Don't Count Out the Saudi Arabia Golf League Just Yet
It’s the Tuesday after the end of the West Coast swing and while Joaquin Niemann’s victory at Genesis Invitational was interesting, everyone is talking about Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau publicly coming out against leaving the PGA Tour to join the proposed Saudi golf league.
The decision by three high profile players to remain with the Tour has many insiders agreeing with Rory McIlroy, who on Sunday said after his round in Los Angeles that the Saudi/Greg Norman initiative is dead in the water.
Is it?
Does anyone remember the $300 million committed to Norman’s LIV Golf Investments just weeks ago? Who believes that Norman and his backers will just pick up their toys and go home without a fight?
Sure, Norman had some moments during his playing career where he wilted near the finish, like the '86 Masters, but this battle isn’t happening inside the ropes. Norman has proven to be much more adept in the business world, where some sites report that he's accumulated a net worth of more than $400 million.
You could also add in the fact that Norman could have a chip on his shoulder since the rebuke of his World Golf Tour idea back in 1994 by then-PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, who, five years later, held the first World Golf Championships event, which was run and owned by the PGA Tour and other tours worldwide.
Norman surely has not forgotten that slight and now with a $300 million bankroll, which is likely just the beginning, he has the ability to get some payback.
So, to say this is effectively over, is maybe a little naïve.
No question, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott and Jason Kokrak, all still possible new recruits, may not be of the same stature at McIlroy, Tiger Woods or Jordan Spieth, but do they need to be?
You must start somewhere and stay the course.
Neither Norman nor the Saudis are in this for a quick payday. They had to understand when they committed to this venture that it was going to be a long struggle, and while they may not get everyone they want in the first, fifth or 10th year, if they persevere and continue to stoke the flames with the many millions that are required, they have a chance of success.
The PGA Tour is already being forced to go outside the box -- they established a new PIP program in 2021 that will pay out $60 million this year, and they are reportedly planning to significantly boost purses and make sweeping changes to its schedule. It's all being done to make members happy and content.
It’s unclear what else the PGA Tour might do to keep the troops in line, but it's clear that at some point the Tour's coffers might not be able to support expanded purses and other programs that would bring additional earnings to its players.
At the same time the Saudis and Norman have considerable funds to invest into their product, and over time that might be enough.
It’s impossible to predict what the endgame is between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed league.
However, one thing is clear: these are still the early stages of what could prove to be a protracted war, with the outcome very much in doubt.