Tag: Premier Golf League

Premier Golf League letter takes shots at LIV Golf, PGA Tour and details pro golf’s ‘historic crossroads’

The PGL is doubling down on its efforts to meet with the PGA Tour and recruit its players.

Back in February the Premier Golf League laid out its plan for a series of events that would partner with various tours, feature massive paydays and give ownership stakes to members of the league.

The PGL, a different entity from the Saudi Arabia-backed and Greg Norman-led LIV Golf Invitational Series that plans to rival the Tour, is doubling down on its efforts to meet with the PGA Tour and recruit its players.

The letter, obtained by Golfweek and dated for Thursday, May 5, and addressed to PGA Tour Voting Members says that professional golf is at a “historic crossroads.”

“The ‘International Series,’ funded and owned by LIV Golf Investments (LIV), represents an existential threat, not only to the PGA Tour’s dominance, but also its model. Change is not only inevitable, it is happening — and no amount of purse rejigging, head-burying, ban-threatening, alliance-making or ‘moving-on’ will derail it,” read the letter signed by World Golf Group Limited, which not-so-subtly calls out the PGA Tour and Jay Monahan for his comments that the Tour was “moving on” from rival leagues, as well as the threatening to ban players who play for different leagues.

“LIV’s superb format (based on our very own, original, PGL format) is capable of generating $10 billion-plus of equity value,” the letter continued. “Hence, LIV is prepared to spend $400 million-plus to demonstrate the brilliance of the model, across eight events.”

Premier Golf League
A Premier Golf League letter highlights the “historic crossroads” facing professional golf. (Letter obtained by Golfweek)

The letter goes on to lay out two options for PGA Tour players:

A) Own 50% of the PGL and make ~$20 million each ($2 million upfront), with a further ~$1 billion of value to be shared between members of the Korn Ferry and DP World Tours, or B) Do nothing and leave LIV to generate that value, while the two oldest tours contemplate a full merger that would serve neither membership

According to the Fire Pit Collective, McIlroy presented the proposal to the board and the plan was discussed among PAC members at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship.

“Their proposal has been studied and scrutinized by an independent company to test its viability,” said Kevin Kisner, whose term on the PAC ended in 2022. “The results were presented to all of us. After extensively studying the (PGL’s) finances and the proposal, the (consultants) likened it to having to perform from a financial standpoint of 19 Ryder Cups per year. Not feasible.”

The letter quotes a similar statement from Rory McIlroy and calls both players claims “bullshit,” citing how the consultants, Allen & Co., have never spoken to the PGL nor do they have access to the proper information “in order to produce an accurate valuation.”

It also includes a call to action that asks players to message PAC and Policy Board representatives while also tweeting, “As a member of the tour, I instruct you to obtain and publish an independent valuation of the PGL Proposals #playerpower #transparency,” further claiming that if 70 or more players do it, “it will happen.”

The letter ends: “You should not fear the wrath of (PGA Tour commissioner) Jay Monahan, he is not on the Policy Board and works for you. You should exercise your rights. Despite it being ‘your’ PGA Tour, you do not own it (nor will you own LIV or the Super Golf League). You could own half of the PGL.’’

Long story short, the ball is in the players’ hands, and they’ll soon have to decide where they wish to tee it up.

[listicle id=778255263]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Greg Norman announces Saudi Arabia-backed 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series will start in June, feature $255 million in prize money

“Our events are truly additive to the world of golf,” Norman said.

Last month, Rory McIlroy was one of many of the game’s biggest stars who pledged their allegiance to the PGA Tour flag and waved away playing in a proposed golf league driven by Greg Norman and backed by Saudi Arabia.

“It’s dead in the water, in my opinion,” McIlroy said.

Not so fast.

Norman, aka the Great White Shark, reemerged Tuesday by sending a letter to players stating the league backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund was not on its last breath. On Wednesday, Norman, the CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf Investments, which is funded by the Saudis, announced the league that would rival the PGA Tour has serious teeth.

Starting in June, the LIV Golf Invitational Series will begin and feature eight events and consist of individual and team play with prize money reaching $255 million. The first event will be played June 9-11 at Centurion Golf Club in London; the first seven events will have $20 million purses with an additional $5 million split among the top three teams each week.

After the first seven events are played, the top three in the individual format will split $30 million. The final event, Oct. 28-30 at a site yet to be determined, will be a team championship with $50 million in prize money.

In the U.S., Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland, Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey, The International in Boston and Rich Harvest Farms north of Chicago will host events.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has said any players joining the league would face banishment from the PGA Tour. Norman replied in a letter the PGA Tour cannot ban players. Litigation seems likely in the future.

More: Premier Golf League plan to partner with PGA Tour features massive paydays, ownership stakes for tour members

LIV Golf Investments, which has already invested $300 million over 10 years on the Asian Tour, is providing more than $400 million to launch the series.

The events will feature 48 players and 12 four-man teams. They will be 54 holes with no cut and shotgun starts.

“I want golf to grow, players to have additional opportunities, and fans to have more fun,” Norman said in a release. “My mission is to help the game reach its full potential and we know the role of golf as an entertainment product is critical to overall participation in the sport.

“In many ways, we are a start-up. We have a long-term vision and aim to grow. I believe we have a very bright and exciting future.”

The schedule will not compete with the four major championships or heritage events. Each event will have teams comprised of different players determined by a draft the week of the event.

“Our events are truly additive to the world of golf,” Norman said. “We have done our best to create a schedule that allows players to play elsewhere, while still participating in our events. I believe players will increasingly make progress in achieving their right to play where they want. We will help in any way possible and will provide golfers with opportunities to achieve their full potential.”

Said Joel Schuchmann, senior vice president of Communications for the PGA Tour: “As we have stated repeatedly in recent weeks, the PGA Tour has moved on.”

LIV Golf Invitational 2022 schedule

Date Location
June 9-11 Centurion Golf Club – London
July 1-3 Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club – Portland
July 29-31 Trump National Golf Club Bedminster – New Jersey
Sept. 2-4 The International – Boston
Sept. 16-18 Rich Harvest Farms – Chicago
Oct. 7-9 Stonehill – Bangkok
Oct. 14-16 Royal Greens Golf Club – Jeddah
Oct. 28-30 Team Championship – TBD

Another league is circling in the waters, too. The Fire Pit Collective was the first to report that the Premier Golf League has divulged plans to the PGA Tour and certain players including McIlroy for a series of events that would partner with various tours. The format consists of 18 events, with 12 teams of four players competing in team and individual championships that run simultaneously throughout the season. Purses would be worth $20 million, with an additional $1 million going to the winners of the team event. A winner-take-all prize of $20 million is also up for grabs to the winner of a season-ending team event.

The PGL also plans to allocate 100 million shares to PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and DP World Tour players in a tiered system.

[vertical-gallery id=778173813]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Premier Golf League plan to partner with PGA Tour features massive paydays, ownership stakes for tour members

PGL plans to allocate 100 million shares to PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and DP World Tour players in a tiered system.

In a February 14 email to Rory McIlroy, chairman of the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council, and other PGA Tour leaders that was obtained by the Fire Pit Collective, the Premier Golf League laid out its plan for a series of events that would partner with various tours, feature massive paydays and give ownership stakes to members of the league.

The format consists of 18 events, with 12 teams of four players competing in team and individual championships that run simultaneously throughout the season. Purses would be worth $20 million, with an additional $1 million going to the winners of the team event. A winner-take-all prize of $20 million is also up for grabs to the winner of a season-ending team event.

As for the ownership stakes, the PGL would allocate 100 million shares to PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and DP World Tour players in a tiered system. PGA Tour members would get 50 percent of the shares, with 7.5 percent going to Korn Ferry members and 2.5 percent to DP World Tour members. The email stated the prospective value of the shares is $10 billion.

More: Premier Golf League CEO discusses league format, issues facing pro golf

According to the Fire Pit Collective’s report, McIlroy presented the proposal to the board and the plan was discussed among PAC members at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship.

“Their proposal has been studied and scrutinized by an independent company to test its viability,” said Kevin Kisner, whose term on the PAC ended in 2022. “The results were presented to all of us. After extensively studying the (PGL’s) finances and the proposal, the (consultants) likened it to having to perform from a financial standpoint of 19 Ryder Cups per year. Not feasible.”

The full email can be found here.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Premier Golf League CEO Andy Gardiner joins No Laying Up to discuss league format, issues facing pro golf

“We want to make golf as watchable as possible.”

One of the first players Andy Gardiner spoke with about the Premier Golf League was Rory McIlroy.

“I was explaining the concept and at the time he was at the view that actually this is probably what golf needs. Now that was some time ago and he’s entitled to change his opinion but had Rory said to me, ‘Andy that’s rubbish,’ I’d have probably stopped,” Gardiner said to No Laying Up’s Chris Solomon. “So on we went.”

The CEO of the Premier Golf League – separate from the recently announced LIV Golf venture backed by Saudi Arabia and led by Greg Norman – joined No Laying Up for an in-depth, two-and-a-half-hour episode which covers the league’s format and relationship with the PGA Tour as well as the greater issues facing professional golf today.

Rory on the PGL: “I don’t see why anyone would be for it”

“The original notion was always to work with the PGA Tour, believe it or not. Some might call that incredibly naïve but it remains our strong desire,” said Gardiner. “Our earliest documentation set out the desire to work with the PGA Tour and the view that once the format was understood, we couldn’t see any reason why collaboration couldn’t be achievable.”

The format: 12 teams of four players will compete in an 18-event season from January-August with team and individual championships running parallel throughout the season.

There will also be a 13th team – owned by the league’s foundation but run by third parties – where fans can pick three wildcard players each week. A max of 51 players means no cut, with 54 holes being played over three days.

“We want to make golf as watchable as possible,” said Gardiner.

The regular season is the first 17 events, after which the individual champion is crowned. Then it’s time for the playoffs, a $20 million winner-take-all finale. Each regular-season event is worth $20 million in total, with $4 million going to the winner and $150,000 to last place.

For more on the creation of the league, listen to the full episode here.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Saudi-backed golf series announced with 2022 aim, Trump courses mentioned as possible venues

Commissioner Greg Norman told media members this is “the biggest decision” of his life.

On Wednesday, multiple sources confirmed to Golfweek that a private meeting with golf media members took place to outline plans for a new Saudi Arabia-backed golf series with Greg Norman as the expected commissioner.

The five people spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the series were not to be officially announced until next week. However, on Friday morning news officially dropped that organizers are moving forward with plans.

ESPN’s Bob Harig and others reported on Friday that Norman, 66, announced his association with Liv Golf Enterprises, backed by the Private Investment Fund, which operates on behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia. Norman will be chief operating officer of the enterprise, as well as commissioner of the new league.

The new series hopes to debut in the spring of 2022.

[listicle id=778173807]

Money will not be an issue for the new circuit, as massive incentives have been discussed between organizers and top players.

For example, according to reporting from The Guardian, one player from the U.S. Ryder Cup team told members of his inner circle he was offered $150 million for a three-year commitment to multiple Saudi-backed events.

The plan would include a mix of international and domestic events, and according to a tweet from No Laying Up, a number of former President Donald Trump’s courses could be among those on the future schedule.

Trump has been sympathetic to the Saudi regime in the past, even delivering a full-throated defense of the country in 2018, casting doubt on a U.S. intelligence assessment that the kingdom’s crown prince knew about the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

Even some players who have previously taken part in Saudi events have wondered aloud if this new plan is good for the game. For example, Graeme McDowell told Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard on Thursday that while competition is good, the current PGA Tour product is healthy.

“It’s such an unknown quantity right now. It’s so hard to make a comment. Is it good for golf or bad for golf? It’s very difficult,” McDowell said. “Competition is typically good for everyone. I feel that typically the PGA Tour product has never been as strong as it is right now and it continues to get stronger. I certainly don’t have any contracts [from the new circuit] right now. I’m certainly very happy where I am right now on the PGA Tour.”

McDowell was among eight PGA Tour players — including world No. 2 Dustin Johnson — who asked for permission to compete at the Saudi International tournament. The Tour previously said that it would deny waivers for its members to take part in the controversial event.

Tour players need to obtain a release to compete on other circuits. The Saudi International is scheduled for February 3-6 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, meaning players might not learn if they will be permitted to play until Tuesday, January 4.

“I asked the PGA Tour for a release to go back there again next year because I’ve played the Middle East for a large part of my career,” McDowell said. “[The Tour] said to do so [ask for a release] even though they haven’t decided if we’re going to be able to go and play that event.”

Norman, 66, told media members this is “the biggest decision” of his life, although he’ll also continue to assist with his golf course design company.

“What do I do with the Greg Norman Company? It has 12 divisions. I can’t do both. I can’t put both feet in both office buildings and give 100 percent effort,” he told ESPN. “So I decided to step away from Greg Norman Company. I’m handing the reins over for the first time in my life to other individuals to run my company.

“That was a big, big decision because that’s how much I believe in this. That’s how much I believe in the people who have been behind this to get it to a point where we are now taking it and to a point where we will be live and have the first ball in the air in the [spring] of next year.”

[lawrence-related id=778173874,778173888,778173826,778120332]

What we know: History of and latest updates surrounding the Saudi Arabia-backed rival golf league

Everything you need to know about the history of the proposed rival golf league.

The landscape of men’s professional golf may be changing right before our very eyes.

After years of 72-hole stroke-play tournaments with four majors sprinkled throughout the schedule, golf fans may soon have a new option with a rival golf league making noise once again.

Liv Golf Enterprises, backed by the Public Investment Fund which operates on behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia, will have Greg Norman be the chief operating officer of the enterprise as well as commissioner of a new league which hopes to debut in the spring of 2022.

Here’s what we know about the situation with the Saudis.

Professional golf in Saudi Arabia

The first professional golf event in Saudi Arabia — the Saudi International — was held in 2019 as a European Tour event, just months after the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The event has been criticized as a targeted attempt by the Saudi government to “sportswash” its controversial human rights record and improve its image.

A handful of big names have made the trip to play over the years, including two-time champion Dustin Johnson (2019, 2021). Major champions like Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka have also been paid to play the event. After the 2020 tournament, the Saudi International moved from the European Tour to the Asian Tour schedule for 2021.

Because of this, Golfweek learned back in July that the PGA Tour would refuse to allow players to compete in the controversial tournament in 2022. Tour members must obtain a waiver to compete on other circuits and, because the Saudi event is no longer sanctioned by the European Tour, the PGA Tour noted to managers that permission would no longer be granted.

That said, last week eight players asked for permission to play in the tournament, scheduled Feb. 3-6 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City: Johnson, 2020 winner Graeme McDowell, Abraham Ancer, Lee Westwood, Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson, Kevin Na and Jason Kokrak (who is sponsored by Golf Saudi).

What will the new league look like?

While the official format is still unknown, two different variations of a rival league with Saudi ties — the Premier Golf League and Super Golf League — have been pitched over the last year and a half.

The Norman-led golf league slated for next spring is not the formerly proposed Premier Golf League, whose plan featured 40-48 players on teams of four with a captain playing an 18-event schedule all over the world with a season-ending team championship. In Feb. 2020 the league’s CEO said the PGL would receive backing from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

What players may be involved

No names have been officially announced yet, but a handful of players have previous ties to golf in Saudi Arabia.

Phil Mickelson’s involvement in a rival, Saudi-backed league dates back to the 2020 Saudi International pro-am, where Lefty reportedly played alongside Premier Golf League representatives.

In July 2020, the Guardian reported that the league had sent formal offer letters worth “hundreds of millions of dollars” to a handful of players including Mickelson, Adam Scott, Stenson, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, Paul Casey and Koepka.

Almost a year later on May 4, 2021, a report in the Telegraph stated that multi-million dollar offers, some ranging from $30-50 million, were sent to Mickelson, Johnson, Scott, Koepka, DeChambeau, Fowler and Rose. That same month, player managers and agents met with the league’s backers on the Tuesday night before the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah, won by Mickelson.

Previous reactions

Rory McIlroy was the first big name to denounce the Premier Golf League with his, “For me, I’m out,” quote in Feb. 2020. A month later he would be joined by Jon Rahm and Koepka. At that time, the players were all ranked inside the top-three in the world.

In May of 2021 after the news of the $30-50 million offers, McIlroy doubled down, saying, “I don’t see why anyone would be for (the new league).” The PGA Tour — which created a “strategic alliance” with the European Tour to combat any rival leagues — has been steadfast in its stance. In a meeting with players that same month, commissioner Jay Monahan drew a line in the sand with multiple sources telling Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch that leaving the Tour for the new league would result in an immediate suspension from the PGA Tour and likely a lifetime ban.

On top of that, PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh said PGA Tour defectors would be barred from competing in the biennial Ryder Cup against Europe.

“If someone wants to play on a Ryder Cup for the U.S., they’re going to need to be a member of the PGA of America, and they get that membership through being a member of the Tour,” Waugh said in May. “I believe the Europeans feel the same way, and so I don’t know that we can be more clear kind of than that. We don’t see that changing.”

In a direct response to rival golf leagues, the PGA Tour also created the Player Impact Program, a $40 million bonus pool designed to compensate players who drive fan and sponsor engagement. At the end of this year, the money will be distributed to 10 players, with the player deemed most valuable receiving $8 million.

[vertical-gallery id=778173813]

Why Greg Norman?

This isn’t the Shark’s first time wading into the waters of a rival golf league.

Norman, the two-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Famer who won 20 times on the PGA Tour and 14 times on the European Tour, attempted to get the World Golf Tour off the ground in 1994, but was unsuccessful. The two-time British Open champion’s play was rejected by then-Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who announced the World Golf Championships three years later in 1997.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

A Saudi series could be a nightmare for endorsement deals and equipment makers

Following through on a PGA Tour ban could have a ripple effect throughout the endorsement system.

A potential new golf series, bankrolled by Golf Saudi and the Saudi royal family, has nothing to do with tradition, lifelong dreams of winning a coveted title or bringing honor to your country. It’s about money, plain and simple.

However, while it is still unclear what the PGA Tour will do in response to a potential new series of events organized and operated by Golf Saudi, whether it is a new iteration of the previously proposed Premier Golf League (PGL) or Super Golf League (SGL), players opting into it could be risking a lot of endorsement money in the process.

At the very least, it threatens to rock the gravy train. 

In May, it was reported that Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose had been targeted and offered multimillion-dollar deals to commit to the PGL. Some offers reached as high as $30-$50 million.

Eamon Lynch then reported that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told players that jumping to either the PGL or SGL would lead to an immediate suspension from the PGA Tour and likely a lifetime ban. 

Following through on that PGA Tour ban could have a ripple effect throughout the endorsement system.

Equipment manufacturers are usually among the most significant sponsors professional golfers have. They pay stars like Johnson, Mickelson, Fowler and Scott millions of dollars to endorse their products, be seen on television contending in tournaments, and make themselves available for corporate events and commercial shoots. 

In conversations with several executives from top brands, Golfweek confirmed that most endorsement contracts are three to five years in length, and pay golfers a set amount per year. However, it is common for there to be a clause that stipulates a minimum number of PGA Tour events a golfer must play every year. Deals vary, but between 15 and 20 events per year is normal.

If the PGA Tour bans a player because he is playing in a non-PGA Tour series, he won’t meet his commitment number, so his equipment maker might not have to pay him. As in, instead of getting a few million dollars, the player receives nothing.

Equipment deals also typically include incentive clauses for reaching certain milestones or winning selected events. For example, finishing the season ranked in the top 10, making a Ryder Cup team or leading the PGA Tour in driving distance can trigger a significant bonus for the player. 

If a rival golf league’s events do not earn a player Official World Ranking Points, his world ranking will likely go down, so that incentive may not be achieved. And, if he can’t play in PGA Tour events, earning Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup points could be impossible. The player would also fail to have season-ending PGA Tour performance stats, so none of those incentive clauses would kick in either.

Negotiating new endorsement contracts would also be very challenging. If a golfer were not playing on the PGA Tour and were not seen as often on American television, his value to equipment makers would decrease. 

Then there is the question of visibility for the brands themselves. Would a sizeable American golf equipment maker want to associate itself with a player who accepts a massive amount of guaranteed appearance money to play in tournaments organized and paid for by Golf Saudi and the Saudi royal family?

The “60 Minutes” report below about Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman and the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggiair last Sunday evening.

One industry insider told Golfweek that company officials are debating what they should do if a staff player decides to play in a Saudi series. The idea of requesting the player not wear the company’s hat and not use a bag with the company’s name being considered. In other words, if a staff player plays, he goes logo-less, to distance the brand from the player and the event.

All of this is something each player and his agent will have to weigh before deciding whether to play in a Saudi series or not. A check for $30 million could make someone forget about missing out on some lost endorsement opportunities, but taking that money would surely make companies, fans and the media look at the player differently.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=none image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Saudi golf group set to unveil new series with Greg Norman as commissioner, holding private meeting with media

Greg Norman is expected to be announced as the frontman for the new circuit, sources have also confirmed.

Multiple sources have confirmed to Golfweek that a private meeting with golf media members will take place on Wednesday night, outlining plans for a new Saudi-backed golf series.

Greg Norman is expected to be announced as the commissioner for the new circuit, sources have also confirmed.

It’s unclear whether the new series will be unveiled as a full league—the Saudis have previously pitched the Premier Golf League (PGL) and Super Golf League (SGL) to no avail—or as a trial balloon with a handful of tournaments. Nor is it clear what the PGA Tour will do in response.

Media members who attend the session in New York City will be asked to hold the news until early next week, sources have confirmed. Golfweek, which has written critically about the potential tour in the past, was not invited to attend the event.

[vertical-gallery id=778173813]

With the Saudis behind the push, the new circuit will have the cash to lure top names. Back in May, a group made multi-million dollar offers to several of the game’s best players, including then-world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose, with some reaching in the neighborhood of $50 million.

That proposed league was expected to feature 40-48 players playing an 18-event schedule in tournaments around the world with lucrative purses, with a season-ending team championship. The league would have included guaranteed money as well as a team concept that would dole out ownership stakes for 10-12 players who would captain four-man teams.

The rival league push came to a head in the late spring with the Saudis looking to partner with the European Tour. Soon after, the PGA Tour announced a new pot of $40 million called the Player Impact Program to “recognize and reward players who positively move the needle.” At the end of the year, these funds will be distributed among 10 players, with the player deemed most valuable receiving $8 million.

The PGA Tour also announced a new strategic partnership with the European Tour.

The unencumbered Asian Tour, however, is still a viable option for with whom the Saudis could partner. In fact, the 2022 Saudi International in February will be conducted under the auspices of that tour, in which the Saudis made a $100 million investment. Golfweek last week reported that eight PGA Tour players have asked for permission to participate in that event. Tour players need to obtain a release to compete on other circuits.

Norman is an interesting, but natural choice to front the new series. In 1994, he proposed the World Golf Tour, a series of eight no-cut events intended to bring 40 players together. The plan was shot down by the Tour, yet then-commissioner Tim Finchem announced the World Golf Championships in 1997, adhering to many of the same principles. Golfweek reached out to Norman’s public relations person, Jane MacNeille, but didn’t get a response.

Norman was among those flown in to take part in the inaugural Golf Saudi Summit in 2020. Others who also took part in that event included Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant and Ladies European Tour CEO Alexandra Armas.

Saudi Golf has been forcing its way into the international golf scene in recent years, including ownership of the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series, which made its third of four stops at the Glen Oaks Club on Oct. 14-16. Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda, Danielle Kang and Lizette Salas were among the American players in the field. The final stop of that series will be in November in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, the same venue hosting the Saudi International.

[listicle id=778173807]

Exclusive: PGA Tour will deny stars permission to play controversial Saudi International

The move will be seen as an escalation in a battle that pits the PGA and European tours against the Saudi government.

The PGA Tour will refuse to allow some of its biggest stars to play in the controversial Saudi International tournament next year, Golfweek has learned. PGA Tour members must obtain a waiver to compete on other circuits and the Tour has signaled to managers that permission will not be granted because the Saudi event is no longer sanctioned by the European Tour, which also plans to deny permits for its members to compete.

The move will be seen as an escalation in a battle for the future of professional golf that pits the PGA and European tours against the Saudi government, which has been pushing a Super Golf League concept that would lure elite players to a breakaway tour with guaranteed paydays of up to $30 million.

Asked to confirm that releases will not be given to players for the Saudi tournament, a PGA Tour spokesperson replied: “You are correct. This follows a PGA Tour longstanding policy of not granting releases to unsanctioned events.”

Since its inception in 2019, the Saudi International has been widely criticized as an effort by the regime in Riyadh to ‘sportswash’ its human rights record by leveraging golf to improve its image. Despite the controversy, the event has attracted many star players thanks to lavish appearance fees — up to several million dollars in some cases — and chartered private aircraft to and from the Mideast. World No. 2 Dustin Johnson has won the tournament twice while Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka are also among those who have been paid to play.

“There is lots of rumor and speculation floating about as it relates to the Tour’s position on the 2022 Saudi International. It would be premature for me to comment on it, given that we have not yet applied for a release from the Tour,” said Johnson’s manager, David Winkle. “However, given that Dustin has played in the event the past three years and would be returning as their defending champion, I have no doubt he would be quite disappointed if the Tour potentially denied his release.”

“I also think it is important to note that he is in a unique position, having played in the tournament since its inception and has, without question, helped put golf on the map in the Kingdom,” Winkle added. “In doing so, I hope he has helped grow the game in a region where golf is still a relatively new thing.”

The European Tour officially sanctioned the first three editions of the Saudi International, but a spokesman declined to comment on whether its members would be permitted to play the fourth staging, saying the 2022 schedule and player regulations had not yet been published. However, two senior figures with knowledge of decision-making at the European Tour confirmed to Golfweek that waivers will also be denied to its players.

The Saudi International is typically held in early February at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City. Tournament organizers have previously announced high-profile commitments to the field up to three months in advance, suggesting that the timeframe when players would be seeking waivers from either tour to compete is imminent. PGA Tour members who play the Saudi stop without receiving a waiver would be subject to disciplinary proceedings. One Tour source said any punishment would likely be a monetary fine rather than a suspension.

Multiple sources told Golfweek that the 2022 Saudi International could be conducted under the aegis of the Asian Tour, which is headquartered in Singapore. The Saudis recently made a significant investment in the Asian Tour — ball-parked by two sources at $100 million — in an effort to gain traction for their global ambitions in golf. When asked if waivers would be granted to players if the Saudi International is officially sanctioned by the Asian Tour, a PGA Tour spokesperson responded, “We’d prefer not to speak to hypotheticals on matters pertaining to PGA Tour regulations.”

Specifics on the Saudi investment in the Asian Tour have not been announced by either party. One golf industry executive with extensive ties to the Asian market believes the deal will likely involve guaranteeing purses at a number of regular Asian Tour stops (the prize funds of which are typically around $1 million) with the goal of eventually holding several highly lucrative events for elite stars, with purses in the $15-$20 million range.

The Asian Tour deal weds the Saudis to a global tour with a seat on the board of the Official World Golf Rankings, opening the door to potentially conferring valuable ranking points on any Saudi-backed tournaments. The Super Golf League concept would not qualify for ranking points without an affiliation with a major tour. World rankings are one of the criteria by which players can gain admission to compete in major championships regardless of whether they play in PGA Tour or European Tour events.

It’s unclear if the Asian Tour partnership signals a potential abandonment of the Super Golf League idea in favor of an attempt to corral golf’s elite stars on a more limited basis, or if it’s merely a staging post toward the ultimate goal of creating the League. While the Super League has been pitched in various forms for at least seven years, it has thus far failed to entice a single golfer to commit. Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm have both publicly rejected the splinter tour idea and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has made clear that any member who commits to the Saudi-backed scheme risks a lifetime ban.

Despite the threatened consequences, players continue to flirt with the concept. As recently as the Open Championship two weeks ago, at least five players — all of whom have won majors — had written offers from the Saudis, according to a well-placed agency executive familiar with the discussions.

None of those players have yet opted to publicly commit to the League and risk being benched by the PGA Tour while the legality of such a ban is litigated. That in turn has led some seasoned observers to suggest players are using the rival League threat as leverage to secure a greater share of revenue from the PGA Tour.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=none image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

PGA of America’s Seth Waugh on potential breakaway leagues: ‘Be careful what you wish for’

As PGA Championship week gets underway, PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh gave his thoughts on the potential for a breakaway league in golf.

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – It was inevitable that PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh would be asked his thoughts on the potential for a breakaway league disrupting what he calls “the golf ecosystem.”

Waugh, not surprisingly, was ready for such question and he had a lot to say. Let’s skip ahead to the key point. For the first time, one of golf’s governing bodies that runs one of golf’s majors said publicly that any defectors will not be welcome.

“If someone wants to play on a Ryder Cup for the U.S., they’re going to need to be a member of the PGA of America, and they get that membership through being a member of the Tour,” Waugh said. “I believe the Europeans feel the same way, and so I don’t know that we can be more clear kind of than that. We don’t see that changing.”

But money talks and England’s Lee Westwood expressed why the concept of a Super League or Premier League still is being discussed. Asked if it would be hard to turn down $50 million to jump ship from competing on the PGA and European Tours, Westwood said, “For me, at nearly 50, it’s a no-brainer, isn’t it?”

Asked how much of a deterrent it would be to be banned from the other professional tours and the majors, he said, “That’s something you have to take into account. When all these things come along it’s a balancing act, isn’t it? You’ve got to throw the balls in the air and juggle them for a while and see what comes up. You have to get all the facts together, first of all. I can see it from both sides, but I haven’t really gone into depth in it, no.”

Waugh didn’t mention whether he had spoken to Westwood, but said he had talked to several players and looked them in the eyes and delivered a pointed message: “Be careful what you wish for, because short-term gain feels good for a little while, but long-term gain is what makes lives.”

Waugh comes from the world of high finance and he understands why a renegade league would come along.

“I actually think it’s healthy. You either disrupt or you get disrupted. That’s what this is,” he said. “You know, should it be a hostile takeover of the game? I think is way too far. They’ve created this conversation, which by the way isn’t new. It’s been around since 2014 in different forms, has created change. It’s created an alliance of the European Tour and the PGA Tour, which we think is really healthy for the game.

“Change is happening, and I think it’s healthy change. Is it enough? I’m not sure yet. I struggle with what they’re solving for. The game is not in crisis. The game has never been better from a participation standpoint. I think the players have never been better served than they are right now.

“You’re going to have a great life if you can get here.”

Waugh didn’t see the upside of slaying the current golden goose for a different, unknown one with potentially unethical backers.

“There has to be an exit. There has to be a profit. There has to be shareholders. There has to be a lot of things that change that dynamic of not-for-profits doing the right thing and always thinking about the game first, and their players,” he said.

Of the involvement of backers from Saudi Arabia, Waugh didn’t hold back. When asked if the players should be mindful where the money is coming from, Waugh said, “I think very mindful. I think enough said. But I think very mindful,” he said, adding, “Money is money, right, and so money needs to have a return and have all those things that are associated with it, but some money is better than other money.”

[vertical-gallery id=778104757]