2 AUGUST, 2022 - SHANK MEDIA, BY MATT HOOPER: THE PGA TOUR TODAY RELEASED ITS SCHEDULE FOR THE 2022-23 FEDEX CUP SEASON, BEGINNING AT THE FORTINET CHAMPIONSHIP IN CALIFORNIA THIS SEPTEMBER AND RUNNING THROUGH TO THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT AUGUST AT EAST LAKE IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. THE PGA TOUR PROUDLY STATES THAT IT STAGES 44 EVENTS IN 8 COUNTRIES, BUT AS I WILL DISCUSS LATER, IT DOESN'T COME NEAR ENOUGH TO THE GLOBAL FOOTPRINT WHICH IT SHOULD AND COULD.
THE SCHEDULE HAS BY AND LARGE REMAINED THE SAME AS 2021-22, WITH THE BIGGEST CHANGES COMING IN TERMS OF THE PRIZE MONEY ON OFFER. "Next season’s schedule includes record prize money and eight invitationals spread throughout with players competing for elevated purses ranging from $15 to $25 million. The bonus pools totalLing $145 million include $75 million for the FedExCup, $20 million for the Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 and $50 million for the Player Impact Program" THE PGA TOUR SAYS ON THEIR WEBSITE.
THE PGA TOUR ALSO BOAST OF HOW THEIR PRIZE FUNDS HAVE INCREASED FOR CERTAIN EVENTS.
• Kicking off the 2023 portion of the season, the Sentry Tournament of Champions (January 2-8) will have a purse of $15 million, up from $8.2 million in 2022. The winners-only event will lead off 2024 when the TOUR transitions into a calendar season.
• Three player-hosted invitationals, The Genesis Invitational (February 13-19) hosted by Tiger Woods, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (February 27-March 5) and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (May 29-June 4) hosted by Jack Nicklaus will see purses increase from $12 million to $20 million.
• With support from Proud Partners Grant Thornton, Morgan Stanley and Optum, the TOUR’s flagship event, THE PLAYERS Championship (March 6-12), includes a PGA TOUR-record purse of $25 million, up from $20 million in 2022.
• The World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play (March 20-26) will once again feature 64 of the world’s top players competing for $20 million up from $12 million.
SO THEIR ANSWER TO THE EXTORTIONATE MONEY BEING OFFERED BY LIV, IS TO OFFER AS MUCH MONEY BUT THE SAME TIRED PRODUCT IT HAS DISHED OUT FOR DECADES. NO INNOVATION, NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND LESS GLOBAL.
YOU CAN VIEW THE ENTIRE 2022-23 PGA TOUR SCHEDULE HERE.
FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS CHANGED, BUT WHAT'S DIFFERENT? WHERE IS THE INNOVATION?
THE 2023 FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS WILL FEATURE LESS PLAYERS AND ONLY 3 EVENTS, BUT IN ESSENCE VERY LITTLE HAS CHANGED SINCE THE FEDEX CUP WAS INTRODUCED IN 2007, AND WHILST THEY CRITICISE LIV GOLF FOR THEIR NO CUT EVENTS, THE PGA TOUR NOW ENDS ITS SEASON WITH 3 NO CUT EVENTS AND $115MILLION IN PRIZE MONEY. BUT NOTHING IS DIFFERENT, NOTHING IS EXCITING OR RADICAL, ITS THE SAME OLD 72-HOLE BORE FEST WHICH THE PGA TOUR HAS PRESENTED TO GOLFERS AND GOLF FANS FOR DECADES.
NOW MORE THAN EVER THE TOUR AND THE ESTABLISHMENT NEED TO PRESENT SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THE PLAYER AND THE FAN, AND THE FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS IS THAT OPPORTUNITY.
HERE IS MY IDEA TO REVOLUTIONISE THE END OF THE PGA TOUR SEASON:
THE LEADING 64 PLAYERS ON THE FEDEX CUP RANKINGS QUALIFY FOR THE PLAYOFFS
THE PLAYERS ARE SEEDED INTO 8 LEAGUES OF 8 PLAYERS
THE 8 LEAGUES PLAY AT 8 DIFFERENT GOLF COURSES ACROSS THE WORLD, IN DIFFERENT TIME ZONES
EACH PLAYER PLAYS HEAD TO HEAD MATCH PLAY AGAINST EACH OF THE 7 OTHER PLAYERS IN THEIR LEAGUE, PLAYING 7 MATCHES BETWEEN SATURDAY 12 AUGUST AND SUNDAY 20 AUGUST. EACH LEAGUE WOULD BE IN A DIFFERENT TIME ZONE, ENABLING GOLF TO BE BROADCAST ALMOST 24-7, GOLF'S VERSION OF MARCH MADNESS, BUT IN AUGUST.
THE LEADING 3 PLAYERS FROM EACH LEAGUE WOULD QUALIFY DIRECTLY FOR THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
THE NEXT BEST 12 PLAYERS ACCORDING TO PERFORMANCE DURING THE PLAYOFFS WOULD PLAY OFF FOR THE FINAL 6 SPOTS IN THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
THE 30 PLAYERS WOULD THEN BE SEEDED ACCORDING TO REGULAR SEASON PERFORMANCE FOR THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, AS THEY ARE NOW
THIS WOULD BE ENTERTAINING, UNIQUE AND INTERESTING, AND WOULD OFFER GOLF FANS ACROSS THE WORLD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH THE BEST IN THE WORLD, FIRST HAND IN THEIR AREA. IT WOULD ALSO MAKE THE END OF THE PGA TOUR SEASON A GLOBAL SHOWCASE FOR THE SPORT.
WHERE'S THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IN ACTION?
KEITH PELLEY AND JAY MONAHAN MADE MUCH OF THE EXPANDED STRATEGIC ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR PRIOR TO THE IRISH OPEN, WELL WHERE IS IT? THE 2022-23 PGA TOUR SCHEDULE PRESENTS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING DIFFERENT TO WHAT IT DID IN 2021-22. NO ADDITIONAL CO-SANCTIONED EVENTS, EVEN LESS PGA TOUR EVENTS OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND AT THE END OF THIS SEASON, 10 MORE DP WORLD TOUR PLAYERS WILL QUALIFY FOR THE PGA TOUR, FURTHER WEAKENING THE DP WORLD TOUR IN 2023.
THE ROLEX SERIES EVENTS ARE PRIME EVENTS TO BE CO-SANCTIONED BY THE PGA TOUR, AND ALL BAR THE DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP COULD BE CO-SANCTIONED BY THE TOUR FOR ITS 2022-23 SEASON. PGA TOUR CO-SANCTIONING COULD ALSO SEE THE LIKES OF THE NEDBANK GOLF CHALLENGE AND IRISH OPEN RETURN TO THE ROLEX SERIES. THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE PGA TOUR COULD BE CO-SANCTIONING THE 2022 BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, 2022 NEDBANK GOLF CHALLENGE, 2023 ABU DHABI HSBC CHAMPIONSHIP, 2023 SLYNC.IO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC, 2023 HORIZON IRISH OPEN AND 2023 GENESIS SCOTTISH OPEN, AT THE LEAST.
BUT THE ISSUE FOR ME IS THE TOUR CONTINUES TO LISTEN TO MIDDLE OF THE ROAD MEMBERS, SUCH AS JAMES HAHN, WHO HAVE NO GLOBAL OUTLOOK WHATSOEVER. THE SCHEDULE HAS TOKEN GESTURE NON-AMERICAN EVENTS, OF WHICH ONLY THE RBC CANADIAN OPEN, MEXICO OPEN, SCOTTISH OPEN AND ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP WILL ATTRACT A DECENT FIELD. THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IS NOT WORKING FOR GOLF, OR FOR THE DP WORLD TOUR, IT IS WORKING FOR ONE ORGANISATION AND A SMALL GROUP OF GOLFERS, MOST OF WHICH WON'T EVER WIN A FEDEX CUP.
HAHN SYMBOLIC OF THE MODERN PGA TOUR PROFESSIONAL, CARES LITTLE FOR THE SPORT AND LACKS GLOBAL AMBITION
"WE SHOULD BE PLAYING IN MAJOR CITIES" SAYS HAHN. I AGREE JAMES. THE PGA TOUR HAD EVENTS IN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO - THE BARCLAYS AND THE WESTERN OPEN. THEY HAVE REPLACED THOSE WITH PGA TOUR PLAYOFF EVENTS WHICH LOOK FAR DIFFERENT NOW TO HOW THEY LOOKED IN 2007. THE BARCLAYS BECAME THE NORTHERN TRUST AND EVENTUALLY WAS DISCONTINUED, REPLACED BY THE FEDEX ST JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP AND REMARKABLY THE PGA TOUR DOES NOT STAGE AN EVENT IN OR NEAR THE CITY WHICH IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF GOLF IN THE UNITED STATES, AND AMERICA'S ICONIC CITY.
THE OLD WESTERN OPEN IS NOW THE BMW CHAMPIONSHIP AND HAS BEEN PLAYED IN DESTINATIONS FAR FROM THE ORIGINAL REMIT OF THE SECOND-OLDEST EVENT IN AMERICAN GOLF. IN 2021 THE EVENT WAS PLAYED IN MARYLAND, AND IN 2022 IT WILL BE PLAYED IN DELAWARE ON THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. THE WESTERN OPEN DOESN'T JUST NOT EXIST ANYMORE, CHICAGO DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A PGA TOUR EVENT NOW. SO HAHN IS RIGHT IN ONE RESPECT, THAT THE PGA TOUR SHOULD BE HOSTING EVENTS IN MAJOR CITIES, BUT THE NEXT PART OF HIS MONOLOGUE IS WHAT I DISAGREE STRONGLY WITH, AND SHOWS HIS INTROVERTED OUTLOOK.
"PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE AN NFL FOOTBALL TEAM. NOT BERMUDA AND PUERTO RICO."
REALLY.
WHAT ABOUT PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE A REAL FOOTBALL TEAM, SORRY PREMIER LEAGUE, LA LIGA, LIGUE 1, LIGA MX, BRASILIERAO, SUPERSPORT PREMIER LEAGUE, A-LEAGUE OR J-LEAGUE?
THE AMERICAN GOLFERS ATTITUDE TO THE SPORT IS SOMETHING WHICH WILL BE THE UNDOING OF THE PGA TOUR. LIV IS PROMISING TO PRESENT A PRODUCT ON A GLOBAL SCALE, WITH EVENTS SEEMINGLY GOING TO BE STAGED IN IRELAND, SPAIN, JAPAN, THAILAND, SOUTH AFRICA, SAUDI ARABIA, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AMERICA AND ACROSS THE US. EVERY LIV MEMBER WILL PLAY IN EACH EVENT AND THE FANS WILL, EVEN IF THEY DENY IT, MIGRATE TO LIV GOLF IF THEY PRESENT THAT SCHEDULE. MANY OTHER GOLFERS WILL FOLLOW TOO.
GARY PLAYER SAID THAT TO BE A GREAT GOLFER YOU HAD TO PLAY AROUND THE WORLD, AND I NOT ONLY AGREE I BELIEVE IT IS THE ABSOLUTE DUTY OF A WORLD RANKED GOLFER TO DO SO. BUT THEY WON'T DO SO UNTIL THE WORLD'S PREMIER TOUR ACCEPTS IT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO WORK WITH OTHER TOURS AND PRESENT A GLOBAL SCHEDULE.
HOW THE PGA TOUR SCHEDULE COULD LOOK WITH GLOBAL AMBITION, A SPIRIT OF COOPERATION AND INNOVATION
IN THE WAKE OF THE CHALLENGE FROM LIV GOLF THE PGA TOUR ENHANCED ITS ALLIANCE WITH THE DP WORLD TOUR AND THE 2022-23 SCHEDULE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT A TRULY GLOBAL SCHEDULE AND PARTNER WITH THE DP WORLD TOUR, JAPAN GOLF TOUR, SUNSHINE TOUR AND THE PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA ON NUMEROUS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. A SEASON RUNNING FROM LATE SEPTEMBER TO EARLY AUGUST IS SOMETHING THE PGA TOUR HAS EXPRESSED ITS WISH TO MOVE AWAY FROM, BUT IN REALITY THAT IS THE BEST TIMEFRAME FOR THE TOURS OF THE WORLD TO WORK TOGETHER ON A TRULY GLOBAL SCHEDULE.
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE AUTUMN AND WINTER IS A GOOD TIME FOR EVENTS TO BE PLAYED IN THE UK, EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA AND AUSTRALASIA, AND A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE MAJOR TOURS WOULD OPEN UP MORE PLAYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE GOLFERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, BUT ALSO DELIVER THE GLOBAL SCHEDULE MOST OF US WANT TO SEE THE BEST GOLFERS PLAY. THE PGA TOUR HAS DUCKED THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE THAT GLOBAL SCHEDULE, INSTEAD PRESENTING ALMOST THE SAME SCHEDULE AS THIS SEASON, BUT WITH MORE MONEY ON OFFER.
BELOW IS THE SCHEDULE I BELIEVE THE PGA TOUR AND PARTNER TOURS COULD PRESENT TO THE WORLD, AND ONE WHICH WOULD BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR THE SPORT ON A GLOBAL SCALE.
BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, RSM CLASSIC
ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP, SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP
OPEN DE ESPANA, HOUSTON OPEN
CASIO WORLD OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT, BARBASOL CHAMPIONSHIP
DUNLOP PHOENIX TOURNAMENT, BARRACUDA CHAMPIONSHIP
Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters, FORTINET CHAMPIONSHIP
MAGICAL KENYA OPEN, THE AMERICAN EXPRESS
SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN, SHRINERS HOSPITALS OPEN
NEDBANK GOLF CHALLENGE, PUERTO RICO OPEN
AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, BERMUDA CHAMPIONSHIP
AUSTRALIAN OPEN, MAYAKOBA CHAMPIONSHIP
NEW ZEALAND OPEN, SONY OPEN IN HAWAII
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS, Corales Puntacana Championship
ABU DHABI HSBC CHAMPIONSHIP
SLYNC.IO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC
FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN
AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM
WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN
GENESIS INVITATIONAL
THE HONDA CLASSIC
ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP
VALERO TEXAS OPEN
NORTH AND SOUTH OPEN
THE MASTERS
RBC HERITAGE
WELLS FARGO CHAMPIONSHIP
ZURICH GOLF CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS
MEXICO OPEN
AT&T BYRON NELSON
THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
CHARLES SCHWAB CHALLENGE
THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY WORKDAY
RBC CANADIAN OPEN
US OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP
ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC
OPEN DE FRANCE, JOHN DEERE CLASSIC
GENESIS SCOTTISH OPEN
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
HORIZON IRISH OPEN, 3M OPEN
WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP
REST WEEK
PGA TOUR PLAYOFFS
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
THIS WOULD BE A HUGE STEP TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED WORLD PGA TOUR. IT COULD BE FOLLOWED IN 2024 WITH ADDITIONAL CO-SANCTIONED PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR EVENTS FROM JANUARY TO JULY, ENSURING THERE WERE 2 EVENTS EACH WEEK FOR THE BEST GOLFERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO PLAY, AND ENSURING THE MEMBERS OF THE PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR DO NOT LOSE OUT ON EVENTS TO PLAY.
WILL IT HAPPEN? IT IS CLEAR THE PGA TOUR LEADERSHIP, NAMELY JAY MONAHAN, HAS NO APPETITE FOR IT AND THE LIKES OF JAMES HAHN BELIEVE GOLF IS ONLY PLAYED BETWEEN NEW YORK AND LA, AND HE AND HIS PAMPERED PALS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TRAVEL TO FAR FLUNG PLACES SUCH AS BERMUDA AND PUERTO RICO. WHAT HOPE HAVE WE GOT OF GETTING THESE OVERPAID WALLIES TO PLAY IN AUSTRALIA, JAPAN AND SOUTH AFRICA? NONE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE PGA TOUR RIGHT NOW SADLY. AND THAT IS THE GAP IN THE MARKET WHICH WILL BE EXPLOITED BY LIV GOLF, AND THE PGA TOUR HAS ASKED FOR IT, IT WILL GET WHAT IT DESERVES. SADLY IT MAY BRING DOWN THE LIKES OF THE DP WORLD TOUR, SUNSHINE TOUR, PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA AND JAPAN GOLF TOUR WITH IT. DUE TO ITS INTROVERTED ATTITUDE AND LACK OF INNOVATION.