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Saudi World Golf Tour 2022/2023 Thread

Forget the politics for a minute and think about why one would go to that tour. 48 man field, $25M purse, $4M first prize, 3 rounds, no cut and DFL gets $180K. The elite guys, top 60 or so don’t need it. As to others we’re talking generational wealth. A guy like Varner (one of the nicest guys out there) has been playing his ass off and has yet to win on tour. It’s really hard to win a PGA tour event and the money is huge. A guy like Varner could conceivably win $8M plus easy in one season.
 
Shake said:
Forget the politics for a minute and think about why one would go to that tour. 48 man field, $25M purse, $4M first prize, 3 rounds, no cut and DFL gets $180K. The elite guys, top 60 or so don’t need it. As to others we’re talking generational wealth. A guy like Varner (one of the nicest guys out there) has been playing his ass off and has yet to win on tour. It’s really hard to win a PGA tour event and the money is huge. A guy like Varner could conceivably win $8M plus easy in one season.
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Varner is a good example. He has made over $6.5M in 2019, 2020, 2021 and so far in 2022 - $1.8 so far this year. But he hasn't won. I know everything is relative and when you have made a lot of money you just want to make a lot more - but, does he NEED the money from this new tour? In my mind, no, he does not. If I were him I would want to keep plugging on the PGA tour until I won - forget the big money on the new tour.
 
And if they do think about politics they see people taking Saudi money without consequences. They have to be thinking “why not me?” Plenty of expats work for the Saudi government anyway.
 
Varner likely has at least another million, probably more, in PGA retirement deferrals. He also got to the PGA Tour via the Web.com tour, which is paid for by the PGA Tour and has seen drastic increases in payouts over the past few years. He also runs the HV3 Foundation which gets both money, advertising, and event support from the PGA Tour to help kids get access to the game of golf.

I get that it's a different equation for Euro/Foreign players who already play Saudi events on the European Tour. 50 Korn Ferry players made more than the Challenge Tour's money leader last year, so their options simply aren't as good. But those guys aren't in the same equation as Americans feeding a self-proclaimed rival tour funded by the Saudis.

There's also the risk that the LIV Tour falls apart and nobody gets paid after the first couple events draw 500 viewers on Facebook Live...
 
There’s more than enough money to sustain their tour for a few years at least…these guys aren’t in it to make money, they’re looking for status and to be a player in professional golf. They want to change the game and again putting politics aside some of the ideas are very fan friendly.
 
Shake said:
There’s more than enough money to sustain their tour for a few years at least…these guys aren’t in it to make money, they’re looking for status and to be a player in professional golf. They want to change the game and again putting politics aside some of the ideas are very fan friendly.
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Uhhhhh, nah bruh. They are in it for one reason and one reason only. MONEY

HV3 is a good example, yeah he's made some money he lives a good life. But the Saudi money puts him into the next tier, and sets up his kids grandkids. Hard to pass up.
 
guitardeac said:
This is why i love Biff. His pithiness
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Shake said:
There’s more than enough money to sustain their tour for a few years at least…these guys aren’t in it to make money, they’re looking for status and to be a player in professional golf. They want to change the game and again putting politics aside some of the ideas are very fan friendly.
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They are ONLY in it for the money. Westwood, Poulter, Kokrak have basically already admitted as much. Phil is basically broke due to his gambling.

Only guy maybe not in it for the money is Scott because a worldwide calendar fits his life a little better.
 
Sponsorships are one thing I wonder about. Someone like Varner - or any of the players that play the LIV - has several sponsorships that are are at least fairly lucrative and lucrative enough to at least cover his costs of traveling and playing the tour. I wonder if a guy like that will lose some of his sponsors if he switched to LIV? Maybe those sponsors dont want to be connected to Saudi Arabia and what that brings. Or maybe the lack of TV coverage - relative to the PGA Tour - will cause them to bail from paying a player like that. Yes, the LIV purses are huge but I don't see sponsors lining up anymore to pay the players that play LIV.
 
guitardeac said:
Sponsorships are one thing I wonder about. Someone like Varner - or any of the players that play the LIV - has several sponsorships that are are at least fairly lucrative and lucrative enough to at least cover his costs of traveling and playing the tour. I wonder if a guy like that will lose some of his sponsors if he switched to LIV? Maybe those sponsors dont want to be connected to Saudi Arabia and what that brings. Or maybe the lack of TV coverage - relative to the PGA Tour - will cause them to bail from paying a player like that. Yes, the LIV purses are huge but I don't see sponsors lining up anymore to pay the players that play LIV.
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Apparently the LIV guys have to wear uniforms so I doubt they can wear all their sponsored stuff which would break some agreements I imagine.
 
deacondamo said:
Apparently the LIV guys have to wear uniforms so I doubt they can wear all their sponsored stuff which would break some agreements I imagine.
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I'd expect most sponsors to drop guys who bolt to the LIV. LIV is an existential threat to the PGA and DP, and it's being funded by the Saudis. Guys who bolt will become pariahs to both peers and sponsors. I'm just hoping no guys in their primes bolt for that thing so it's just a bunch of has beens.

Edited to add that Nicklaus' comments about the PGA being wrong in taking the PGA away from Trump's Bedminster course after 1/6 really don't make sense now that Trump is part of the LIV tour. Not only do Jack's politics continue to suck, but why would the PGA want to include an event where the course owner is a partner with a rival league that is at war with the PGA.
 
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Golfers and other athletes are in a world of billionaires. This idea that they don’t need the money doesn’t matter. They’re going to take the money they can get.
 
Shake said:
There’s more than enough money to sustain their tour for a few years at least…these guys aren’t in it to make money, they’re looking for status and to be a player in professional golf. They want to change the game and again putting politics aside some of the ideas are very fan friendly.
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I am sure that's what the guys going to LIV want everyone to think.."it's not about the money.."
 
PhDeac said:
Golfers and other athletes are in a world of billionaires. This idea that they don’t need the money doesn’t matter. They’re going to take the money they can get.
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100%. Despite already making $300 million in his career, Max Scherzer signed with the Mets because they offered him the most money; Scherzer had previously indicated that he didn't want to play in NY, but the money was too good.

Also, keep in mind that athletes aren't making these decisions alone. They have agents, advisors and family members who all receive the trickle down when their horse brings in more cash. Generally, those advisors have their own interests in mind when encouraging athletes to take the option that offers the biggest payout.
 
Tiger can walk. Probably going to win now.

 
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