Is Mega Money Making a Mockery of Professional Golf

Special View From The Fairway by Derek Clements

The recently competed made-for-TV exhibition "Showdown" featuring top PGA Tour players and LIV Golf stars may have been a highly anticipated event for some, but for others, it was just another display of excessive wealth and money in the golf world. Golf writer Derek Clements reports on this and asks whether the world of professional golf has lost touch with reality.

HANDS up if you tuned to watch the so-called Showdown, the made-for-TV exhibition pitting the PGA Tour’s Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy against LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.

No? I would rather have sat in my lounge and watched paint dry than view four multi-millionaires playing for a further $10m in crypto currency as they further lined their pockets ahead of Christmas. But, just to keep you all updated and give you the benefit of my opinion, I forced myself to watch it. And yes, watching paint dry would have been a better option.

The event came just hours after it was confirmed that the US Ryder Cup will all be paid appearance money for the privilege of representing their country at Bethpage Black next year. I am sorry, but it all just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

We were told that this encounter could be a precursor to some kind of framework deal being reached between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

Really? The first thing you should know about this event is that neither tour sanctioned it.

It was played over 18 holes, but split into three six-holes matches, each with its own format. Each of those matches was worth one point, which meant that no matter the result, there would be something to play for all the way to (at least) the 15th hole.

And it all turned out to be pretty one-sided.

From the very first hole, it was clear that McIlroy had brought his very best form. He hit his approach stiff and holed the birdie putt, and then repeated the feat at the second. Koepka and DeChambeau finally won their first hole at the 11th. But at the next they immediately dropped a shot and McIlroy stepped in once again. The final six holes saw McIlroy take on DeChambeau in singles, with Scheffler facing Koepka. And when McIlroy picked up two further birdies the whole thing was effectively done and dusted.

On the plus side, all four players were wearing microphones but there were some technical glitches. As early as the very first hole, the players were unable to hear the questions being asked of them, and DeChambeau eventually removed his ear-piece. And even when the microphones were working, the players did not have very much to say. There was very little inter-action.

That wasn’t the only issue. The match was played in the Las Vegas desert. They teed off around 4pm local time - within 30 minutes it was pitch black so the event was played out under floodlights. It also meant that the temperature plunged as the night progressed.

The Showdown Highlights

When all is said and done The Showdown did absolutely nothing for the game of golf other to confirm that somebody will always be prepared to pump millions of dollars (real or crypto) into any event that may help to raise the profile of the sponsor.

And we are not finished with all this nonsense either. There is still the TGL Golf League to look forward to. This is the event fronted by Tiger Woods and McIlroy and supported by the PGA Tour that will see players effectively playing golf in an arena.

The event will feature six teams of four PGA Tour golfers competing in two-hour matches at TGL's custom venue, SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Each match consists of two sessions: the first is a nine-hole, 3-on-3 alternate-shot format, and the second is six holes of head-to-head singles play. The course, infused with technology, covers approximately 97x50 yards and includes real grass tee boxes and a giant simulation screen. Each hole is worth one point, with overtime determining the winner in case of a tie. Overtime is a head-to-head competition to see which team can hit two shots closest to the pin. The match also includes a 40-second shot clock and four timeouts per team per match. A referee and official are present to enforce TGL's rules and regulations.

All golfers will wear microphones during matches to bring fans closer to the action.

Each TGL event complements the PGA Tour schedule as part of the league's partnership with the tour. The weekly matches lead to the playoffs, which ultimately culminate with one team winning the SoFi Cup.

And no, I don’t understand it either. But I do understand this - the winning team with collect a whopping $9m. Without ever stepping out onto a proper golf course. It’s official - the world has gone mad!

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