KC Golf News
Tom Watson’ s take on the PGA TOUR versus the LIV League
Hall of Famer“ Will Not Play” In Watson Challenge June 5-7
Editorial by Alan Hoskins, feature writer
Tom Watson on the 18th hole at Shadow Glen G. C. in 2009 where he won his second straight Watson Challenge.( Photo by Alan Hoskins)
No one has had a more positive effect and impact on Kansas City golf than Tom Watson. His 25 years of exhibitions with the world’ s best golfers raised millions for Children’ s Mercy Hospital. His work with the First Tee of Kansas City and his current Watson Links program has reached countless boys and girls. The annual Watson Challenge has provided local amateurs and professionals a chance to play golf with Watson while competing to determine Kansas City’ s best( more on the Watson Challenge later).
But Watson’ s impact on golf doesn’ t stop there. In fact, it stretches far beyond Kansas City— particularly to the PGA TOUR. Were it not for Watson and undoubtedly others like him, the PGA TOUR might not be what it is today.
“ Back when I was winning, Mark McCormick, who was the agent for Arnold Palmer and the CEO of IMG Marketing, approached me and asked if I would defect from the PGA TOUR and play a series of exhibitions which would make a lot more money than I was making,” disclosed Watson.“ I said,‘ Mark, I simply cannot do that. It would ruin the PGA TOUR.’”
For Watson, the PGA TOUR offers the game’ s most time-tested quality competition.“ What I like about the PGA is the open competition. There was open competition every year, a national qualifying tournament.”
To get into a PGA TOUR event meant playing in Monday qualifiers held before each tournament.“ They called us rabbits, rabbits because we were chasing the lettuce [ cash ],” says Watson.“ And if you made the 36-hole cut in a tournament, you got to go on to the next tournament. So, making the cut was super important if you wanted to make it as a rookie. And if you finished in the Top 25 in a tournament, you qualified for that tournament the next year.
“ In my first year in 1971, I played in six tournaments. The next year, my first full year, I did not win enough to be in the Top 60. Not until 1973 did I earn enough money to be in the Top 60. So, it was 1974 that I was fully exempt for the first time.” Today, to qualify requires playing the Korn Ferry Tour, but at one time, qualifying was totally open. Three regional qualifying events were held, with the top finishers advancing to six rounds of national qualifying.
That kind of competition does not exist in the LIV League. A 54- man league made up of 13 four-man teams, 14 tournaments played between mid-February and August. Tournaments are played over 54 holes, and there are no cuts. Points are awarded for individual and team tournaments for season-ending championships. Each year, the league opens two spots to the field, meaning 52 players are assured of playing the next season.
While countless talks have been held about a merger with the PGA TOUR, Watson doesn’ t see it happening.“ I see nothing that will consolidate the two tours,” he says.“ They’ ve been making noise about it, but I do not see how under any conditions it could happen under the rules we have. With the abundant amounts of money that was offered, all it is— is an exhibition. I’ m not discounting the golf. It’ s good golf. Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau have won majors. But LIV golf does not compare to the 72 holes played on the PGA TOUR. Again, like I said, it’ s an exhibition.”
The 18th Watson Challenge June 5-7
Now to this year’ s Watson Challenge: The 18th annual Challenge will be held June 5-7 at Hallbrook Country Club in Leawood, KS, and Tom Watson will not be a competitor.
“ I just can’ t play competitively anymore, but I will be there,” says the 75-year-old Golf Hall of Famer.“ Honestly, I’ m not a valid competitor anymore. I just can’ t hit the ball as far. It happens with age.”
Tom Watson tweeted this photo in November 2022. He noted go-karts are # foryoungerguys.
Watson’ s competitive end came when he turned over a go-kart on his farm near Bucyrus, KS, in 2022, although he says his downward slide had started before that. The go-kart mishap would require three surgeries.“ I fractured my shoulder, totally tore it up, and had it replaced. Then I had to clean up some scar tissues and then had surgery on my wrist that was injured when I fell out of the kart.”
It’ s good to report he’ s back playing now.“ A lot, and I’ m enjoying it,” he says.“ I shot a 71 yesterday [ in March 2025 ] at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, AZ., but I miss-hit a lot of shots now. And I can’ t hit the ball nearly as far. For example, my swing speed now is 90 mph. The average on the tour, I think, is 116 mph. That translates to a carry of about 280 yards in the air. I can carry 226. I try to impress on people on how far they carry the ball in the air, not how far the ball rolls.”
12 May 2025 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE