(Grand Rapids, Mich.) With Michigan dealing with the effects of a Siberian Express delivering sub-zero temperatures, it’s comforting during hibernation to muse about golf, LIV vs PGA Tour, and, of course, the Masters.
Fred Ridley
Masters:
Even if you’re not flying into Augusta, GA, in April, the announcement last week by Delta Airlines that it’s offering its largest-ever schedule to Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) is still a refreshing sign of spring. As an official “Tournament Partner of the Masters,” Delta will provide up to 1,900 daily seats, a 15% boost in capacity over last year’s event. In my early days covering the Masters, I used to fly in and out of the city. Later, I drove down with some press colleagues, including Jack Berry. For the last decade or more, I have opted to fly into Columbia (SC), which is only an hour away from the course.
Masters chairman Fred Ridley said last week that players and patrons wouldn’t see any significant effects to Augusta National following the horrific storm that wreaked havoc on the community and much of the Southeast from Hurricane Helene last September. Speaking in Argentina during the start of the Latin America Amateur Championship, an event created by the Masters, the USGA, and the R&A, Ridley said: “As far as the impact, the long‑term impact, we have not quite as many trees as we did a year ago….As far as the golf course goes, it’s in spectacular condition. I think we had minor damage to the course, the playing surfaces themselves, but we were able to get that back in shape, but I don’t think you’re going to see any difference in the condition for the Masters this year.”
Given the deep resources of the club and the Masters, this recovery back to normalcy is not surprising. And if any pivotal trees or stands of trees were lost during the storm, they’ve likely been replaced, and no one will be the wiser. It’s telling that Ridley described the storm effects as “minor damage to the course, the playing surfaces themselves,” which means the 11th green, which my local source shared with me in September, was “blown up” due to the massive flooding of Rae’s Creek, has been repaired and fully restored.
Scott O’Neil, LIV Golf CEO
LIV Tour vs PGA Tour (or “As the World Churns):
LIV made two big announcements last week. The first came with the news that its CEO Greg Norman was stepping down immediately and will be replaced by veteran sports executive Scott O’Neil, who most recently served as CEO of Merlin Entertainments. Before that stint, he was a chief exec of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers for eight years until 2021. He eventually oversaw the New Jersey Devils NHL team as chief executive of the overall Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) group. In his time at HBSE, O’Neil was in charge during a period of sizable expansion for the business, with “$2 billion of growth in enterprise value” coming under his watch.
Translation: O’Neill is a player with major business chops. He should be able to steer the LIV ship through the rushing waters as it attempts to merge with the PGA Tour. Getting Norman, a lightning rod, to say the least, out of the way and out of the media spotlight (for now) will smooth O’Neil’s path. Similarly, PGA Tour Commish’s Jay Monahan, who has also endured a lot of flak over his handling of the merger with LIV, will welcome a new CEO for the PGA Tour who will work, according to the Associated Press, “alongside Commissioner Jay Monahan.”
The other big news for LIV was the announcement that it has finally found a credible and robust (meaning plenty of eyeballs) television partner to show its product, tournaments. In 2025, Fox Sports will air LIV Golf in a “multi-year” TV deal that includes the Fox family of media networks assuming the broadcast airings of LIV. This is indeed a breakthrough for LIV as it never attained a critical mass of a television audience when it partnered with the CW Network, LCC, aka The CW, or CW. I rarely heard my golf buddies talk about watching LIV on CW. The ratings were tiny, rivaling The All Cricket(s) Channel.
According to news reports and a press lease, the new TV deal promises that the majority of LIV’s schedule will be live on Fox, the ‘over-the-air’ broadcast giant that partners with the NFL, or on FS1, its for-pay cable and streaming channel that airs, among other things, Major League Baseball and college sports, including Big Ten and Big 12.
Getting broader television exposure is critical for LIV to establish a loyal following and audience. But the next question is whether or not this bigger audience likes what it sees and will tune in regularly.
Tom McKibbin
Finally, in another chapter of this ongoing soap opera, Rory McIlroy made headline golf news last week before the Hero Dubai Desert Classic started. He revealed he counseled fellow Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin, who qualified for the PGA Tour this year by his play on the DP Tour, against joining LIV for a reported $5 million signing bonus.
McIlroy said about McKibbin’s rumored move: “Personally for me it would be a little disappointing if it were to happen. But I made it perfectly clear, I am not going to stand in your way if you need to make the decision you feel like you need to make for yourself. At the same time, I feel like he’s giving up a lot to not really benefit that much.”
Mcllroy reminded McKibbin of a huge downside if he goes to LIV and gives up his guaranteed card on the PGA Tour and DP Tour for 2025:
“I think what he potentially is sacrificing and giving up is access to majors, potential Ryder Cup spot. If I were in his position and I had his potential…I wouldn’t make that decision.”
But sometimes—especially with a sports agent with a cut of the action in the background—’little brother’ won’t listen to ‘big brother.’
photos courtesy of the Masters, HBSE Sports, PGA Tour
