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Saudi World Golf Tour 2022/2023 Thread

Trump is already involved. Two of the eight LIV events currently scheduled will be played on Trump courses, including the final Championship event in Miami in October. Would expect Trump to present the winners trophy to Phachara Khongwatmai in a touching ceremony.

Trump has a vendetta against the PGA because the 2022 PGA Championship was set for Trump National in NJ, but the PGA of America elected to move the event to Southern Hills after the January 6 insurrection. It would've been the first major played on a Trump course. So, is Trump happy to see his pals in Saudi throw their financial weight behind taking down the Tour? What do you think?
 
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Pilchard said:
The Saudi investment fund has over $620 billion. They don't GAF about a TV contract that might get them a few million. That really makes no difference to them.

For now at least, the Saudis prefer to control all of the broadcast content from the event and avoid the negative reporting that has otherwise surrounded the LIV tour. If interest starts to pick up after a couple of years to the point where they could draw significant dollars (and for the Saudis significant dollars would start with a "B") for selling the media rights, they might consider it, but even then, the key would be allowing the Saudis to control the messaging out of this event. The Saudis aren't doing this because they love golf or to make money off the LIV tour, as they paid $125 million to grab DJ on the downside and $200 million to land Mickelson and he likely would never win another PGA level event had he not jumped to the LIV Tour. Those are not investments that will give the Saudi a direct return on the the money spent, but if the Saudis become influencers in the world of golf (a game that is played and followed many influential and powerful people) that will be worth the monetary losses to overpay for washed up or hated golfers.
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Yeah, your take was better than mine.
 
Never thought I’d have a reason to post this on the PGA Tour thread. I highly recommend watching Young Rock on NBC. There are a bunch of famous and not so famous wrestlers portrayed in the show. One of the plot points of Season 2 is about The Rock’s dad, “Soulman” Rocky Johnson going behind Vince McMahon’s back to sign with a Saudi promoter.
 
I don’t follow soccer, but is there backlash against players who sign with Newcastle?
 
donaldross said:
Seems to me if they get control of the market by overpaying old folks like Phil, they might really cash in on the back end. But what do I know. I don't have a billion dollars so my business plans aren't on that macro level.

I did waste $6 on a Starbucks trip just now. I had no business plan for it. I just wanted to do it. No one yelled at me that I had no business plan and, therefore, shouldn't be buying it. But I'm not from the Middle East.
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I think that once again you would have been better off taking a few minutes and rethinking whether or not to post this. The folks on this board went to Wake Forest and are going to know this is a stupid analogy. Really, really made me cringe and just feel sort of awkward.
 
Haven't read the whole thread, but Saudi Arabia has been trying out "sportswashing" for a few years now. WWE has been holding events there, and the first one was absolutely plastered with propaganda ads for the country in between matches. F1 has been there for a couple years now. They made such a big deal about how they are so progressive in letting women drive now, while failing to mention that people who protested the driving laws before they were changed are STILL in prison for it. Now they are trying golf. The whole thing is just the Saudis trying to buy respectability in the international community, or at least to throw enough money around so that people will overlook the less palatable issues they may have. It's like the "rich" kid in the neighborhood that you didn't really like, but you went to his house anyway because he had all the best toys.
 
MichDeac25 said:
Because their golfers are primarily comprised of players from the PGA Tour and because of super long-standing relationship with the PGA Tour and its personnel?
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I don’t think the PGA has any authority over the majors. Maybe I’m wrong?
 
As posted on this thread the PGA Tour has membership on the Board that governs the Official World Golf Rankings which essentially decides who qualifies for the 4 Majors. LIV events are not recognized by the OWGR.
 
Pilchard said:
As posted on this thread the PGA Tour has membership on the Board that governs the Official World Golf Rankings which essentially decides who qualifies for the 4 Majors. LIV events are not recognized by the OWGR.
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What’s the argument against the LIV tourneys counting in the OWGR (other than spite)?
 
DR: "You guys don't know what whoring yourself out even looks like."

*chases ambulances*
 
Alan Shipnuck, who wrote the recent bio on Phil Mickelson, which I am currently reading, attended the event yesterday. When he arrived to Mickelson's post round press conference, he was immediately removed without doing anything provocative while Greg Norman looked on.

https://www.golfmagic.com/liv-golf/...lan-shipnuck-removed-security-liv-golf-london

Like I was saying yesterday, LIV will get OWGR points and soon. And the majors will just mean more because they are going to be one of few times the best players will be together. The majors want the best players in the world to be present so that will happen: https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news...ral-event-but-not-in-the-way-you-might-think/

This all could have been avoided and still could if the PGA Tour and many golf commentators would humble their egos and handle rich people the way they need to be handled. The czars of the PGA Tour aren't used to being the broke guy in the room. But here they are, by a lot. When you are the broke guy, the last thing you do is ostracize and condemn the really rich guy right in front of him. The rich guy didn't even want this split--the PGA Tour is the only one banning folks. Everyone else just wants free agency. Let him do his thing, welcome him, change the rules and say "we'd love to have you in our events when you can play" and get him back when he ain't lookin'!

Instead the PGA Tour flexed. They are used to being the powerful one and so they knew no other way to do it. Here, they hold almost 0 cards. They are only making it much worse going forward by treating their main competition this way from the outset. The Saudis aren't going away anytime soon. And their budget just went way, way up when you insulted them.
 
What makes you think the LIV will get OWGR points soon?

Have you looked at the board of governors of the OWGR?

Has the OWGR ever sanctioned 54 hole events?

Define soon? This year? Next year?
 
Is there a readily available list of criteria that the OWGR committee uses to determine what events they give points to and how they give out those points?
 
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