The speech of Jay Monahan, the general commissioner of the PGA Tour, Tuesday at a press conference before the Players Championship, was eagerly awaited. As expected, he touched on the main topics that have been shaking the world of golf for several months, but without ever pronouncing the term LIV Golf…
Commissioner Jay Monahan speaks with the media before @THEPLAYERSChamp. https://t.co/7TrCC8g7ra
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 7, 2023
In his statement prior to the Q&A session Jay Monahan made a point of mentioning Tuesday, in a press conference of the Players Championshipthe memory of John Paramorformer chief umpire of the DP World Tourrecently deceased: He was a giant of our sport and worked closely with our team on many Players Championships. We are thinking of his family and the entire golf family he was part of. », a dit Monahan.
Designated Events, just for the best…
To justify current and future developments, the Commissioner of the PGA Tour attacked very hard from the start, with some significant figures: “What percentage of top 10, top 20, top 30 players in the world end up in a Major? More than 95%. And how much on average in a PGA Tour tournament? Less than 40%. I repeat: less than 40%. »
Obviously, everything has already started to change in 2023, with the “boosted” tournaments. The trays were very high at the start of the year, with almost all of the world’s top Phoenix Openau Genesis Invitational and at Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, three tournaments with $20 million in prize money. With the bonus of a permanent fight for the throne of world number 1 between Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler et Jon Rahm.
Do you really think it’s the same thing?
When it comes to LIV and the similarities between future PGA Tour limited-field no-cut tournaments with events on the “rebel” circuit, Jay Monahan is very offensive: “ Do you really think it’s the same thing? »
And insist on the selection system based on meritocracyone of the mainstays of the PGA Tour. “Next year’s tournaments, with this new format (no cut), will be reserved for players who have earned the right to participate, by finishing in the top 50 of the FedEx Cupor playing very well during the fall, or on the Florida Swing. »
Nicklaus, Palmer and Woods, 66 wins in no-cut tournaments
Another strong argument, already mentioned a few hours earlier by Rory McIlroy, at the same podium: “ I don’t know if you know this, but the PGA Tour has always had limited roster, no-cut tournaments. Jack Nicklaus won 17 times in this format, Arnold Palmer 23 times and Tiger Woods 26 times. And the format does not diminish the value of their victories. »
Fans will love to see the best players compete more often, still being there on weekends
Aware of the lack of enthusiasm caused by this decision among the fans, Jay Monahan is convinced that the golf enthusiasts that they will appreciate “Seeing the best players fight each other more often, still being there on the weekends. »
According to him, ” there will always be so many cuts one way or another, notably in the final FedEx Cup sequence, with eliminations at the end of each stage and only one champion at the end.
To maintain its right to play, after the FedEx, there will still be the seven or eight tournaments in the fall, once the Tour Championship completed. And again the first three Florida Swing tournaments, of which only the first five will qualify for the “Designated Events” which follow, according to the new draft calendar explained Tuesday morning to Players players, from 7:30 am, a week later its ratification by the PGA Tour Board.
The end of WGC
Monahan also confirmed the end of the WGC Match-Play, the last edition of which will take place in Austin in 15 days. He hopes that a Match Play tournament will be on the calendar again in the next few years, but it certainly won’t be in 2024.
Regarding the WGC, he explains that for 25 years these events were major events but that their entry methods were difficult to read, not very clear.
According to him the “Designated Events” do not replace the WGC since they are reserved for players of the PGA Tour whereas the WGC were open to many players from additional circuits.
Finally, still on this theme, Monahan unfortunately did not mention, as Rory Mcilroy did last week, the possibility that Designated Events could emerge abroad and in particular in Europe…
Yes, it’s strange, but he (Cameron Smith) has made up his mind and we still have an amazing line-up this week here
Without ever quoting the LIV Golf, Monahan spoke of the lack of Cameron Smith, winner last year and now playing in the “enemy” camp. “ He played very well in 2022 and deserved his wins here and at The Open at St Andrews.” But he immediately added that with the very high level gathered for this 49th Players, ” we will again crown a very deserving champion on Sunday. »
Although Cam Smith, who lives near the course, said he was considering coming to see the tournament ” Yeah, it’s weird, but he’s made up his mind, and we still have an incredible line-up this week here, with 144 players looking for history and lore. »
Always closed door
Another nagging question, in recent weeks, around certain LIV Golf players who would have regrets, or remorse, and would like to return to the PGA Tour… if they are authorized to do so:
« I heard that a lot lately, I don’t really know where it comes from. But the players who are on this Tour have signed contracts that they must respect. So I think your assumptions are irrelevant. And you know perfectly well that I hate hypotheses. On this point, our position has not changed “. Instant translation: if any LIV Golf players want to come back, Monahan won’t give them a gift.
The players who are on this Tour have signed contracts that they must respect
Too many advertising screens
Finally, another subject raised during this river-conference (more than an hour), the amount of commercials that had chopped the television broadcast of the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend, and even made viewers miss some important shots.
This weekend, ” the scheduled 22 hours of broadcast will only result in a limited number of commercial interruptions “, promised Monahan, very happy also that for PGA Tour Live on ESPN+his teams planned to produce “ more than 150 hours of live coverage, thanks to four streaming channels. »
Aware of the “discontent” aroused by the poor quality of the PGA Tour broadcasts, he wanted to reassure fans who wish “ see as many live shots as possible. »
With also, on ESPN +, a base of 25 million subscribers, 60% of whom are between 18 and 44 years old. Hence the interest in building their loyalty, for example by offering them next year a Season 2 of ” Full Swing », the documentary of Netflix inspired by ” Drive To Survive “, the series that has become cult on Formula 1. It’s signed, filming begins…
Photo : David Cannon Collection / Getty Images via AFP
