PGA Tour power brokers, LIV Golf goals, mixed events 

Check in each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the most well liked subjects within the sport, and be a part of the dialog by tweeting us @golf_com. This week, we talk about.

1. The PGA Tour’s elevated occasions have lived as much as the hype to this point, with big-name winners and the celebrities taking part in effectively within the first three of the season. Now, following Chris Kirk’s Honda win, two extra are again to again: the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship. Give us a reputation you’d guess on to have an enormous two-week stretch, and is powerful play at this level of the season an excellent indicator of their Masters prospects? Or are we too early to look that far forward?

Dylan Dethier, senior author (@dylan_dethier): One-hundred % of my co-workers and perhaps most of my pricey readers will roll their eyes studying this as a result of I like to recommend him about 60 % of the time, however Keegan Bradley is ready up for a big-time Florida Swing. He performed effectively at these two occasions final 12 months (fifth at Players, T11 at Bay Hill) and will get comfortable on the Florida greens. When Bradley putts moderately effectively, he contends. Expect that at the very least as soon as these subsequent two weeks.

Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): Dylan is true … I did roll my eyes. Give me world No. 1 Jon Rahm. He’s been on an absolute tear to this point this 12 months, so it’s simple to imagine he’ll proceed that development in Florida. And sure, this month is when Masters prep actually begins to start. If a participant is in type in March, it sometimes bodes effectively for his or her prospects in Augusta.

Ryan Barath, Senior Equipment Editor (@RDSBarath): I might go along with the apparent alternative of Rory, however as a substitute I’m going to go along with one other golfer from the Emerald Isle — Shane Lowry. He performs effectively in Florida, within the wind, and does effectively on robust programs. He’s now had back-to-back excessive finishes on the Honda the previous two years, and if the great instances maintain rolling in Florida, I imagine he’ll play effectively on the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship. I nonetheless assume the Masters is much sufficient away that plenty of gamers can warmth up in March, so I’m not able to make any picks.

2. Sergio Garcia told the Telegraph that he blames Rory McIlroy’s lack of maturity for severing their friendship, which deteriorated over the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf fallout. He additionally stated, “You can suggest things, ideas, and although they are not always followed up and acted upon, you are listened to [on LIV]. That didn’t happen on the PGA Tour. There are only two, maybe three players who the bosses listen to on that Tour.” Assuming Tiger Woods and McIlroy are the 2 high gamers Garcia was referring to, who is likely to be the third? And how a lot affect do these high gamers have over PGA Tour execs and different golfers?

Dethier: Jon Rahm? Jordan Spieth? Justin Thomas? Harry Higgs? Hard to say precisely whom Garcia was referring to. He has a degree that PGA Tour gamers are being listened to with elevated urgency today, and there’s no query Woods and McIlroy are entrance and heart in that dialogue. He additionally has a degree that the Tour was sluggish to behave to enhance its product. But Garcia isn’t precisely a impartial occasion right here. Some LIV professionals have gone out of their method to say the PGA Tour was nice, there aren’t any onerous emotions, and making the leap simply made sense at this level of their profession. Garcia has taken a extra confrontational method, so it’s no shock that he’s been greeted with some frostiness.

Melton: If I needed to guess, I’d say Jordan Spieth, however it’s inconceivable to know. Prior to the LIV saga, I’d have stated that the highest gamers (sans Tiger) had comparatively little affect over the Tour brass. But within the wake of the disruptions over the previous few years, high gamers appear to be wielding extra power.

Barath: If I needed to guess one, it will be Spieth. He’s sponsored by AT&T, additionally one of many tour’s greatest sponsors, and has been a standout participant for years. As for sway, I feel that there are only some golfers who would have the flexibility to alter the thoughts of the tour or a sponsor.

3. While the PGA Tour kicked off its Florida swing with the Honda Classic, LIV Golf opened its second 12 months at Mayakoba, which up till final 12 months was a former PGA Tour cease. Now with a beefed-up schedule, TV deal and one 12 months below their belts, what do you see as the largest Year 2 purpose for LIV because it tries to achieve traction?

Dethier: Viewers and sponsors, I suppose. The two are linked — if there are many viewers, sponsors are presumably extra prone to observe — they usually have the identical finish outcome: money circulation. This week, we noticed the primary indicators of company involvement, which seems like an enormous first step. But not all of it seems like a closing product, right down to the mismatched staff uniforms. Still, they’ll be in loads of households on the CW, so on PGA Tour down weeks like this one (the Honda Classic had a remarkably weak subject and nil star power within the combine on Sunday), I might assume some golf followers would flip over to LIV. We’ll see what number of. And we’ll see whether or not main advertisers observe.

Melton: More legitimacy. LIV continues to be considerably of a punchline within the golf world, but when they’ll placed on some compelling tournaments, signal extra massive title gamers, and attract new eyeballs this 12 months, they’ll be trending in the fitting path.

Barath: Traction. So far LIV has created solely the slightest quantity of curiosity exterior of the golf world, and contemplating their TV deal constricts their distribution in comparison with the earlier free stream on YouTube, getting informal followers to tune in continues to be going to be a problem. Maybe it is a stretch analogy, however at this level, LIV is just like the XFL going up in opposition to the well-established NFL. Sure you will have a TV deal, and you will markets that need golf, but when the viewers doesn’t have any readability for what’s at stake, how do you construct any long-term curiosity and acquire traction?

4. The PGA Tour and LPGA Tour introduced a brand new mixed-team occasion that may debut later this 12 months in Florida and change the QBE Shootout. The Grant Thornton Invitational (Dec. 4-10) will staff 16 PGA Tour gamers and 16 LPGA Tour golfers. This would be the first annual mixed-team competitors since 1999. A very good addition to the schedule?

Dethier: A terrific addition to the schedule. That creates a much more attention-grabbing dynamic than the QBE, which appeared enjoyable for gamers however lacked juice for golf followers. This is a enjoyable step and one thing viewers have been inquisitive about for my complete golf-viewing life.

Melton: Yes! It might be an exquisite occasion — particularly for the LPGA. This occasion ought to introduce extra informal followers to the highest ladies’s expertise, and permit them to showcase their abilities alongside a few of the greatest names on the boys’s aspect. Should be a enjoyable occasion to look at.

Barath: I echo my panelists, by saying that it is a format that’s lengthy overdue. I’m going to take a second to get on my soapbox and say extra illustration is desperately wanted in golf, particularly for girls. I’ve been a fan of the ladies’s sport for a very long time, however now as somebody with two daughters, I would like them to have the ability to see individuals like themselves on TV taking part in sports activities at a excessive stage, identical to I did once I was a child. The second a part of that is, it’s not nearly little ladies, however informal golf followers as an entire getting extra publicity to feminine professionals. Remember final 12 months on the QBE, when the narrative was how everybody was ‘shocked’ by Nelly Korda’s sport? It shouldn’t be a shock that she will hit nice photographs — she’s probably the greatest gamers on this planet. People simply must see extra of it!

5. While The Honda Classic lacked some star-power, Monday’s Seminole Pro-Member simply down the highway actually is not going to. Quick, you out of the blue landed an invitation to affix Seminole and want a professional to play alongside you. Who on this subject is your companion, and what different twosome are you choosing to spherical out your foursome? (Click here to view the sphere. )

Dethier: This one’s simple: I’ll take David Novak’s spot alongside Jon Rahm, filling out the foursome with Tom Brady and Tony Finau. The World No. 1 and the GOAT in the identical group is a no brainer. I’d like Novak to nonetheless stroll with us, although. Feel like he’d have a lesson or two I’d prefer to be taught.

Melton: Gimme Harry Higgs as a taking part in companion. There aren’t many Tour professionals extra enjoyable than Higgs, and it’s certain to be a hell of a time taking part in with him in a member-guest. Pair us up with Rory and Gerry McIlroy, and it’d be even higher.

Barath: Tough alternative, however I’m choosing Adam Scott as my companion, and the reason being — he’s Adam Scott. Now if the secret is to choose ANY different twosome, I’m going with Patrick Rogers and Chuck Schwab, much less so for Patrick (sorry, Pat), however hopefully I might get just a few funding suggestions from Mr Schwab himself. 

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