Playing for keeps: the battle for golf's soul
PLUS: The Week That Was and the Weekend That Will Be.
If men’s professional golf does indeed indeed have a soul it’s either plugged deep in a greenside bunker at the Royal Avarice Links, or stuck behind a shady oak on the 13th hole at TPC Rapacious.
Wherever this small, hard-to-find soul lies, there’s a battle for it.
The Saudi-sponsored LIV Tour v The Establishment is so much more than a golf yarn - even if that is the perfect sport for it to play out - it’s almost the perfect story for our times.
It’s fast moving, too, which makes it doubly fascinating.
This morning, the PGA Tour announced it has suspended the memberships of all those who play in LIV events, the first of which started in London overnight.
“These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan wrote in a memo to the tour’s membership. “But they can’t demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you. That expectation disrespects you, our fans and our partners. You have made a different choice, which is to abide by the Tournament Regulations you agreed to when you accomplished the dream of earning a PGA Tour card and - more importantly - to compete as part of the preeminent organisation in the world of professional golf.”
LIV Golf hit back, saying the move was vindictive and has “deepened the divide”, indicating it will pursue antitrust legal action on behalf of its players.
The other newsworthy aspect of the week was Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, two immediate adopters of LIV money, refusing to answer questions as to whether they would play for Vladimir Putin if the money was good enough.
In talking to friends and acquaintances about this issue, it’s become obvious that in many people’s eyes the two have become conflated and that’s led to one of the fastest growing sports of the 2020s - whataboutism.
“If the PGA Tour is so concerned about Saudi Arabia, what about China… et cetera.”
The PGA Tour does not care that a Washington Post journalist was dismembered with a bonesaw in a Saudi consulate in Turkey at the behest of the Crown Prince. It does not care that the kingdom executed 81 men in a single day. It does not care about the myriad human rights abuses.
It cares about players not turning up for the RBC Canadian Open, or more specifically, it cares about the potential for the Royal Bank of Canada to revisit its sponsorship of the tour because of the absence of some stars, and the knock-on effect that will have on other tournaments that clash with LIV events.
Monaghan is protecting the PGA shield, not human rights - those pesky moral issues, you’ll have to decide for yourself where you sit on them.
One last addendum, before moving on from this rich (in every sense of the word) story. There has been a bit of chatter that what Greg Norman is doing is disrupting the status quo in a similar fashion to Kerry Packer and cricket in the late-70s.
That’s probably how Norman would like to see it. While it plays to the brash Australian taking on the establishment trope, that’s where the similarities end.
Cricket was a moribund sport, unattractive to sponsors and, in its five-day format, broadcasters. Golf, because of its unique place as a sport that lives in the upper echelons of American corporate life, is already awash in cash.
Packer’s gimmicks (coloured clothing, floodlight cricket, 50-over matches) were revolutionary. Norman’s gimmicks (shotgun starts, no cuts, three-day tournaments) fall a long way short of that benchmark.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
The Christchurch stadium shambles is getting costlier and more rancorous by the day.
Yeah, yeah, yeah but will French “phenom” (aren’t they all) Rayan Rupert help the Breakers win in a man’s league, or will he just be another transit lounge folly?
Radio New Zealand’s The Detail took a dive into the Silver Lake deal.
This is a sobering tale of how quickly booze can derail a club. Two weeks ago the Melbourne Demons were flying high in the AFL, unbeaten for the season and coming off their drought-breaking title last year. Then came a couple of losses; then came a night out on the turps; then came a few sledges; then came a punch; then came a week of unrelenting scrutiny.
THE WEEKEND THAT WILL BE
I’ve been a latecomer to netball this season because, well, I’m just one person and some things have to miss out. I’m a big believer that if you know little about something, don’t attempt to sound smart about it. I did, however, watch the all-Auckland semifinal this week between the Mystics and Stars and was lucky enough to have a few people alongside me who have barely missed a game this season. They were happy to offer thoughts and observations in a restrained and unbiased way. Okay, they were hardcore Mystics fans and some swore a lot - I heard the word f***face more in a single hour than I have for the past 10 years - but they’ve transferred their allegiance to the Stars for the final. It’s not because they reside in the Queen City but, to paraphrase one: “The Pulse are such a dirty team and I’d be embarrassed if my daughter played like that.” You can fault the analysis but not the passion.
Central Pulse v Auckland Stars, ANZ Championship final, Sunday 4pm, Sky Sport 1
The news that Kane Williamson will miss the second test after testing positive for Covid-19 is bleak for a team chasing a 0-1 series deficit, but not wholly unexpected. It will be the ninth test Williamson has missed since the start of 2020, a grim number seeing as New Zealand are not overburdened on the test-match front. Tom Latham will take the reins and Hamish Rutherford comes into the squad as cover. There is now all sorts of intrigue as to how the XI will line up at Trent Bridge. Is it a chance to drop Will Young into a more natural role at No3? Will Ajaz Patel get another crack? Does Neil Wagner force his way back in?
England v NZ, second test, Nottingham, starts tonight 10pm, Spark Sport
I know there are more pressing matters to worry about, like having to remortgage the house just to fill the Nissan Centra with a tank of 95, but I’m surprised that every time I search “Super Rugby schedule”, this Crusaders avatar pops up.
After the horrendous mosque shootings, it felt like the least the Crusaders could do was to remove the obvious “crusading” imagery from their brand. Having done that, the least they can do is enforce it.
Meanwhile, in Auckland, the Blues can do rugby snobs like myself a favour and consign the Brumbies season to history. I can’t explain my antipathy towards the team from Canberra in any logical way but it’s real.
Crusaders v Chiefs, Christchurch, tonight 7.05pm
Blues v Brumbies, Auckland, tomorrow 7.05pm, both Sky Sport 1
The Black Ferns redemption tour moves to West Auckland.
NZ v Canada, Waitakere, Sunday 2.45pm, Spark Sport
It’s been amusing to observe some of the head-scratching in the US as the team the computer models love - the Celtics - are two games away from winning a title against the team the paid pundits love - the Warriors. Are pundits doomed to be the embarrassing fall guys and girls as computer modelling gets smarter by the megabyte? Some ESPN personalities have a lot riding on Golden State getting back in this series, while Zach Kram of The Ringer says Boston is just too big.
Boston Celtics v Golden State Warriors, Boston, tomorrow 1pm, ESPN
It was the Sharks that officially tipped the Warriors season into oblivion when they dominated despite playing most of the match short-handed. It makes you wince to think what they might do with 13-a-side but come on, we owe it to Stacey Jones to at least join him on the first leg of his journey.
NZ Warriors v Cronulla Sharks, Redcliffe, Sunday 8.15pm, Sky Sport 4
Another uncomfortable example of using oil money to sportswash, it’s nevertheless interesting watching hyper-modern cars race through the tight streets of Baku’s old town. Despite butchering their chances in Monaco with awful race strategy calls, Ferrari’s resurgence is the best story in F1 this year.
Azerbaijan GP, Baku, Sunday 11pm, Spark Sport
TOMORROW
Paying subscribers can check in for Notes from Trent Bridge tomorrow morning. Later in the day a BYC special with man on the ground Andrew Alderson will be uploaded onto dylancleaver.substack.com.
I'm pleased you described yr mates as hard core Mystics fans because they obviously have one spectacle lens blocked. To call the Pulse a dirty team reminds me of something about pots and black kettles. Every team in the comp this year is getting away with multiple fouls, uncalled. How about DC you don't publish wild accusations without doing your own checking first.
Love your work, just not yr mates comments.