TWhat bothers him about his nonsensical answers is that he never meets any of the 100 people who are the subjects of each investigation. Still, this quiz show probably offers as valid an insight into British public attitudes as anything else in these strange times.
A few weeks ago, Alexander Armstrong highlighted the faces of famous people with names related to flowers. What happened next was pretty upsetting for anyone who wants to impress with golf.
Of those asked, only six people identified Justin Rose. She is a major champion, British, Olympic gold medalist, and has attracted considerable attention for her successful creation of the Women’s Golf Series. He has little reason to care about what’s happening on daytime television or that he’s irrelevant compared to Lily Allen, but this was a stark reminder of golf’s bubble. .
Viktor Hovland deemed it inappropriate to attend the press conference prior to the Hero World Challenge. This was strange considering he was the defending champion. Perhaps the Norwegians were busy counting money. He had collected $37,112,235 (about £29 million) in 2023 PGA Tour earnings heading into the event in the Bahamas. He’s a great golfer and a nice guy, but he’s never one to move the needle. His annual salary before approval would put him in the top 10 in Major League Baseball.
If it hasn’t already, golf is in serious danger of losing its plot. Saying that athletes are paid too much is like pointing out that Wednesday follows Tuesday, but golfers’ rights are becoming somewhat more worrying. When Jon Rahm is reportedly involved in a move to LIV for hundreds of millions of dollars, the deal immediately becomes believable. This is what golf is like, a sport where finding the bottom of the hole was once the key to everything. The people in it, which applies not only to players but also managers, caddies, and coaches, have distorted values. This existed before his LIV came along, but LIV just accelerated things. Tensions exist within the PGA Tour because some members of the public believe they are underpaid. Pure sport, this is different.
Hovland’s wedges came from his share in the Player Impact Program, a complex plan created by the PGA Tour when LIV and its Saudi wealth was first in circulation. Rory McIlroy topped this year’s chart, which rewards high-profile players on tour, earning $15 million. Tiger Woods, who did not play from April to November, was paid $12 million. Consider that the Premier League gave him a hefty bonus for giving him the opportunity to join Erling Haaland’s job.
At this point, no amount of money makes any difference between McIlroy and Woods, and the pair are instantly recognizable as the faces of their sports, but the scale of these payments remains obscene to many. It is considered that “Professional golf is a one-way street going everywhere,” said DP World Tour player Eddie Pepperell. “I lost my sanity and I lost my respect and love for it.” If the public recognizes it as vulgar, golf will be in serious trouble.
Jordan Spieth, who received $7 million through the Player Impact Program, sounded a little sheepish when assessing what that meant. “I think the purpose was to prevent players from accepting big Saudi offers or LIV offers,” he said. “If you look at the numbers that are coming out for certain players right now, that’s not really the case.
“There was almost unanimous support, including those of us who benefited greatly from it, to find ways to reduce funding and spread that funding elsewhere, ideally to support fields and funding. I think the idea was to make sure you continue to benefit from them,” individually, but by finding the right sweet spot. I know it will be halved next year. I don’t know what will happen after that. Hopefully it won’t need to exist, but I think that’s the best way to put it and I think it makes everyone happy. ”
Spieth’s points are backed up by tournament winnings. The Players Championship is currently worth $25 million, the Phoenix Open is worth $20 million, and players will compete for nearly $9 million in prize money at low-key tour stops.
Debating whether or not to “roll” a golf ball is the epitome of boredom. At least that was the case until McIlroy came along. On Wednesday, the R&A is expected to announce modifications to the ball to reduce the reach of leading players. This was opposed by equipment manufacturers and some of McIlroy’s colleagues when it was first discussed.
McIlroy is one of those who doesn’t think there’s a need to modify the ball for players outside of the elite level. “Bifurcation was the logical answer for everyone,” he says. “But money matters again in this game.” Again, it starts with ag and rhymes with creed. As the R&A outlines its plans, the cries and whining from certain elements of the game will be typical of those with the bottom line rather than the sport’s interests in mind.
Now, the clock is ticking whether a deal will be reached between golf’s established tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Fenway Sports Group has also made an offer to partner with the tour. Something like this is needed not only to prevent any threats that LIV may pose, but also to enable long-term sustainability. It’s never been so great for golfers. This comes at a cost to your reputation.
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