“ It ’ s like free agency , except in golf . You have the opportunity to make a lot of money — but you lose the opportunity to play true competitive golf , especially in the major championships ,” says Watson . “ It ’ s an individual decision . You just can ’ t have both . Right now , the Official World Golf Ranking ( OWGR ) system awards points for every tournament .” The top 50 in the ranking PGA TOUR Players are awarded exemptions for the Masters and British Open , the top 60 for the U . S . Open , and the top 100 for the PGA .
“ LIV golfers understand if they don ’ t gain ranking , they ’ ll fall through the basement and automatically won ’ t make it . So will the OWGR alter its restrictions or allow LIV players in the majors ? It ’ s not decided .”
At the 2022 Watson Challenge , Tom Watson said , “ We found out who the best player in Kansas City was ,” as he congratulated Davis Cooper on his victory at Indian Hills Country Club .
Cooper broke Challenge records for the lowest total score in relation to par , and his margin-of-victory , after he shot 65-64-68- 197 ( -13 ) to win the 2022 Watson Challenge by 8 strokes .
Watson ’ s Take on the LIV Golf Tour and The Future of The Game
As uncertain as he is about his golf future , Watson is just as uncertain about the future of the game of golf on the professional level because of the current battle between the PGA TOUR and LIV Golf . “ The way I look at it , the PGA is a competitive tour ; the LIV tour an exhibition ,” says Watson . “ The PGA plays 72 holes with cuts ; the LIV plays 54 holes with no cuts . The issue is the money . Obviously , it ’ s very lucrative to join the LIV .”
The LIV tour is a four-man team event with a $ 25 million purse , $ 20 million for the individual portion , and $ 5 million for the team aspect . LIV is financed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia , which has invested a reported $ 2 billion in LIV golf and has $ 620 billion at its disposal . That ’ s a lot of Saudi cash !
Those kind of numbers have not fallen on deaf PGA ears . While most PGA TOUR events average in the $ 8 million range , eight “ elevated events ’ have been raised to $ 20 million ; the Players Championship will pay $ 25 million . And any PGA card-carrying member playing in 15 or more tournaments in 2023 will be guaranteed $ 500,000 in earnings , an incentive to encourage players not to leave the PGA .
That decision may not come until a trial scheduled for 2024 . LIV has joined an antitrust suit against the PGA TOUR , which countersued , claiming LIV is encouraging players to break contracts . “ The PGA does not want to sacrifice integrity by letting players play anywhere ,” said Watson . “ They have a responsibility to sponsors to have the best fields they can have .”
This year LIV players have locked up 46 spots in major tournaments , less than half the 116 in 2022 . And that number will only continue to decrease as exemptions to past champions , and numerous other exemptions expire . “ As The Open champion , Cameron Smith can play until he ’ s 60 , but for other championships , it ’ s only five years ,” says Watson . Eventually , under current restrictions , the only way LIV players will be able to get into majors will be by the qualifiers held for the U . S . Open and British Open . The Masters is by invitation only .
Just six LIV players are qualified for all four of this year ’ s majors — Phil Mickelson , Dustin Johnson , Brooks Koepka , Bryson DeChambeau , Cameron Smith , and Joaquin Niemann . Patrick Reed and Louis Oosthuizen have qualified for two , and Bubba Watson and Henrik Stenson one . Paul Casey and Lee Westwood are shut out .
“ The majors want the best players and the marquee players if they qualify ,” says Watson . But until there ’ s a change in the world rankings , LIV players in majors will only continue to dwindle .
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Editor ’ s Note : We wish Mr . Watson a speedy recovery from his shoulder injury , hope to see him tee off at the Masters opening ceremony , and compete at this year ’ s Watson Challenge held June 1st to 3rd at Nicklaus Golf Club at Lionsgate , Overland Park , KS .
( See story about Tom Watson ’ s new Watson Links junior golf program on page 22 .)
Alan Hoskins , Golf Writer Lead Feature Writer since 2007 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE ™ Magazine
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