I know the title might be a bit arrogant. I understand. But honestly, after the weekend that we have just experienced in the world of golf, the question arises. What do you have left as an argument for not recognizing the legitimacy of LIV on the chessboard of world golf?
Worst of all is that the best comment of the last few days goes to James Hahn, a PGA player, who wondered on Twitter, why we have to choose a side, to love one to the detriment the other? When it’s so easy to appreciate the sport as a whole and everything around it.
I’ve said it, and I’ll say it again, I love and adore the PGA Tour. They represent history, legend, emotion. Almost ALL of the greatest moments in golf have happened at PGA Tour events, by PGA Tour golfers. The PGA Tour is the foundation and the cornerstone of a sport that we are all passionate about.
Of course it’s personal to like something or not. Like music. You may or may not like the music of Marc Hervieux, Corneille, etc. But it’s when bad faith operates that it tickles me.
At some point in the last 5 holes of the tournament in Jeddah, the top six rungs of the leader board consisted of Koepka, Uihlein, Garcia, Niemann, Casey and Dustin Johnson. Between them six, it’s 77 professional career victories. It’s dozens and dozens of top 10s in major tournaments, historic victories. It was a captivating, close end to the tournament.
And I still read people talking about exhibition. OK perfect. You don’t like the circuit. It is your fullest right. But please, look at the numbers and analyze the various tournaments in progress the same weekend before saying that this victory means nothing.
I repeat, winning on the LIV has nothing to do with winning on the PGA Tour right now. Nothing. Why? Because everything is still to be built. Because the circuit is seven tournaments old. Because things are still coming together. Because no professional circuit has written history in a year.
But winning is winning. Against 48 guys, against 156, against 1000 guys. To win is to win. When we travel the roads of Quebec and Ontario with the program Les Pros and the East Coast Pro Tour, and the tournaments are decided over 2 days, generally between 40 to 90 golfers, winning is winning. You haven’t “less won” the tournament because it’s only two days. Because there are only 45 guys. You were the best at that time, under the conditions that were offered to you!
When the PGA of Quebec presents a tournament, the winner is always in the same group of 6 or 7 golfers who still have the level of play to win in competition. Yohann Benson, Dom Lalonde, Tim Alarie, PA Bédard, Francis Tanguay have not won “less” because it is a single-day tournament, or because half of the list of players has not touched his sticks for 2 weeks or even a month.
In short, a victory is a victory. Still. For Brooks Koepka, it represents the end of 2 years of uncertainty, the confirmation that his choice to bring back Claude Harmon was the right one. For Koepka, this victory is the beginning of a new stage in his life as a pro golfer.
And I tell you this, but generally, I know that you appreciate the product. This is reflected in the ratings, in the questions we receive, in the dozens, even hundreds of discussions that I have had with many of you, either in person or on the platforms. This translates into the discussions on the different golf groups, which are lively but mostly respectful, with the exception of three or four cuckoo clocks who certainly spend their lives angry for nothing or worse.
But that’s in hockey, in boxing, in baseball. It’s everywhere. Because sport is emotional. Sport takes us to the guts, and when we experience an emotion that jostles us, some simply do not know how to manage it.
In a year, the LIV will be well established, the PGA Tour will have its “elevated events”, the major tournaments will oppose the best players in the world from everywhere. LIV players will have access to select DP World Tour events. And they lived happily and had many children.
We are currently experiencing a whirlwind, caused by a giant who arrived in the village by tearing down some trees and some houses in his path. We experience the tumult of change that takes place at 200 miles an hour, and humanly speaking, not everyone is equipped for this kind of “shock”. And it’s very understandable.
In short. The first season of LIV Golf is already in the books, or almost. The highlights are piling up, top quality players are increasingly converging on the circuit. The November-February period will be crucial for the new circuit. Expect to see other legends of the “game” appear there next February.
Expect to see other young wolves trying to find a place there. Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, we want tons of them. This young athlete is amazing. It will be good, very good, and for a very long time.
The discussions will be lively, and lively for a while yet, and that’s okay. It is even necessary. But don’t feel like you have to pick a side. Don’t feel like you’re sitting on the fence. Either way, no matter your grievances, both are here to stay, for a long time. They won’t go anywhere.
See you soon. We are waiting for you at the end of October for the team championship in Miami!
