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The past week’s surprising voluntary combination of the PGA Tour entities with the LIV Golf organization has left many golf fans in a daze.
Within hours of the bombshell news, I provided you with my theory as to why this highly unlikely marriage has just occurred. You can read it here.
Summary – Neither party wanted their dirty laundry to be aired in a courtroom over the next several months as part of LIV Golf’s anti-trust lawsuit. Though the PGA Tour has claimed that the cost of litigation was excessive ($50 million), it doesn’t pass the smell test.
In addition to the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, the former European tour (now called the DP World Tour) is going to be part of the new organization, too.
Mergers are always fraught with emotions and usually end up in headcount reduction and other cost cutting measures in the combined organization.
Perhaps you have worked for a company which either acquired one of its competitors or worked for the company being purchased by your competitor or a larger business.
I have been on both sides of it during my lengthy career in business.
There is a short period (a week or so) of surprise and shock on both sides. However, the newly formed entity must forge a new path together fairly quickly. Despite what the worker bees may be discussing in the coffee break room, upper management likely had a game plan in mind prior to the deal ever happening.
In this men’s professional golf merger, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan (you may “boo” him here if you like!) said that the newly combined golf entity has no idea what is going to happen next. If you actually believe him (especially after the past year), I have some oceanfront property in Oklahoma for your retirement home!
Let’s take stock of the assets of this new organization:
PGA Tour:
The PGA Tour – Founded in 1929. The long-time top professional golf tour (North America)
Korn Ferry Tour – Developmental tour for golfers trying to make the PGA Tour (N. America)
Champions Tour – Seniors age 50 and above who (generally) have won at least one PGA tournament during their career (US)
PGA Tour Canada – I didn’t know about this one, did you?
PGA Tour China – Oh, really? And the PGA Tour was throwing tomatoes at LIV Tour?
PGA Tour Latino America – Another surprise.
DP World Tour (Formerly European Tour):
The DP World Tour – Founded 1972. Plays golf in Europe, Australia, Africa, and Asia. Plays for much smaller purses (about 60% less) than the PGA Tour.
Challenge Tour – Developmental tour (similar to Korn Ferry Tour)
European Senior Tour – Seniors age 50 and above (similar to Champions Tour)
LIV Golf:
LIV Golf Tour – Founded 2022. 48 top professional golfers signed (with substantial bonuses) away from PGA and DP World Tour. Events played in US, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The Roman numeral LIV = 54. That is the number of holes in a LIV Golf tournament. Additionally, there is team scoring with 12 teams of four players apiece competing for significant prize money for the top three places each week. Events begin with a shotgun start on 16 different golf holes (three players on each tee). Music is played at the 18th hole to (theoretically) enhance the atmosphere for golf fans. The sound can be heard at most places on the golf course.
Now, let’s align the assets by functionality:
3 Journeyman Tours – PGA-Canada, PGA-China, and PGA Latino America. These are the easiest for entry level professional golfers to test the waters. Success may lead to a higher level of competition in one of the…
2 Developmental Tours – PGA-Korn Ferry and DP World-Challenge Tour. At the end of each season, the top finishers are awarded an automatic spot in a primary Tour. This leads to…
3 Primary Tours – PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf. Failure to earn enough money at the end of a season can lead to a demotion. After a professional golfer reaches age 50, this may lead to…
2 Senior Tours – PGA – Champions Tour and the DP World Senior Tour. Golfers age 50+ transition to playing 54-hole events on shorter golf courses. Some of senior golfers retain eligibility to play in a few events on the primary tours.
In reviewing the current structure of the professional golf tours, there are a few obvious things which jump out.
- With so many tentacles at various levels of professional golf, the PGA Tour has operated as a virtual monopoly in men’s golf for a very long time.
- LIV Golf (comprised of just 48 golfers) operates with a small subset of the total number of professional golfers but features the largest prize money per event. This small roster of LIV Golfers has (generally) attained a greater degree of golf success (major wins and tournament victories) per golfer than the current roster of PGA Tour and DP World players.
- After this combination of men’s golf tours, this is now a true monopoly. Don’t be surprised if the PGA Tour/LIV Golf marriage is legally challenged in the courts soon.
Let’s modify LIV Golf to give it a unique identity and niche. Here are a few ideas:
LIV Golf becomes a separate tour for golfers from age 36 until the reach age 50
Rationale – It is a fact that most PGA golfers win majority of their Tour events before the age of 40. Golf fans will never forget Jack Nicklaus’ exciting back nine rally to win the Masters in 1986 at age 46. Two years ago, 50-year old Phil Mickelson thrilled fans with his win at the 2021 PGA Championship.
Those are the exceptions. Most golfers in their 40’s struggle to remain eligible on the PGA Tour until they become eligible for the senior tour beginning at age 50.
How to determine new LIV Golf Tour eligibility:
Age 36 and older – If a golfer has won at least one major championship, you become immediately eligible to play on the LIV Golf tour.
Age 36 and older – If a golfer has won at least two PGA Tour or DP European Tour events (or one event on each tour), you become eligible.
Golfers reaching age 50 and older – As long as the golfer remains qualified annually, the player may continue participating on the LIV Golf tour. This player also becomes eligible to play on a senior tour as well.
Check out the golfers who would be eligible to play in LIV Golf!
There are currently 17 major championship winners ages 36 through 50 years who would now be eligible to play on this new version of the LIV Golf tour. This impressive group of golfers includes (in alphabetic order):
Age 46-50:
Stewart Cink – British Open
Ben Curtis – British Open
Jason Dufner – PGA Championship
Zach Johnson – Masters and British Open
Justin Leonard – British Open
Tiger Woods – Grand Slam Winner
Age 41-45:
Lucas Glover – US Open
Trevor Immelman – Masters
Geoff Ogilvy – US Open
Justin Rose – US Open
Adam Scott – Masters
Jimmy Walker – PGA Championship
Ages 36-40:
Keegan Bradley – PGA Championship
Shane Lowry – British Open
Francesco Molinari – British Open
Webb Simpson- US Open
Gary Woodland – US Open
In addition to these major championship winners, there is a large group of golfers within the age group of 36-50 who have earned two or more PGA Tour wins. They would become eligible for this revised version of LIV Golf.
Former Ryder Cup golfers within this group include Chad Campbell, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Ryan Moore, Brandt Snedeker, and Boo Weekley.
Other PGA golfers with two or more wins are Aaron Baddeley, Jonathan Byrd, Matt Every, Bill Haas, Charley Hoffman, Billy Horschel, Kevin Kisner, Russell Knox, Sean O’Hair, Ryan Palmer, Chez Reavie, Rory Sabatini, Heath Slocum, Scott Stallings, Jhonattan Vegas, Camilo Villegas, and Johnson Wagner.
All LIV Golfers may opt to return to the PGA or DP World Tour (fully exempt) after the conclusion of playing one full year on the LIV Golf Tour.
Any golfer may return to his previous Tour after completing a full year on the LIV Golf Tour. Golfers who want to return to the PGA Tour or DP World Tour will be exempt for the next season. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour rosters would be expanded for the next golf season to accommodate any returning golfers.
LIV Golf will no longer offer signing bonuses.
Effective immediately, there will be no future LIV golf bonuses paid. For the golfers currently under contract with a LIV Golf signing bonus, they must remain on the LIV Golf Tour through the remainder of their contractual commitment.
LIV Golfers will continue to receive weekly minimum prize money per event and an annual minimum salary (if playing in the required number of events).
Any golfers electing to play on the LIV Golf Tour are already former winners. As such, they have earned the right to be paid for their time and enough money to cover expenses.
LIV Golfers must retain qualifications to return for the following year.
The top 36 LIV golfers (total prize money earned from individual and team competitions) will receive an automatic exemption to return in the following year. As stated earlier, any player may opt to return to the PGA or DP World Tour following one full season on the LIV Golf Tour. The LIV player draft will be held annually (more below) and expanded as needed to complete a field of 48 golfers for the next season.
How about a LIV Golf Annual Player Draft?
Each year, a minimum of 12 spots will become available on the LIV Golf Tour. Some PGA Tour and DP World Tour players will become newly eligible to play on the LIV Golf tour at the end of the season.
Any players meeting the LIV Golf eligibility requirements may apply to join the tour after conclusion of each season. New LIV golfers will be chosen based on players having the highest cumulative career earnings on the PGA and DP World Tours as of the end of the preceding golf season.
Once the new LIV Golf players are announced, the 12 LIV Golf teams will draft these new players. The team which earned the least money in the previous year will draft first, etc. until each team has four members for the new season.
LIV Golf Rules remain the same
The LIV Golf events will be 54 holes with a daily shotgun start. The players are in 16 groups of 3 players each and start the round on different holes.
The LIV Golf team concept will be retained. The LIV Golf event will pay 2/3 of its prize money to individual golfers based on their 54-hole cumulative scores. The other 1/3 of the prize money will be split by the top three LIV Golf teams. The winning team will split 50% of the team prize pool with second place earning 30% and the third place team splitting 20%. This insures that all 48 LIV Golf players will be trying their best in all three rounds to help the team score and earn more money.
New – LIV Golf Team prize money will be matched with a donation to charities at each event
A matching amount of the three LIV Golf Teams’ weekly prize money will be donated by LIV Golf to each team’s designated charity or charities. This will help motivate the players and build goodwill with golf fans.
Summary – The LIV Golf Tour must find its own niche within the men’s professional golf circuits. Creating a tour for exceptional golfers on the downside of their careers (ages 36 through 49) will expand interest in men’s golf for middle aged fans.