Morning Read Mailbag: LIV Broadcasts, LIV Hypocrisy and ... More LIV

Readers are encouraged to offer their thoughts on Morning Read stories or anything else from the world of golf. Email inbox@morningread.com and include your name and hometown. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

LIV Golf Perhaps Better Seen, Not Heard

You ended with one of my favorite quotes — another is "you wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” (Eleanor Roosevelt). (Long on Salesmanship but Short on Substance, LIV Golf Broadcast Has a Long Way to Go, July 5.) Perhaps less LIV attention would be an improvement. Really good TV golf announcers are a seemingly hard breed by which to come. I would like to see a survey of listeners about to whom they would like to listen … or a grading system for a slate of announcers. Many would be best to remain silent!

Robert Cushing
Carmel, California

Your analysis of the LIV webcast is on the money, pun intended. There was more objective reporting at the annual July 4th hot dog eating contest. A definite example of adding insult to injury. Maybe their theme song should be “76 Trombones.”

Jonathan Dana
Los Angeles

Siding with Billy Horschel

I absolutely agree with Billy; the arrogant, selfish and venal PGA Tour and DP World Tour members who knowingly left their respective tours and went to play on the LIV “tour” can’t be faulted if they wish to line their own pockets and do nothing to help grow the game of golf by giving back. (Billy Horschel Calls Out 'Hypocrites' in LIV Golf, Says They Should Stay There, July 5.)

But for them to whine about not being able to play both LIV and the PGA or DP World Tour is both hypocritical and disingenuous; they sound more like childish spoiled brats who want both their cake and to eat it as well. They knew when they signed up for blood money from the Saudis they were making an “informed” decision to not play on the regular tours as a result.

The behavior of those that opted to play the LIV events has forever tarnished their names, if not utterly destroyed their place in the history of the game. They should never again be allowed to play either a PGA event, or DP World Tour event.

I would like a choice – as someone who has been passionate both about playing golf and watching golf for 30 years and more – to watch those who believe in the history, philanthropy, sportsmanship and ethics of the game of golf, and not to have it soiled and spoiled by a bunch of mercenary no accounts. History will not be kind to them, but I assume they won’t care, since their pockets will be weighted down.

Julian Awdry
Wilsonville, Oregon

Ranking the Facts of LIV

Gary Van Sickle is correct in his observation that European Tour fields this season have been humdrum and therefore lacking in significant world ranking points. (We Can't Look Away But Should We? Ranking 10 Facts of Life in LIV Golf, July 4.) But did anyone have a close look at the field for the John Deere Classic? If that wasn't the least-distinguished field ever assembled for a PGA Tour event, I'd be astonished.

Paul Trow
London, England

Gary, I have respected your writing for years, don’t always agree, and this is one of those times!

Bringing a golf event with major champions to the Portland area wasn’t a good thing? That isn’t growing the game for that part of the USA? Some young golfers got to see Dustin, Phil, Patrick when they might have never gotten the chance — that isn’t growing the game?

I understand the negative side of this controversy, but there is some good to it. So if you going to have 10 facts, maybe 3-4 could have been positive?

Joe Lyons
Fort Myers, Florida

The writer asks “who’s watching?” I am. I am able to view some entertaining golf without having to pay an extra fee for access on cable tv or through an app. I also like the team idea and can see that becoming a bigger thing as the picture of how it works becomes clearer.

I find it interesting that some of the golf writers are so highly critical of the players for taking the money and leaving the PGA Tour. I’d like to see what one of them would do if they were offered say, $10 million, plus a nice guaranteed weekly salary, to be the designated writer for the LIV events. I’m pretty sure I know what actions they would take for that kind of financial security for them and their family.

James Vander Woude
Grand Junction, Michigan

Gary, I read your Morning Read regarding 10 facts concerning LIV. The most important comment I’ve heard about it was from Mike Whan on the day he announced that the U.S. Open would remain open. In response to the observation that the Saudi government has essentially unlimited money, he noted that he has worked with many individuals and companies with vast amounts of money. He further noted that they didn’t garner that money without seeking some sort of return on their investment, be it in dollars or advertising or whatever. If they aren’t getting a return on investment of some sort, they quit investing.

The dollars committed to LIV for this year likely exceed $500 million. Next year the prize money alone will approach $400 million plus whatever new commitments they make to attract players. Now they can certainly afford that; their monthly revenue just from the increase in the price of oil this year probably exceeds those amounts. Maybe their goal is to become the preeminent golf tour on Earth and to generate revenues the way Formula 1 does. While I am skeptical that will ever happen, at least that is a rational business plan for someone who has this kind of money. No other potential benefit remotely commensurate with their investment occurs to me.

So looking at this from Mike Whan’s perspective, it seems that the Saudis have committed approximately $1 billion to LIV and will likely reevaluate at the end of next year.

John Rodney
Kettering, Ohio

The Question of LIV Golfers in Majors

I read with interest your article regarding players who have signed with LIV Golf being allowed to play in the majors. (The Majors Have a Major Decision to Make On LIV Golf Players' Eligibility, June 12.) I believe this entire issue will come down to decisions made by Augusta National Golf Club.

ANGC has become the leading force in growing the game of golf over the past several years. Their connections with the First Tee, Drive, Chip and Putt along with the Augusta National Women's Amateur have all helped grow our game to new levels. How will ANGC handle the intrusion into the game by LIV golf, that’s the question to be answered. ANGC will never be swayed by money. I expect it will come down to what they truly believe is the intent of LIV. The Masters and Augusta National are all about history and not the money. I doubt the club’s leadership won’t view LIV Golf as a detriment to growing the game and its history and make decisions accordingly.

Ron Green
Naples, Florida

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