Boston has a new TGL group.
TGL
Welcome again to the Monday Finish, the place there’s no referee, no timeouts and positively no shot clock — however extra on that in a bit. Let’s get to it!
FIRST OFF THE TEE
Strange occasions.
On Monday Rory McIlroy helped introduce a new four-player group as a part of the launch of a groundbreaking startup golf league. Later he was requested about the way forward for the PGA Tour and stated he “sincerely hope the PIF are involved.” Those two issues together would have been unthinkable final summer season; McIlroy was by no means a possible LIV captain, in spite of everything, and in what different context would these two stances make sense? Go again two summers, in the meantime, and it will’ve been phrase salad. The way forward for golf appears to get rewritten about as soon as a month at this level.
Inevitably McIlroy was requested throughout the inaugural Boston Common GC press convention how he might assist the TGL — the league he and Tiger Woods have co-founded along with the PGA Tour — when he was so staunchly anti-LIV. He defined the largest distinction, which is that LIV was launched as direct competitors to the PGA Tour, whereas the TGL is supplemental and complementary. (Not to say held in a stadium!)
“This isn’t adversarial at all, this was trying to — how can we be additive to the entire system,” he stated. When he and Woods had been approached by league co-founder Mike McCarley, they’d insisted on getting the Tour on board, McIlroy stated. They definitely did that.
McIlroy has tried to avoid an excessive amount of anti-LIV speak of late, however he couldn’t fairly resist a pair pictures on the rival league whereas he was at it.
“We’re not pretending to be — we’re going to be competitive, and it’s going to be a different type of golf, but it’s not the traditional golf that you see week in, week out,” McIlroy stated. “I don’t want to sit here and talk about LIV, but I think you could make the argument that they haven’t innovated enough away from what traditional golf is, or that they’ve innovated too much, that they’re not traditional golf. They’re sort of caught in no-man’s land, where this is so far removed from what we know golf to be.”
LIV has been relentlessly self-promotional since its inception, generally crossing the road into disingenuousness. That’s the place McIlroy’s “pretending” shot originates. The critique that LIV is both too related or not related sufficient to the present PGA Tour might be a good one, too. LIV has struggled with its id. It’s a disruptor … that also seeks the approval of the OWGR and entry to majors. It’s an adversary … that’s presently negotiating a ceasefire. See what I imply?
The solely difficult factor is that that is fairly nuanced stuff; McIlroy’s getting within the weeds with this evaluation. That is sensible on the Monday Finish — it’s what we do! — however it may be more durable when the juiciest snippet of your press convention goes to be blasted out to the lots through social media.
Rory’s press convention hinted at his ongoing antipathy in the direction of LIV. His post-press convention look on CNBC reminded us of the complicated future for the PGA Tour and for LIV — and for no matter uneasy marriage the 2 might craft. Beside him sat Tom Werner of the Fenway Sports Group, one of many corporations within the working to snag a slice of the Tour.
“We confirm that we’ve had conversations,” Werner informed CNBC’s Scott Wapner throughout the present “Halftime Report.” That was all he’d say. As for McIlroy?
“I feel like we’ve got a fractured competitive landscape right now,” he stated. “But hopefully when this is all said and done, I sincerely hope the PIF are involved and we can bring the game of golf back together.”
The Monday Finish is staying out of the prediction recreation for the second. Let’s sit again a pair weeks and see how this progresses.
WINNERS
Who received the week?
Erik van Rooyen eagled the 72nd gap to cap off a preposterous back-nine 28 and a two-stroke win on the World Wide Technology Championship, the second of his profession. But it was most notable due to the motivation behind it; the 33-year-old South African stated he was enjoying for his buddy and faculty teammate Jon Trasamar, who has terminal most cancers and was not too long ago given simply weeks to reside.
Mone Inami received the Toto Japan Classic, the primary LPGA Tour victory for the 24-year-old. You might know Inami from her silver medal on the Tokyo Olympics, the place she beat out Lydia Ko for second place. She declined to accept LPGA membership for the rest of the season however nonetheless has every week to just accept enjoying privileges for 2024.
ALMOST-WINNERS
Who virtually received the week?
Matt Kuchar held the lead for a lot of the weekend however was undone by a quadruple-bogey 8 on Saturday; he shot a bogey-free 66 on Sunday to submit 25 beneath for the week, adequate for T2. He was joined there by Camilo Villegas, who has largely been enjoying on the Korn Ferry Tour however now slips inside the highest 150 within the FedEx Cup.
Shiho Kuwaki completed T2 in Japan in her first LPGA Tour begin, whereas one other lady who performs her golf in Japan, legendary former World No. 1 Jiyai Shin, completed fourth.
NOT-WINNERS
Nope.
This week’s loser was Old Man Par, who bought decimated by the sphere in Los Cabos. Not solely did it take 27 beneath par to win, it took 5 beneath to make the lower and seven beneath simply to beat final place on the weekend. Kelly Kraft wasn’t notably keen on the course, suggesting on Instagram that the PGA Tour might “do a better job picking.” Dumping on the primary Tiger Woods design to host a Tour occasion is definitely a transfer! But Tour execs on web site have been reportedly sad with simply what number of birdies have been required to maintain tempo; Kraft shot 8 beneath for the week to complete 71st. Old Man Rough wasn’t an element, both — there principally wasn’t any, and execs hit a preposterous 90 % of their fairways for the week. Adam Long hit each single one! The common for the 12 months is 58 %.
WHAT WE’RE SEEING
Tiger caddying — by foot!
That can be Tiger Woods, 15-time main champ, who hoofed it across the NB3JGNC for his son Charlie, who shot 3-under 68 to complete inside the highest 20 for the week. There was comprehensible consideration paid to the gait of the daddy, although, who hasn’t walked this a lot in public since he underwent surgical procedure earlier this season. It’s an encouraging signal, to say the least.
Now the query turns into: What is Woods gearing up for? He is aware of his presence can be essential for the success of the TGL come January. He’ll desperately need to play the PNC Championship in December. Might he attempt 4 days of strolling at his personal Hero World Challenge? And does he have Augusta National in thoughts?
We would possibly hear from Woods across the launch of his personal TGL franchise, or we’d not hear from him till he takes to the mic on the Hero on the finish of November. This portion of the golf calendar has turn into, for higher and worse, Tiger Speculation Szn. Here we’re once more.
WHAT WE’RE HEARING
The subsequent TGL franchise is…
Our Sean Zak has been performing some digging to seek out out precisely the place Tiger Woods would possibly find yourself enjoying…
I concern for the TGL fandom in the course of the nation. If you reside west of Atlanta however east of Los Angeles, who do you pull for? We would possibly want an growth to Chicago or Dallas earlier than this factor even kicks off…
WHAT WE’RE READING
Shot clocks and referees.
What’s black and white and pink throughout? [crowd leans forward in anticipation] A referee with a sunburn! [crowd groans]
Okay, so sunburns received’t be a problem contained in the new Sofi TGL stadium in Palm Beach Gardens, which is being finalized forward of the league’s January launch. But there can be referees, timeouts and even a shot clock, bringing components of extra acquainted stadium sports activities to the TGL. (More particulars right here.)
As I wrote final week, I’m nonetheless TBD on TGL. But I’m recreation to attempt it out! I’ll say they should escape the notion that it’s a “simulator league,” which connotes your native bowling alley or your buddy’s basement. I’d power the thought of “stadium golf” somewhat than “simulator golf” particularly, as McIlroy famous in the identical CNBC interview, on condition that the “screen” within the stadium is 20 occasions the dimensions of a typical simulator and the built-out inexperienced complicated can be 10,000 occasions extra satisfying than rolling a putt in the direction of a portion of your simulator display screen — one thing that has solely ever made me really feel like an fool.
Anyway, we’ll see. But a shot clock is a good suggestion, a referee is a good suggestion, timeouts are a good suggestion. They appear to be nailing a bunch of the small stuff. It’ll quickly be time to see if the big-picture idea holds water.
CLOTHING CORNER
An intriguing sponsorship.
Rory McIlroy (Nike), Adam Scott (Uniqlo), Keegan Bradley (Travis Mathew) and Tyrrell Hatton (Adidas) every has his personal clothes sponsor. But it looks like Greyson has snagged Boston’s group sponsorship. It’ll be fascinating to see how little enterprise intricacies like this shake out because the TGL performs on. Is it a problem that lots of the golfers can be sporting non-sponsor gear in a primetime, nationally televised competitors?
NEWS FROM SEATTLE
Monday Finish HQ.
I’ve really departed the good dreariness of November within the PNW for a cross-country trek to the Sunshine State, the place I’ll be spending a pair days doing a pair issues that I’m very excited to share with you in a pair weeks. I received’t give an excessive amount of away for concern of jinxing issues, however I’ll say that the offseason is an efficient time for goal-setting. That’s true for golfers and it’s true for those that write, speak, and take into consideration golf, too. I’ve been sketching out some concepts with a number of the brightest abilities at GOLF and these subsequent few weeks we’ll have an opportunity to check ’em out. I’ll report again.
WHAT’S NEXT
3 issues to observe this week.
1. The Butterfield Bermuda Championship’s alternate record.
The order by which replacements get shuffled into PGA Tour occasions has to vary sooner or later, given the excessive stage of play on the Korn Ferry Tour stage. But for now, a fall occasion on the island of Bermuda attracts some hearty Tour execs seeking FedEx Cup factors, rum cocktails, pleasant individuals, scrumptious Atlantic Ocean views and a Masters invite — but in addition, loads of guys simply say no. Their loss!
2. The ANNIKA
The match named for the fashionable GOAT of girls’s golf returns to west Florida, the place west Florida resident Nelly Korda appears to win her third consecutive version of the match. It’s the penultimate occasion on the LPGA schedule; they’ll wrap up with the CME Group Tour Championship subsequent week.
3. “Africa’s major”
One very cool byproduct of the PGA Tour enjoyable its fall necessities is seeing guys play completely different occasions worldwide, and this week that features Max Homa and Justin Thomas making the journey to the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa. They took benefit of the placement of the penultimate DP World Tour occasion to sneak in a pre-tournament safari, too, earlier than heading to Gary Player Golf Club for what’s generally known as “Africa’s Major.” We’ll let JT take us out:
See you subsequent week!
Dylan Dethier (cautiously) welcomes your feedback at dylan_dethier@golf.com.
