought into it.
First (MONEY). Let’s analyze why the PGA did certain things like ban players. Why was Henrick Stenson removed from the Ryder Cup Captainship and why is the mainstream media attacking LIV Golf like it’s the enemy? Keep in mind, LIV Golf did not ask their players to sign an exclusivity clause, meaning that they can and could continue playing on any other tour.
The primary reason the PGA Tour is spreading its influence to demean LIV Golf is very simple and boils down to one word, MONEY. It’s strictly business and the PGA feels threatened that their monopoly on golf, not only in America, but in other parts of the world could be impacted by LIV Golf. Any individual that buys into the notion that LIV Golf is only backed by Saudi and dirty money, needs to understand right up front, that any implications by the PGA to that effect are hypocritical. PGA sponsors spend tens of billions in Saudi, so get past that attack. Anyone who understands business can grasp the reasoning behind the PGA’s decision to ban players from playing and the Ryder Cup stripping Henrick Stenson of his Captaining the team in 2023. Again, it boils down to one word, FEAR. Looking at it in a business perspective, the PGA and the Ryder Cup feel that they can fearmonger and produce enough fear on future players contemplating to play on LIV and using that strategy they can damage LIV from getting more players in the future.
But, LIV has already pulled many of the best players in the world and the sad thing is that they could still be playing on the PGA and in harmony with all other tours and players if the PGA heads would have simmered down. Of the players who have signed with LIV, there are 165 PGA Tour wins between them and many more than that on other international tours. Plus, a large percentage of those wins were completed over the last few years from up and coming players like Carlos Ortiz, Abraham Ancer, Mathew Wolff and others. Is there anyone out there that who explain why these players should not be able to play in the PGA and LIV at the same time. Many players bounce from the PGA to the Asian and the European tours and have for many years. Again, it comes down to a power play to instill fear for other players who may wish to join LIV.
Secondly (POLITICS/MEDIA). We mention the two, politics and the media together, because they are one and the same. In this day and time, it is apparent that when the mainstream media starts attacking you, there is a political agenda. Start with the PGA under Jim Richerson pulling the PGA Championship from Trump and even earlier moving the WGC from Doral to Mexico under Finchem to smack Trump in the face. This was another bout of political correctness hitting golf fans in the face by the PGA heads. It is without any doubt that these tournaments were pulled from Doral and Bedminster due to political opinions and leanings by the PGA heads and board. Otherwise, they would have just relaxed and let it go. And do not think for a moment that a few of these PGA political hacks are not cringing at the thought LIV Golf has and will be played on those two very courses that they pulled from the schedule, due to their hatred of Donald J. Trump.
During the writing of this article news broke today on NJ.com True Jersey that a bill was just introduced from New Jersey Senators Andrew Zwicker and Richard Codey, both Democrats, that would prohibit sports organizations that operate primarily with money from sovereign wealth funds from hosting events in New Jersey. This bill would definitely ban the LIV Tour at Trump’s Bedminster Golf Club. And don’t think for a moment that this isn’t an attack on Trump as well.
Thirdly, (POWER PLAY). Back in the day and even now, when the mafia wants to silence another from speaking out or to promote their agenda, what do they do. They use fear and their influence to coax that individual into acting or not acting. Since the media do not need to be coaxed to spread an agenda, the PGA heads used their clout through a power play to influence players and fans. It was easy to influence a particular portion of fans, because they believe everything they hear on the mainstream media. But the variable that is hard to believe and grasp is the players from the U.S. and Europe that are turning on their fellow golfing peers.
Over the years, players have moved from team to team in all sports. But in golf, you’re characterized more as an independent contractor. If you qualify, you should be able to play. Talk about discrimination. For the PGA heads to suspend players that want to play in LIV, where they are not bound to only play on the LIV Tour, is nothing more than a power play and a monopolistic MONEY & POLITICAL POWER PLAY using the MEDIA to promote their agenda. Unfortunately, many fans are buying into the bullshit without even watching LIV or giving it a chance.
The Tee Box Times challenges any fan that before you judge LIV on what the media or the PGA powers throw at you, watch a round of LIV. At first, I thought oh it’s so different, only three rounds, teams mixed in with individual play and at times a Semi-Happy Gilmore atmosphere, but nothing too extreme. When I watched the first round in London, I was hooked and at Bedminster when Henson was on his way to clinch the individual title, I found myself rooting for The 4 Aces with DJ, Reed, Gooch and Pat Perez. It is definitely growing on me and several other fans, and never think for a moment that that does not scare the PGA heads beyond belief.
We also challenge the PGA players to stop criticizing players who want to play in LIV. They characterize it as moving to LIV Golf, but many of the LIV Golf players would still play in the PGA. It was the PGA, through their power play, that made it appear that golfers moved to LIV. To the PGA players who are criticizing their LIV friends, have more class than that. I don’t hear LIV golfers criticizing you for staying on the PGA Tour.
This article in no way is attacking the essence of the PGA, the PGA concept, or the history and players that made the PGA great. The PGA has done many great things and produced some great players over the decades, but we believe the PGA has been hijacked by political hacks and if this does not stop or change, the PGA may have some serious problems. Sports is supposed to give us an escape to view the competitive nature and greatness of what a human can achieve. The movie ‘Baseketball’ summed it up very well: “There was a time in America when the contest of athletic prowess were a metaphor for the nobility of man. Historic moments forged by the love of the game celebrated the human potential to achieve excellence, but as time passed and the country neared the millennium something went array.” Well my friends, something is very array and we have come to that fork in the road. Which direction will we follow? Will we lose golf in the direction that football and baseball have gone, changing teams names and becoming political arenas for agendas or will we maintain the class and professionalism that players such as Harry Vardon, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Phil Mickelson have brought to the game?
At Tee Box News, we follow what we call “The Essence of Sports” and what many of the players on the PGA and LIV Golf have done to help with charities, communities and kids are astounding. LIV Golf is not any different. “LIV Golf has a bold, long-term vision to grow the game of golf while driving social change in communities across the world,” Atul Khosla, Chief Operating Officer of LIV Golf Investments. “Making a positive impact through collaboration with non-profit organizations and community leaders is an integral part of LIV Golf’s mission, and we are proud to support The Wave Foundation and SEALKIDS Inc., charitable groups committed to protecting our future through environmental support and youth development.” LIV Golf donated one million dollars in local support in Portland. LIV Golf has also committed to give 100 million dollars through its LIV to Give under its global corporate social responsibility platform. Bet you haven’t heard this on social media or the mainstream news.
Every press release from LIV Golf has been nothing but positive and within “The Essence of Golf”. With where we are in the world now, sports should be off limits to political power grabs, but as we can see, it is not. Things need to change. Below are some other moments reflecting the essence of golf from the LIV Tour.
It is time to get politics not only out of golf, but out of sports as a whole or we may lose the games we love forever to political correctness and agenda driven politicians. I don’t lose any respect for Phil, Ian or Sergio for playing on the LIV Tour, nor do I lose respect for Spieth, Tiger or Zalatoris for only playing on the PGA, but, as fans, let’s not be driven by what the media tells us to think. That is why we are where are now. Iconic teams like the Cleveland Indians, the Washington Redskins are gone forever, because politicians want to cater for votes. And don’t be fooled, if we continue down this slope, we will lose sports as we know it. We are already letting men play in women sports, which you would think every woman in America would be protesting, but they’re banking on our complacency. Let’s save not only golf, but sports and the essence it has meant for our youth for so many decades.
Written by: Rick Duncan
President of Tee Box Times (A Group Duncan Company)
Photo, Video & Media Credit: All photos herein are the property of LIV Golf and the USGA and were published by the Tee Box Times with their permission and consent. All content herein, other than property published by permission stated, is the property of teeboxtimes.com and any reproduction, other than normal social media sharing, is strictly prohibited. Copyright ©, teeboxtimes.com. For reprint permission contact us a rick@groupduncan.com
