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By Alex Lauzon from the “Course of Life” podcast
Golf’s Ultimate Woj Bomb
Have you caught your breath yet golf fans? I haven’t had a Twitter session like this morning in years, but news drops like this will make you do crazy things. If you’re a fan of golf or sports at all it comes as no surprise to see a new headline in the PGA Tour vs. LIV Tour saga draped over your news feed…but Tuesday’s news of a MERGER between the two rival tours? Simply stunning.
In a world where leaks, secrets, and rumors always seem to flood out before the actual announcement is made, the news of the Saudi-backed golf league joining forces with the PGA Tour and DP World Tours came from out of nowhere. PGA Tour players, LIV golfers, most of the media and us as golf fans were all hit across the face with a headline for the ages. So what does this news REALLY mean for the future of the game? Let’s examine each side:
LIVing At The Bank
Well, the biggest and most obvious winners are the LIV Tour executives and competitors. While the LIV outpost probably could have paved its own separate path for years and be the red herring in competitive golf, they ended up having their cake and eating it too. The tour branched off on its own and corralled major champions and a surprisingly strong roster of players, and as unimpressive as the visuals of play looked at times, it affected the overall outlook and quality of product to the tour. They mowed down the competition and essentially strong-armed their way into merging with their rival in the PGA Tour. Now LIV players like Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and dozens of others are richer than their wildest dreams while regaining the ability to now play on either tour. It’s an unbelievable “HAHA” moment for these guys, who get to prance back onto the PGA Tour holding their new $100 million carrot over their counterparts.
Tour Defeat
The most glaring loss from this merger news has got to be PGA Tour executives and commissioner Jay Monahan doing a virtual 180-degree spin on their previous word. Up until now the language from the PGA Tour had always portrayed the LIV Tour as an unsuitable partner in competitive golf that could not be trusted or partnered with. Monahan illicit the guilt points of having to do business with the same nation that took part in the 9/11 attacks, and a year later he’s doing that exact same business that he condoned with the Saudis heading up the LIV Tour. Furthermore, the alliance of golfers who asked for change like Mickelson (leading to their departure) did force the PGA Tour’s hand after their departure to modernize the product, but now Phil and other LIv Tour golfers will be welcomed back for actions and sentiments that previously got their tour cards revoked. The hypocrisy is spewing everywhere and it’s not a great look in that aspect. If you’re honorary player commissioner Rory McIlroy, or a tour ally like Justin Thomas or Jordan Spieth that likely turned down $100+ million to play for LIV, you’ve got to be punching air right now at this news.
We Win.
Now let’s talk about us and not the rich guys that golf for a living. For us golf fans and sports fans alike, this is AMAZING news and a great day for people who like to watch great golf. The merger officially will get all of the two tour stars back under one umbrella by 2024, and the possibilities are simply endless for how LIV’s impact could affect its new, merged product. Will there be four-man teams across the entirety of pro golf? Will we keep LIV events, courses, and formats and intertwine them into a new PGA Tour schedule? How much LOUDER will these merged tour events be? Are we golfing in shorts full-time now?! There are roughly 9 million questions to be answered, but just the thought of what competitive golf could look like in the years ahead is beyond fascinating. Get ready for the fan revolution of golf.
Brainstorming The Future Of Golf
To settle the score once and for all, can we do a Ryder-cup-style competition with the LIV OG’s against the PGA Tour cronies? I’ll not, I’ll take Rory’s new four-man team vs Phil’s HyFlyers.
I’m sure the CW is thrilled they can get back to those Charmed and Family Feud reruns on weekend afternoons.
If nothing else, I think we’ve now guaranteed that there will be one “get drunk and be loud” hole at every tour stop, so plan accordingly. Also, post-round concerts are now mandatory.
Last but not least…get ready to see a lot more PGA Tour/LIV merged events overseas. Yasir al-Rumayyan from the Saudi Arabia PIF is the new chairman of the board.
Golf FAQs
How do PGA Golf Majors Pools work?
In PGA Golf Majors Pools, member select six golfers to compete on a roster over the course of an event. The member with the best combined score from the six golfers wins.
Can you include all four majors into one pool?
Yes, but your commissioner can also customize these setting with RunYourPool. Pools can include up to all four majors, repicking golfers each time or adding bonus points for finishing positions
How do I assemble a roster?
Golfers are broken up in to six tiers, as members select one golfer per tier to be on their Major roster.
What happens to golfers who miss the cut?
Any PGA Player who does not make the cut will be given the highest score of Round 3 and Round 4, respectively.
What are the four golf majors?
The Masters is the first major of the season, in April. The PGA Championship and the U.S. Open follow, with the British Open ending as the final major.
How do PGA One and Dones work?
Members in a pool select one golfer to win a tournament, but can't pick that golfer again for the rest of the season. The member with the best score at the end of the season wins.
What is a PGA One and Done pool?
A PGA One-and-Done Pool is a contest similar to Survivor Pools, in which members can only select a golfer one time per season for events.
Which tournaments are played for PGA One and Dones?
Pool commissioners can set up the season for as many or as few tournaments as desired. Go crazy and do all of them! Or dial it back for the major events. As commissioner of a RunYourPool contest, you decide which events to play in!
How to run a weekly golf pool?
In order to run a golf pool, you must first crown yourself as Pool Commissioner. Begin by picking a game type like One and Done or Pick-X Pools. You'll want to establish rules before inviting friends, family, and colleagues to join. As commissioner, you make the rules and also need to enforce them equally and fairly.
How do golf Pick-X Pools work?
Members select a certain number of golfers per tournament, set by the pool commissioner. The member earns the total winnings that their selected golfer won for the tournament. Whichever member earns the most winnings over the duration of the season wins.
What is a golf Pick-X Pool?
A Pick-X Golf Pool calculates tournament winnings rather than strokes gained when deciding a winner. This amplifies the big name events that feature a higher prize purse.
How to run a golf pool?
How you decide to run a golf pool varies greatly depending on the game type. In each case, however, you'll want to determine the rules and settings before you begin inviting members to join you. You'll want to clearly establish how score will be kept, how tiebreakers work, and how winners are decided before anything else.
What is a prop bet?
Prop bets are any sort of pick or wager on a game that has nothing to do with the score or the final score outcome. Props can range from game types, to team types and even player types - such as who will score the game's first and last touchdowns? Other props, such as novelty or exotic, feature bets on things such as the coin flip or the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
How do Masters Prop Bets Pools work?
Pool members simply fill out a wide range of prop questions, each question worth a different value. Commissioners decide on the point value for each question, along with the amount of questions. Whichever member earns the most points based on corret answers wins the pool.
When is the Masters?
The Masters is typically in April and the first major of the golf season. The 2023 Masters is set for Thursday, April 6 and will run until Sunday, April 9.
Where is the Masters played?
The Masters is annually held at the Augusta National Golf Club located in Augusta, Georgia, USA.
