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The PGA TOUR is in a precarious position. It does not run, or control, any of the 4 major tournaments -- Masters (Augusta National), US Open (USGA), Open Champi

The PGA TOUR is in a precarious position. It does not run, or control, any of the 4 major tournaments -- Masters (Augusta National), US Open (USGA), Open Championship (Royal & Ancient) or even, ironically, the PGA Championship (PGA of America, a different entity than PGA TOUR). PGA can continue to run relatively meaningless events (Valspar Open, Honda Classic, etc) but the game has concentrated around the majors (same as tennis's Grand Slam events) and PGA TOUR has no ability to keep the LIV players out of the majors.

theluketaylor 4y ago
I think the next move is for the tour to try and keep LIV events from getting OWGR points since that's the main qualification for majors. Right now LIV events don't have any and many of the top players who have jumped ship have exemptions into the majors for a few years, but if the LIV fields stay weak and the OWGR points stay low only a handful of LIV players will be in majors after a couple years. Augusta is likely the tour's best option to ban LIV players since they hate controversy of any kind so much. They already told Phil not to show up over his Saudi comments and if the pressure on the sportswashing stays in place until next April I could see them not inviting LIV players. People are also calling for the tour to declare the Players Championship a major, and I'd be curious to see if that worked. If they can just declare stuff a major whats to stop a sponsor from buying one?
- listenallyall 4y ago
  A handful of people have been calling the Players a major for a while -- mostly people who have succeeded there and not at the real majors. I recall a clip with David Duval where he interrupted an interviewer who said he hadn't won a major, by saying he had won the Players and that's a major. Sorry, no it isn't. (To be fair, Duval did later win the British Open)

theluketaylor 4y ago

I think the next move is for the tour to try and keep LIV events from getting OWGR points since that's the main qualification for majors. Right now LIV events don't have any and many of the top players who have jumped ship have exemptions into the majors for a few years, but if the LIV fields stay weak and the OWGR points stay low only a handful of LIV players will be in majors after a couple years. Augusta is likely the tour's best option to ban LIV players since they hate controversy of any kind so much. They already told Phil not to show up over his Saudi comments and if the pressure on the sportswashing stays in place until next April I could see them not inviting LIV players. People are also calling for the tour to declare the Players Championship a major, and I'd be curious to see if that worked. If they can just declare stuff a major whats to stop a sponsor from buying one?

listenallyall 4y ago
A handful of people have been calling the Players a major for a while -- mostly people who have succeeded there and not at the real majors. I recall a clip with David Duval where he interrupted an interviewer who said he hadn't won a major, by saying he had won the Players and that's a major. Sorry, no it isn't. (To be fair, Duval did later win the British Open)