Dame Laura Davies, David Howell, Nick Dougherty, Andrew Coltart and John E Morgan give their verdict on the future of golf and how the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf League could look going forward; Download and subscribe to the Sky Sports Golf podcast
Tuesday 6 February 2024 13:56, UK
The golfing landscape continues to look uncertain as talks between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) continue, but what will happen next and what does the future look for the sport?
Conversations continue between golf's tours and the PIF - who bankroll LIV Golf - to finalise the shock Framework Agreement announced last June, although there has been very little information released since about when - or if - a deal will be reached.
The PGA Tour has launched a new partnership worth up to $3bn with Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of US-based sports owners, although insists it will not prevent an "ultimate agreement" with the PIF.
Golf continues to be separated in the meantime, with Masters champion Jon Rahm and Ryder Cup team-mate Tyrrell Hatton joining the exodus to LIV Golf, with lots of question marks remaining about how the sport will move forward in the months ahead.
Dame Laura Davies and David Howell joined Nick Dougherty to discuss the future of golf during the weather delay at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, with Andrew Coltart and John E Morgan featuring on the latest Sky Sports Golf podcast to also give their verdict.
"I would say we're a precipice where I think with this crazy money that's going on, in my opinion, is close to ruining the spectacle of professional golf," Howell said during Sunday's coverage from Pebble Beach.
"For the golfers themselves, short-term, they're coining it in aren't they, the good ones especially and some of the low ones down as well. In the short term, if you were a golfer, you might be thinking 'this is this is great, let's jump on the gravy train'.
"Holistically, globally, what do we want? We want good tournaments. I don't agree that you want all the best players playing against each other all the time. I don't buy into that, as you want some Cinderella stories along the way, but you want a critical mass of them often enough to make the tournaments really mean something.
"Nobody cares if Wyndham Clark wins $3.6m, $1.6m or $800,000, they want to see someone holing a putt on the last that means everything. It was the same with Matthieu Pavon last week, it wasn't because he won $1.6m but was that he achieved a childhood dream.
"The trophies also matter. I mean LIV have got a good critical mass of players now but no one cares about the tournaments and no fan cares about that particular LIV trophy. Fans just want to watch players caring about what they're playing in.
"Money is important to everyone, isn't it? But you've got to get it right in the priority of things and the moment it's totally out of kilter."
The panel reflect on Dylan Frittelli's DP World Tour success in Bahrain and Wyndham Clark's impressive Pebble Beach win, plus his comments over him saying his 'legacy' was the reason behind selecting the PGA Tour over joining LIV Golf.
The rapid rise of Ludvig Åberg and the recent success of Mathieu Pavon on the PGA Tour, with plenty more discussion about PIF's growing role with the sport and delays with the deal being finalised with the PGA Tour.
"I don't want little scraps being thrown onto the table to keep me remotely interested [about the agreement between tours]," Coltart said. "We need to start seeing specifics and a plan so we know where we're going.
"I think the players want it sorted out. It just feels like things are treading water at the moment, so let's get something done and let's get it sorted. I just think the PIF are unstoppable and there's far too much money.
"They've already proved to me that they can prise any asset they want and how's that going to stop? I certainly at this stage, while they're still interested party in golf, you can't close the door on them."
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The PGA Tour continues on Thursday with the Waste Management Phoenix Open, live on Sky Sports Golf from 3.30pm. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and more on NOW.
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