ATLANTA — A little more than six months elapsed between Phil Mickelson boasting that players had “leverage” over the PGA Tour and the revelation on Wednesday at East Lake Golf Club that proved the greatest leverage belonged to those who remained, whose loyalty increased in value as the pace of defections to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series quickened.
As Tour commissioner Jay Monahan fought to ring-fence and then rally his troops in an effort to destroy the evil empire’s (or kingdom’s) Death Star, the price of player loyalty grew exponentially. The final bill he received isn’t cheap, but still represents hella value given the alternative he faced.
For not much more commitment, top players receive a lot more reward: significantly increased purses, often fewer guys to beat for the money, enormous bonus programs not dependent on performance, and an opportunity to benefit from the substantial adjacent wealth surrounding golf, like owning equity in the innovative digital stadium concept announced today by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
It’s been the mantra of every commissioner—admittedly there have only been four—that the PGA Tour is a member-led organization. That’s been nominally true, but only as much as players care to get involved. Most didn’t because they saw no compelling reason to distract themselves from the grind of competition, where their money was made. But when the game’s stars became a sought-after asset class, decisions had to be made. Some opted to cut and run for Saudi money, others to stay and fight—as much against the structure and complacency of their own Tour as against LIV.
Wednesday showed that the Tour’s biggest names have cemented their position atop the food chain.
“We all sort of are our own little independent businesses and we sort of try to compete against each other, and I think this is the first time in a long time where we sort of all sat down and were like, let’s try to be business partners,” McIlroy said. “How can we all pull in the same direction here to benefit everyone and to help the entire Tour and to help each other basically.”
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As with any workplace, the Tour has always had a schism between the Have Nots and the Have Yachts, with each camp routinely grumbling that money headed in the other direction ought by rights be coming to them instead. The new…
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