U.S.G.A. Could Bar LIV Golf Players From Future U.S. Opens
Whan’s comments come a month after Seth Waugh, the P.G.A. of America chief executive, stood firmly behind the PGA Tour, calling it a part of what he referred to as golf’s ecosystem.
“Our bylaws do say that you have to be a recognized member of a recognized tour in order to be a PGA member somewhere, and therefore eligible to play,” Waugh said, speaking of the P.G.A. Championship.
A Quick Guide to the LIV Golf Series
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A new series. The new Saudi-financed, controversy-trailed LIV Golf series held its first event in June. But what is it? Who is playing it? What’s all the hubbub, and how can you watch it? Here’s what to know:
What is LIV Golf? The series is an upstart professional golf circuit bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Its organizers hope to position it as a player-power-focused alternative to the PGA Tour, which has been the highest level of pro golf for nearly a century.
What is attracting the players? The LIV Golf events are the richest tournaments in golf history. The first tournament’s total purse was $25 million, and the winner’s share was $4 million. The last-place finisher at each event was guaranteed $120,000. That is on top of the appearance fees and nine-figure signing-on payouts some players have accepted.
How can I watch the new tour? Despite its high-profile golfers and its big-money backing, LIV Golf has not yet secured a broadcast rights agreement in the United States and will be shown on lesser-watched streaming services in much of the world. In the United States, this week’s tournament will be available via live streams on LIVGolf.com, YouTube and Facebook.
Addressing the LIV Golf tour, Waugh said: “I don’t know if it’s a league, it’s not a league at this point — but the league structure is somewhat flawed.”
So where does that leave the two other major championships and their likely responses to the LIV Golf tour, which will play five events in the United States this year beginning on June 30 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, outside Portland, Ore.
As with the U.S. Open this week, the leaders of the British Open may find it difficult to bar players who have already qualified for this year’s event, which begins July 14 in St. Andrews, Scotland, and would include Mickelson and Johnson. That means the next, and potentially first, major championship forced to wade into the PGA Tour-LIV Golf confrontation will be the Masters.
In April, Augusta National’s chairman, Fred Ridley, was asked if players joining a rival tour to the PGA Tour would be invited to play in the Masters. Ridley said: “Our mission is always to act in the best interests of the game in whatever form that may take. I think that golf’s in a good place right now.”
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/15/sports/golf/us-open-liv-usga.html