A Grip on Sports: When Tiger Woods takes a few swings at the new Saudi-backed tour, people pay attention
A GRIP ON SPORTS • When Tiger Woods talks, people listen. He talked Tuesday in Scotland and what he had to say about the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series was, as is his way, a well-reasoned and thoughtful critique of the new group and those behind it.
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• Though Woods’ entire career has been about blazing trails in the stodgy world of golf, his outlook has always leaned toward the traditional. Even as his presence was opening doors for a wide-range of people to places once shut, Woods expressed a reverence for those places.
Which makes his comments to the world golf media gathered at St. Andrews, the sport’s birthplace, not unexpected.
But their vehemence was.
He threw daggers – for him, at least – at two-time British Open champion Greg Norman, the driving force behind the money-rich Saudi exhibition series.
“Greg has done some things that I don’t think are in the best interest of our game,’’ Woods told the assembled media. “I know Greg tried to do this back in the early ‘90s. It didn’t work then, and he’s trying to make it work now. I still don’t see how that’s in the best interests of the game.”
And Woods also opened a door to a future that others have only hinted at and those who have joined the LIV tour, including such notables as Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, have glossed over. The younger players joining the short-play league may not earn enough world ranking points to play in the most important tournaments.
“Some of these players may not ever get a chance to play in major championships,’’ said Woods, referring to the four majors filling their fields via ranking points the LIV tour players can’t currently earn. “That is a possibility. We don’t know that for sure yet.
“It’s up to all the major championship bodies to make that determination. But that is a possibility, that some players will never, ever get a chance to play in a major championship, never get a chance to experience this (St. Andrews) right here, walk down the fairways at Augusta National.”
The big names who have joined the LIV tour have huge guaranteed contracts, whether they play well or not. And then the purses are overwhelming as well, all backed by money from a Saudi Arabian fund aimed at polishing the country’s image around the world. It’s a near-bottomless well that may just swamp the PGA Tour.
The Tour is fighting back. It has suspended the players who are competing in the LIV events. The majors have allowed them to play – for now. But future fields, outside those with exemptions from past wins, are determined by the rankings.
“That, to me, I just don’t understand it,” Woods said of the purpose behind the rump tour. “I understand what Jack (Nicklaus) and Arnold (Palmer) did because playing professional golf at a Tour level versus a club pro is different, and I understand that transition and that move and the recognition that a touring pro versus a club pro is.’’
In 1968, Nicklaus and Palmer led a mini-revolt which broke the PGA Tour off from the PGA of America, the organization that oversees golf at your local course. It allowed the players to lead control their playing schedule – they still do – and decide what’s right for pro golf. Now some players have broken off to play fewer tournaments, fewer holes at those tournaments – 54 instead of 72 like all majors – and earn more money.
“I disagree with it,’’ said Woods of the players’ decision. “I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position.”
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Gonzaga: Chet Holmgren didn’t get to face the NBA draft’s top pick Paolo Banchero in Monday’s Las Vegas summer league game, but he did get to face challenges from Orlando. Theo Lawson was there and tells us how well Holmgren did. … Around the WCC, BYU’s best player has decided on a new place to play. Guard Shaylee Gonzales is transferring to Texas.
WSU: We mentioned (and linked) Jon Wilner’s thoughts from yesterday concerning a possible merger with the Big 12. Today, we link the column in the S-R. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, is Larry Scott the bad guy in the conference’s morality play? … Like everywhere else affiliated with the conference, Oregon is in a state of upheaval. … Is the Pac-12 finished? And what do those impacted feel about it? … Utah has reached the pinnacle. Can it stay there? … In basketball news, former Arizona star Richard Jefferson tried a new job last night.
Indians: An odd part of minor league baseball concerns roster churn. A player shines in Spokane and, boom, he’s gone, moving up the ladder. The other part of that, though, is other players move up to Spokane as well. Case in point, Hunter Goodman, who brought his powerful bat from Fresno recently. Dave Nichols has this story on his rise in the Rockies’ organization.
Mariners: Seattle is surging. We covered the reasons why yesterday. Others have their thoughts behind the run. We share those today.
Seahawks: Jimmy Garoppolo? Yes, his name is coming up in reference to the Hawks.
Kraken: Could Ryan Donato leave? Seattle didn’t over him a contract, so yes, it is possible. He will be a free agent. Others too.
Storm: Seattle seems to be positioned well for the stretch run.
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• Back in Spokane and the temperature is going to hit 93? What? It’s almost as if it’s mid-July or something. Oh, right. Anyway, glad the new Dairy Queen on the South Hill is open. Might have to check it out this afternoon. A dipped cone on a hot day is unmatched. Until later …