The start-up of a new 'league' tour program is splitting the ranks of top professional players. The PGA appears to be barring those who play in the new league program from the PGA tour. History doesn't repeat itself, true. But the formation of new boxing sanctioning bodies and how it has worked out certainly suggests a serious shake-up is ahead, Regards, stay well . . . and keep your head down when you swing.
While I am, admittedly, not a golf fan, I do not understand your making an analogy to boxing. The biggest effect of the various boxing associations, that I know of, is that the ratings that each assigns to the top boxers, is not uniform between them. Therefore, we get divided crowns, with one boxer holding the "champion," title from one or more of the groups, while some other boxer has the championship belt, for the others. Eventually, the rival champs fight, to unite the title. This does not seem directly applicable to golf, since who wins a golf tournament, is not a matter of judges', or organizations', subjective judgements. In other words, even if golfers are given rankings, it does not affect their "purse," for winning. There is no reason that it should have to affect their ability to participate in any contests; that is, if we are looking to boxing as a guide, most of the top professionals would be recognized, if not in the same order, by differing groups. This is a salient difference, because boxing matches are made between only two individual fighters, at a time. But all the top players participate simultaneously, in a golf tournament. This is why it is much different situation, for the PGA to prohibit players, who play in the new league, from their own events. They are really playing hardball (so to speak), to shut down this upstart challenger! One would imagine the PGA had the resources, and the leverage, to daunt most players, who now count on winning PGA events, to walk away from that. However, my initial impression is that this would provide the makings of a trade practices lawsuit, from the new league, for monopolistic practices, by the PGA. IOW, what may play out, I would find more interesting than the typical golf tournament; for this reason, I would appreciate your being more elaborative of the facts. It would seem that a lot of people would be against the PGA, here: golfers, who would get more opportunities to win purses; golf courses, which would get to be part of the tournament circuit (or would get to participate for both leagues); the community businesses, that would benefit from the spectators, at the tournaments; perhaps the television networks, if they wished to have more golf to broadcast, and; obviously (though most puzzlingly, to me), all those fans who the dedicated golf channels, still leave hungry for more.
Hi, DEFinning. Thank you for your extensive response. The two situations are indeed quite different. They are similar in that in both sports there was a long period with only one body controlling aspects of the sport. Once that body was challenged by another -- in the case of boxing there were multiple challengers -- the sport itself suffered. I believe a case might be made that the boxers themselves did not benefit. At least that's my impression. I'm certainly open to learning. Thank you again. Stay safe 'n well.
Though I don't know the intricacies of the setting of boxing bouts, I believe you are right, about boxers in general, not benefitting from the multiple authorities, which mostly just take a cut of the pie for themselves. But, as my initial reply had explained, it is my assumption that the incipient golf "league," would result in there being more tournaments (and so more purses) for which boxers could compete. The PGA's threat, of course, nullifies that result, at least until, and unless, the courts get involved. As I would expect the new league will need to prevent the PGA from barring golfers, who take part in its own tournaments, I see this as certainty; it will be interesting to see how various courts see the matter.
Hi again. Yup! Whenever there's enough money involved, [Ed.: Excepting moneys owed to, say, loan sharks,] resolution is often decided in the courtroom these days. It might be possible, given the explosion of legal betting sites, to find odds on how it will turn out and whether it will reach the Supreme Court. Regards, and enjoy the sport, both on the links and off. Side note: Watching the Canadian tournament yesterday, I noted the height of the rough and quipped to My Lady, also a golf-watcher, that some of the pros were probably carrying a #5 weed whacker.
The contretemps between the PGA and Saudi's image-scouring scheme has exposed a reality that disabuses many of erroneous notions. Players had labored under the delusion that the PGA was under their control. They were blindsided. The suits and thawbs have shown who wields the power by their backroom deal, not even bothering to tell the talent beforehand, and throwing Greg Norman out on his keister. (I still find his Microlux Stretch Shorts to be smart leisure attire, and his 2016 vintage Cabernet is delightful.) Welcome to the world's biggest sand trap.
And to you and yours as well. I try to just enjoy the pageant, and not become overly concerned about how the sausages are made.
