LIV Golf, the revolution

The revolution is written with three letters: LIV.

Or rather, with Roman numerals.

LIV is 54, the number of holes in each of the eight tournaments with which the Saudi league has shaken golf this year until it split in two.

On one side, the players who remain faithful to the American circuit (PGA Tour) and the European circuit (DP World Tour), figures like Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm.

On the other, those who have accepted the check full of zeros from the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia to enroll in their new competition despite the fact that this means expulsion from the American tour and puts their participation in the big ones at risk.

Among them, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia and Cameron Smith.

This Friday begins in Miami, in a Donald Trump field, the eighth and last date of the Saudi league this year.

Unlike the previous seven, which combined the individual and collective parts, only teams (12 quartets) compete.

But as in all the other stops, there is a mountain of gold at stake.

If in London, Portland, Bedminster, Boston, Chicago, Bangkok and Jeddah 25 million dollars were distributed per Sunday, in Miami the loot is doubled: 50 million for the teams, 16 for the winning group.

Money and more money at the heart of a groundbreaking project in the game (three days, 54 holes, simultaneous tees, no court and the option to play in shorts) and the check book.

The Saudi fortune has captivated so many stars in a continuous trickle that the American circuit has had to respond in the only possible way:

scratching his pocket.

The PGA Tour will raise the prize pool to between 20 and 25 million per competition, will create three new international events and the best players will play the same 17 tournaments, plus three of their choice, including the big four.

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The war travels from the

to the courts.

In the course, high tension when golfers from the two armies coincide.

Glances, comments... In the offices, a judicial battle.

In August, 11 golfers sued the PGA Tour for suspending them and allegedly violating antitrust laws.

According to them, they are autonomous with the freedom to play wherever they want.

The start of the trial is scheduled for August 2023, but before that, Judge Beth Labson, from California, denied that three players could play the final series of the American circuit, the FedEx Cup, a first blow to LIV Golf.

For the judge, there is no economic damage for those who cross the border towards the Saudi league, but on the contrary because those contracts are juicier;

the link with LIV is more restrictive because it requires them to appear at the 14 appointments scheduled for 2023;

and he sees no signs of a monopoly because the new circuit has been able to finish the season, has had no problems signing more players and is planning next year.

Eight of the 11 complainants have withdrawn the lawsuit.

The DP World Tour lives its 50th anniversary in flames.

The European circuit did not expel the rebels, but fined each of them 116,000 euros for playing in London.

Several golfers, like the Spaniard Adrian Otaegui, took the punishment to court and the sanctions were provisionally suspended.

Otaegui won two weeks ago in Valderrama and competes in Miami.

From one side to another.

And in between, another fire.

The

do not receive points for the world ranking despite being associated with the Mena Tour, a circuit that organizes tournaments in the Middle East and North Africa, and that closes the door of the big four to a good handful of stars.

Right now, some of the best players in the world won't be playing the best tournaments.

Above, from left to right, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio López-Chacarra, Sergio García and Abraham Ancer, after winning the teams in Bangkok, together with Greg Norman.

Below, the players' caddies. LIV GOLF

The face of the conflict could well be that of Sergio García.

The 42-year-old from Castellón has given up the European circuit card, and rebounded to be eligible for the Ryder, a competition in which he is the all-time leading scorer (28.5 points), due to that climate of civil war.

Expelled from the PGA Tour and appearing in the Saudi league, he abandoned the Wentworth tournament, in the European circuit headquarters: “Many people are against playing the Ryder.

If they're better off without me, I'm leaving."

Garcia will complete all eight tournaments in the league.

Seven Eugenio López-Chacarra, who in four months has gone from being an amateur to the biggest prize ever won by a Spanish athlete (4.75 million dollars for his victory in Bangkok, 16 times more than what Jon Rahm won that same day in the Spanish Open).

Otaegui has enrolled in four appointments, David Puig in three and Pablo Larrazábal in one.

Updated pairings for Friday #LIVGolfMiami pic.twitter.com/PPTnQ8r0SW

— LIVGolfComms (@LIVGolfComms) October 27, 2022

The earthquake began in June with the signing of Dustin Johnson, winner of the 18 million bonus for the individual classification (Sergio García was ninth), and lived the last aftershock with Cameron Smith, recruited a month after winning the 150th British Open in Saint Andrews and as world number two.

In the other corner of the ring, McIlroy is the great flag of the PGA Tour, today number one in the world.

Beside him, Rahm tries to build bridges towards peace.

“For me that is not golf”, said the Basque at the beginning.

“We have the right to play where we want.

There is a positive part because this has made the PGA better, ”he recently expressed.

Rahm is especially hurt by the stab at Ryder by the European players who can be left out.

Like García and like the Swedish Stenson, who went from captain of Europe to Saudi soldier.

Former Australian golfer Greg Norman, CEO of the Saudi league, has been catching more and more big fish for his collection of the 48 players who contest each tournament.

He got away from Tiger Woods, to whom he put a check for 700 million on the table.

El Tigre said no and led a meeting of 22 players in August to face the new and rich enemy.

“The crash is out of control.

We are going to have a broken sport for a long time,” McIlroy lamented.

Against each other, golf bleeds.

Valderrama, tradition or petrodollars?

The Saudi league has held eight tournaments this year between June and October.

For 2023, the forecast is to raise the number of appointments to 14, and one of them points to Spanish soil.

LIV Golf wants to land in more places in Europe (until now it has only set foot in London) and one of the courses indicated is the Real Club Valderrama, in Cádiz.

The historic Andalusian layout has ended its link with the European circuit this year, after a three-year contract was fulfilled that was extended to one more due to the pandemic suspension campaign.

And now he has before him a decisive decision for his future: extend that link with the DP World Tour, ally himself with LIV Golf or not host any tournament in the following months.

“We are in the middle of a negotiation.

There has not been a decision made and we are considering all the options”, explains the general director of Valderrama, Javier Reviriego.

The daisy should be stripped in November, since both the European circuit and the Saudi league want to announce their calendar for the following year this coming month.

The vote will be cast by the club's board of directors, made up of seven members.

On the financial side, LIV's offer is the highest, but there are internal doubts about partnering with the Saudi fund, while some players are campaigning to keep the more traditional DNA.

Valderrama has hosted 27 tournaments on the European circuit, two world championships and the magical Ryder in 1997. 

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