Tag: LIV Golf

LIV Golf announces handful of new executive-level hires, including a Chief Financial Officer

LIV Golf has once again bet on itself with key hirings to stay competitive and reach a younger, global audience.

On Wednesday morning LIV Golf announced a handful of new high-level hires as the league continues to add experience and stability at the executive level.

David Phillipps, former Chief Financial Officer for the Equinox Group and Senior Vice President of Finance at Endeavor, has been named the league’s new Chief Financial Officer. Phillipps will report to LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman.

Additional hires include Ross Hallett as EVP, Head of Events, Katie O’Reilly as EVP, Head of Team Business Operations, and Pam Sacree as Head of Human Resources. Tim Taylor, who has managed LIV Golf’s global financial operations for more than two years, will lead LIV’s London office and report to Phillipps.

“We’re proud to continue building on our tremendous success so far with the addition of top-flight executives across our business divisions,” said Norman via a press release. “Our players, our team franchises and our growing staff are laser-focused on the league’s long-term future, supporting the game, attracting more fans to the sport that we love, and establishing a truly international golf league.”

Hallett previously served as SVP and Head of Golf Events for IMG. O’Reilly joins from the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, where she served as Chief Revenue Officer. Sacree has formerly held human resources roles with the likes of Madison Square Garden, Cablevision Systems Corporation and AIG.

All three will report to Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Burian, who was hired from Madison Square Garden last October in the wake of LIV Golf’s 2023 Team Championship event.

“We’re excited to welcome this team of proven and highly respected leaders whose breadth of experience makes them uniquely suited to help lead LIV Golf into the future,” Burian said. “As LIV Golf continues to build on its momentum and transform the sport, dedicated and veteran professionals like David, Ross, Katie, Tim and Pam will be the backbone of our growing global businesses. We’re thrilled to have these leaders on our team who share LIV Golf’s values, passion and commitment to elevating our league for years to come.”

As questions remain over the future of professional golf, LIV Golf has once again bet on itself with key hirings to stay competitive in the landscape and reach a younger, global audience.

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Rory McIlroy laughs at LIV Golf rumors: ‘I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career’

“I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years, I don’t think it’s something for me.”

Rory McIlroy has no idea how the rumor started. But he put an end to it quickly.

Speaking with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis on the range at the 2024 RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, Lewis asked McIlroy, the world No. 2, about rumors that came to a head Monday saying McIlroy was in talks to join LIV Golf for upwards of $850 million as well as an ownership stake in the league.

However, those couldn’t be further from the truth, McIlroy said.

“I’ve never been offered a number from LIV, and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV,” McIlroy told Lewis. “I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years, I don’t think it’s something for me. Doesn’t mean that I judge people that have went and played over there. I think one of the things that I’ve realized over the past two years is people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves. Who are we to judge them for that? Personally, for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour, and it’s never been any different.”

During the Masters, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman was spotted multiple times following McIlroy’s group, including some reports stating Norman trying to get McIlroy’s attention walking between holes. As no phones are allowed on the grounds at Augusta National, there is no video of the reported incidents.

McIlroy’s stance has softened on LIV Golf in recent months, perhaps adding fuel to the fire he could soon be switching circuits. But McIlroy, who’s in the middle of playing four straight PGA Tour events, quickly dispelled the rumor.

“Over the last two years, there has been so many rumors of guys… and I think the one thing I’ve realized as well is guys need to keep an open mind. And I’m sure there’s guys still playing on the PGA Tour who have talked to guys from LIV and had offers and whatever,” McIlroy said. “It’s never even been a conversation for us. It’s unfortunate that we have to deal with it, and this is the state our game is in. I’m obviously here today, I’m playing this PGA Tour event next week and I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career.”

Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Watson want ‘best outcome’ of PGA Tour-LIV dispute

Wise words from three of the all-time greats, who still care deeply about the state of professional golf.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson want to see the PGA Tour-LIV Golf dispute get settled.

Speaking during a joint press conference after the three legends hit the ceremonial tee shots to the 88th edition of the Masters, Watson shared a special moment during the Champions Dinner, which brought together 33 of the past winners – seven of them members of LIV – in their Green Jackets and Augusta National Golf Club Chairman Fred Ridley, on Tuesday evening.

“We were sitting down and we were having great stories about Seve Ballesteros and people were laughing and talking. I said to Mr. Ridley, I said, ‘Do you mind if I say something about being here together with everybody?’ He said, ‘Please do.’

“And I got up and I said – I’m looking around the room, and I’m seeing just a wonderful experience everybody is having. They are jovial. They are having a great time. They are laughing. I said, ‘Ain’t it good to be together again?’ ” Watson recalled.

He added that he hoped the players would take it upon themselves to reach a resolution, sooner rather than later.

“We have to do something,” Watson said. “We all know it’s a difficult situation for professional golf right now. The players really kind of have control I think in a sense. What do they want to do? We’ll see where it goes. We don’t have the information or the answers. I don’t think the PGA Tour or the LIV Tour really have an answer right now. But I think in this room, I know the three of us want to get together. We want to get together like we were at that Champions Dinner, happy, the best players playing against each other. The bottom line: that’s what we want in professional golf, and right now, we don’t have it.”

Nicklaus echoed that sentiment and placed his trust in PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan to lead the way.

“The best outcome is the best players play against each other all the time. That’s what I feel about it. And how it’s going, I don’t know, I don’t want to be privy to it,” Nicklaus said. “I talked to Jay not very long ago, and I said, ‘Jay, don’t tell me what’s going on because I don’t want to have to lie to the press and people that ask me questions.’ I said, ‘How are you doing?’ He said, ‘We’re doing fine.’ I said, “OK, that’s all I want to know.’ If Jay thinks we’re doing fine, we’ll get there, I think we’ll get there. And I certainly hope that happens, the sooner the better.”

Player touched on how that division in golf and attention on the greed in the game has turned off the public. But he also noted that the players who had stayed loyal to the PGA Tour needed to be compensated in some way (which they will be through the infusion of capital into the Tour’s new for-profit arm from private equity investment.)

“Anytime in any business whatsoever, not only in the golf business, there’s confrontation, it’s unhealthy. You’ve got to get together and come to a solution. If you cannot, it’s not good. The public don’t like it, and we as professionals don’t like it, either,” Player said. “But it’s a big problem because they paid all these guys to join the LIV Tour fortunes, I mean, beyond one’s comprehension and the players that were loyal, three of us and others. Now these guys come back and play, I really believe the players, that if they are loyal, should be compensated in some way or another. Otherwise, there’s going to be dissension.”

Wise words from three of the all-time greats, who still care deeply about the state of professional golf.

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Greg Norman’s son says his dad had to buy a Masters ticket off the secondary market

Oof.

It’s a bit of an understatement to say that Greg Norman isn’t the most liked person in the golf world given his work with LIV Golf.

How bad is it this year at the 2024 Masters at Augusta? Per Golfweek, he was there at the course on Wednesday and had this to say to the Washington Post: “I’m here because we have 13 players that won 10 Masters between them. So I’m here just to support them, do the best I can to show them, ‘Hey, you know, the boss is here rooting for you.’”

So how did he get in? Per his son, he had to buy a ticket on the secondary market:

Oof.

Brennan: The magic of the Masters can’t overshadow fact that men’s golf is in some trouble

This is a revered tournament, the most famous on earth, but it’s also something more.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The game of men’s golf marks time from one year to the next when Augusta National opens its doors for another Masters. This is a revered tournament, the most famous on earth, but it’s also something more.

It’s a measuring stick of sorts, an annual gathering to tell us how the men’s game is doing. How is Tiger holding up? Is Rory ready to finally win here? And, perhaps most important, where does the game stand in these fraught times, with the sport increasingly and devastatingly sectioning itself off from the people it needs the most, its fans, all because the game’s most compelling matchup these days is PGA Tour vs. LIV?

By any measure, as the Masters begins Thursday morning, golf is a sport in some significant trouble. The glory days of Tiger are long since over, replaced by little more than hope: hope that he can make the cut here this week, hope that the people who love and miss him can will him into the weekend and up the leaderboard.

MASTERS: Live updates | Thursday tee times | TV, streaming

TV ratings are down (the Players’ Championship dropped 15 percent from last year to this), and while it’s convenient to say that’s happening in all sports, we know that’s not true because we just lived through the past magical month following a certain player in March Madness.

The players themselves are concerned, even though some of the biggest worry-warts are the ones who bolted their multi-million-dollar lives for LIV’s Saudi blood money.

Bryson DeChambeau for example.

“It’s great to have the majors where we come together, but we want to be competing, at least I want to be competing every week, with all of the best players in the world for sure,” said the man who walked away from playing against the best players in the world to go to a no-cut, exhibition style shell of a golf tour. “And it needs to happen fast. It’s not a two-year thing. Like it needs to happen quicker rather than later just for the good of the sport. Too many people are losing interest.”

There’s a sentence, as problematic as it is honest, that you don’t see very often from a pro athlete in a big-time sport: “Too many people are losing interest.” Of course, they are losing interest precisely because of the actions of people like the guy who uttered the quote.

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley, watching the game he loves descend into what it never was supposed to become, is also understandably concerned.

“I will acknowledge that, if you look at the data this year, golf viewers are down (on) linear television while other sports, some other sports are up,” he said Wednesday. “So you can draw your own conclusions. Certainly the fact that the best players in the world are not convening very often is not helpful. Whether or not there’s a direct causal effect, I don’t know. But I think that it would be a lot better if they were together more often.”

One of the allures of golf has always been how players have conducted themselves. Golfers call penalties on themselves. That’s unique and notable, something that requires at least an element of honesty.

Keep that in mind as we consider defending Masters champion Jon Rahm. Back in 2022, as golf’s civil war was exploding, Rahm was quite adamant that he had absolutely no interest in joining LIV.

“Money is great, but when (his wife) Kelley and I started talking about it, and we’re like, Will our lifestyle change if I got $400 million? No, it will not change one bit,” Rahm said.

“Truth be told, I could retire right now with what I’ve made and live a very happy life and not play golf again. So I’ve never really played the game of golf for monetary reasons. I play for the love of the game, and I want to play against the best in the world. I’ve always been interested in history and legacy, and right now the PGA Tour has that.”

In December 2023, he left the PGA Tour for LIV.

Rahm will get his applause and cheers here this week, but he will never be able to recapture his honor. It’s so fitting in golf’s troubled times: the man who lied and sold out for money is the reigning Masters champion.

LIV Golf’s Greg Norman shows up at Augusta National to support his players at Masters 2024

There are 13 LIV players in the field this year, down from 18 last year.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Ahead of last year’s 2023 Masters, LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman said there would be a party on the 18th green if one of his players were to win at Augusta National. An invitation was withheld from Norman in 2023 “to keep the focus on the competition” after Norman and company blew up professional golf as we know it.

This year, the Great White Shark showed up to the party among the Georgia pines on Wednesday with a pair of LIV executives.

“I’m here because we have 13 players that won 10 Masters between them,” Norman told the Washington Post. “So I’m here just to support them, do the best I can to show them, ‘Hey, you know, the boss is here rooting for you.’”

In 23 appearances at the Masters as a player, Norman logged eight top-five finishes, including a trio of runners-up showings highlighted by his blown six-shot lead on Sunday in 1996. This year marks Norman’s first time back at Augusta National since 2021 when he was a SiriusXM radio analyst.

Earlier on Wednesday, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley addressed LIV Golf and their desire for a special qualification criteria.

MASTERS: Live updates | Thursday tee times | TV, streaming

“Now, historically, and as stated in our qualification criteria, we consider international players for special invitations,” Ridley continued. “But we do look at those every year and we, I will say that if we felt that there were a player or players, whether they played on the LIV tour or any other tour, who were deserving of an invitation to the Masters, that we would exercise that discretion with regard to special invitations.”

In fact, one was given to LIV’s Joaquin Niemann due to his performances on the DP World Tour over the last several months. Norman thinks a few more players should have been invited.

“I think there’s probably a couple that have been overlooked that should be in,” Norman said. “What is that number? I’m not going to give it a definitive number, but they’re definitely quality players that have done incredible performances over the last six to nine months that are worthy of it.”

There are 13 LIV players in the field of 89 this week, down from the 18 that made their way down Magnolia Lane in 2023.

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Why LIV Golf players shouldn’t hold their breath for a new Masters qualification criteria

If a player not already exempt wants a spot in the Masters, it’s up to them to go and earn it, like Joaquin Niemann.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — When LIV Golf’s Joaquin Niemann was announced as one of three players to receive a special invitation to the 2024 Masters, the folks at Augusta National pointed to his three top-five finishes on the DP World Tour this season, including his win at the Australian Open last December.

They also referenced his previous Masters appearances and 2018 Latin American Amateur Championship. They did not, however, reference any of his accolades on the Saudi-backed league.

During his annual press conference on Wednesday ahead of this year’s Masters, chairman Fred Ridley addressed how the club evaluates LIV players and whether a special qualification criteria would be created for those who play outside of the Official World Golf Ranking jurisdiction.

“As you know, we’re on the board of the OWGR. We believe that it is a legitimate determiner of who the best players in the game are,” Ridley said. “There’s been communication that’s been public regarding, you know, the LIV’s application, which it subsequently was withdrawn after some remedial suggestions were made regarding pathways and access to players and concern about some of the aspects of team golf.”

MASTERS: Live updates | Thursday tee times | TV, streaming

“But I think in our case, we’re an invitational, and we can adjust as necessary. I mean, a great example is this year Joaquin Niemann was given a special invitation,” Ridley added. “We felt that Joaquin had not only a great record coming up to this year, but after his season, you know, he went to Australia, played very well there, finished fourth in the Australian PGA, won the Australian Open, one of the great, great championships in the world. And we thought he was deserving of a special invitation.”

Once again, no mention of his pair of LIV Golf wins this season.

“Now, historically, and as stated in our qualification criteria, we consider international players for special invitations,” Ridley continued. “But we do look at those every year and we, I will say that if we felt that there were a player or players, whether they played on the LIV tour or any other tour, who were deserving of an invitation to the Masters, that we would exercise that discretion with regard to special invitations.”

Long story short, and much to the chagrin of the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson, LIV players shouldn’t be holding their breath for any new qualification criteria in the near future.

With guaranteed contracts and very little turnover due to LIV’s forgiving relegation system, the chairman noted how it would be difficult to establish a point system that had any connection to the rest of the world of golf because of LIV’s “closed shop” format. That said, as an invitational, the Masters has the ability to give, as Ridley calls it, “subjective consideration” to players based on talent and performance.

“Our goal is to have, to the greatest extent possible, the best field in golf, the best players in the world,” Ridley explained. “Having said that, we never have had all the best players in the world because of the structure of our tournament. It’s an invitational. It’s a limited field, it’s a small field.”

The Masters and Augusta National play by their own rules, and as an independent major, they have every right to do so. Here’s the quiet part out loud: playing 14 LIV events isn’t going to cut it for the green jackets to extend an invite. If a player not already exempt wants a spot in the exclusive field, it’s up to them to go and earn it, like Niemann. It won’t be handed out like a signing bonus.

Professional golf has long been a meritocracy, and it’s no surprise that a club steeped in tradition like Augusta National is sticking to that spirit.

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How has Dustin Johnson performed in LIV ahead of the 2024 Masters?

How has Dustin Johnson fared at LIV the past couple of years?

Dustin Johnson is one of the LIV golfers that will be contending at Augusta this April in the 2024 Masters tournament as he looks to claim a second green jacket.

The 2020 Masters and 2016 U.S. Open champion finished tied for 48th at Augusta in the 2023 Masters after joining the Saudi-backed LIV.

Masters Leaderboard: Live leaderboard, Schedule, Tee times

As he tries to contend again this year, let’s take a look at some of Johnson’s best finishes with LIV over the past couple of season.

2024

  • Mayakoba: 67-71-67 — tied for 5th place
  • Las Vegas: 67-62-69 — 1st place

2023

  • Tulsa: 63-63-67 — 1st place (x)
  • London: 71-65-67 — 5th place
  • Orlando: 67-70-66 — 7th place
  • Andalucia: 67-71-72 — tied for 8th place
  • Chicago: 68-66-70 — tied for 9th place
  • Jeddah: 66-68-65 — tied for 6th place
  • Adelaide: 71-65-67 — 10th place

We’ll see how Johnson fares at this year’s Masters once it gets underway.

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How has Cam Smith performed in LIV ahead of the 2024 Masters?

How has Cam Smith fared at LIV the past couple of years?

Australian golfer Cam Smith has something to prove at this year’s Masters tournament.

He entered last year’s annual tournament at Augusta as the world’s sixth-best golfer, but LIV Golf currently isn’t accredited by the Official World Golf Rankings, so he’ll undoubtedly want to regain some momentum on the global stage with a strong showing at The Masters.

Masters Leaderboard: Live leaderboard, Schedule, Tee times

Smith won two tournaments outright last year in the Saudi-backed league, but let’s take a look at some of his best finishes in LIV before he competes at the Masters this month.

2024

  • Hong Kong: 67-64-66 — 2nd
  • Mayakoba: 69-70-67 — tied for 8th place
  • Las Vegas: 67-66-72 — tied for 15th place

2023

  • London: 63-67-68 — 1st
  • Bedminster: 66-67-68 — 1st
  • Tulsa: 64-68-61 — tied for 2nd (y)
  • Adelaide: 69-66-66 — tied for 3rd
  • Mayakoba: 69-71-67 — tied for 5th

We’ll see how Smith does once he hits the green for The Masters this week.

Brooks Koepka is back in his element at Augusta National, and that’s bad news for the 2024 Masters field

Koepka won’t share what he learned from last year’s Masters loss, but he certainly won’t let it happen again.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — As a kid growing up in South Florida, Brooks Koepka always dreamed of winning major championships when he was practicing at his dad’s course.

That desire to be the best has fueled Koepka for 33 years and guided him to an incredible tally of five major championships in a six-year span (two of which were riddled with injuries). While he’s never won at Augusta National Golf Club, Koepka has finished runner-up twice and in the top 10 three times in eight previous Masters appearances.

His most recent close call for a green jacket occurred at last year’s Masters, when Koepka held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds before he was caught by Jon Rahm on the final 18. Koepka ended up tied for second with Phil Mickelson.

After his PGA Championship win last summer, Koepka said he learned a lesson as to why he lost his lead Sunday at Augusta. While he still won’t share exactly what he learned, he’s vowed he won’t let it happen again.

“I think if I get the chance this year, I won’t be thinking that way,” Koepka said during his pre-tournament press conference Tuesday.

Koepka has nine wins on the PGA Tour and three since he joined LIV Golf, but he doesn’t shy away from the fact that the major championships are what’s most important to him. He’s well aware of his stature and current place in the pro golf history books. Major championships make for a lasting legacy.

“Even today, that’s what I first see, that’s what I think you’re judged by, your legacy, what you’re defined by. I’ve always said it, I think you can tell exactly how (many majors) Jack, Tiger, Arnold, Tom, you can tell, all these guys, how many majors they won,” explained Koepka. “It’s tough to tell how many events they won, but I know that there’s one sure-fire way to figure out who is who is by major championships.”

How aware is he? Like the NFL players who can name which quarterbacks drafted ahead of them, Koepka knows he’s tied with James Braid, John Henry Taylor, Byron Nelson, Peter Thomson and Seve Ballesteros on the all-time major winners list and that there are still 14 other names in front of him.

When it comes to players with 25-49 rounds under their belt at Augusta, Koepka is third in scoring average at 71.56 behind Rahm (70.50) and Jordan Spieth (70.66). He doesn’t know what it is about Augusta that brings out his best game, but he sure does wish he could do it more often.

“I just think there’s just something special about this place. You kind of drive down Magnolia Lane and it gets the juices flowing,” said Koepka. “And I think everybody that drives down it gets pretty excited. And, you know, first major of the year. And that’s what you play the game for, is to win here, win a major, and that’s the goal.”

In classic Koepka fashion, he also sarcastically challenged a reporter for asking if 59 was attainable at Augusta National:

Q: It sounds like the course is already pretty dialed this week, but under softer or optimal scoring conditions do you think 59 is obtainable on this golf course?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Have you played here?

Q: Not yet.

BROOKS KOEPKA: I can tell by the question.

Q: What number is attainable in your mind? 63’s the low.

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, now, anything’s attainable. But, yeah, if you want to go play the members tees and maybe play like 15 holes, yeah, I could do that.

If you didn’t think Koepka was already back to his old self after the PGA Championship, that exchange surely signals he is.

Now healthy following a couple of years of injury struggles, Koepka knows he’s ready for the challenge that awaits this week. Following his Monday practice round, he noted the course “was as firm as I’ve seen it in maybe four, five years” and that green speeds were already near a weekend pace.

For a player who constantly rises to the occasion, that’s music to a confident Koepka’s ears and bad news for the other 88 players in the field.

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