American Tony Finau won his third PGA Tour title on Sunday
LIV Golf is parading new recruits, including Europe’s deposed Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson and England veteran Paul Casey, in the third event of their Saudi-sponsored existence this week.
Taking place at Donald Trump’s home in Bedminster, New Jersey, it has to top some things to live up to the quality of athletic narrative currently being generated at pretty much every level of pro gaming.
Wherever you looked across the golf spectrum this past weekend, there were compelling, meaningful actions to engage fans.
There was no hangover from Cameron Smith’s epic Open win last week, just a seamless sense of continuity.
Brooke Henderson became a two-time Major champion despite surviving a difficult finals at the Amundi Evian Championship, and Richie Ramsay’s wild celebrations showed that his Cazoo Classic win meant more than just his £250,000 prize money.
At the same Hillside tournament, runner-up Paul Waring climbed 88 places in the Race to Dubai to secure another season of playing privileges on the DP World Tour.
These are examples of raw sports where livelihoods are at stake. They help build legitimate sports pyramids and give us reason to care if a player makes a cut or not.
It makes us admire athletic prowess and achievement when the pressure mounts.
With career earnings in excess of $25m (£20.7m), Tony Finau clearly has few financial worries; but his ability to win has long been questioned, with a meager return of just two PGA Tour wins in 15 years as a pro.
He felt the heat during a come-from-behind win at last Sunday’s 3M Open in Minnesota, when he went in last despite a comfortable lead.
Finally, Finau booked one of those victories that meant more than the value of the winner’s check. “It’s hard to win here,” said the 32-year-old American, who moves up one spot to 16th in the world rankings.
“I think I am as good an example as anyone of how difficult it is to seal the deal. Every time you win one it’s great to get the respect of the guys you play against.”
And what about Scott Piercy, who went into the final lap by four and was still comfortably ahead until he buckled to an inside half of 41 and ended up tied fourth?
It’s a brutal game. Just ask this 43-year-old, who hasn’t won a single PGA Tour title since 2015.
Piercy’s heartbreak offsets Finau’s joy. It’s a competitive knife edge that makes champions and fools.
And the sport is so captivating to watch.
One rung down – David Kocher, a 26-year-old from New Jersey, went to the Korn Ferry Tour event in Missouri last week feeling like he was playing pretty decent but didn’t have a top-10 finish all year.
He went on to reel off 31 birdies as he won the Price Cutter Charity Championship by six shots to 28 under par. The result moves him to 30th in the Feeder Circuit standings and in the mix for the top 25 who will receive a PGA Tour card for next season.
“I didn’t think it would happen this week,” Kocher admitted. “I didn’t know if it was going to happen this year.”
Insecurity, another important aspect that drives us to watch professional sports.
Henderson was the dominant leader in the Evian and seemed pinned down for her second big win for a long time last week. But in the early stages of the Canadian’s back-nine last Sunday, she was in a seven-fold lead with England’s Charley Hull among others.
It turned into an exciting piece of junk; Henderson shagged three of the last five holes, including the last after putting her drive in trouble to get home.
LIV, meanwhile, promises to revolutionize the sport and make golf “louder” with its expensively assembled cast of players. They claim the new project is “a force for good.”
It’s certainly not hurting players’ bulging bank accounts and none of them need worry about making the cut this week.
They know they are guaranteed at least $120,000 (last place money) with the prospect of a $4 million first prize.
Greg Norman’s operation has made tremendous strides, their staging and marketing have been superb, and they have upended the status quo like never before.
This week, Trump will support their cause. Like Norman, the former US President harbors a grudge against the PGA Tour after they moved their World Golf Championships event from Trump’s beloved Doral in 2017.
The Miami venue will host the LIV Season Team Finals in October.
With many in the field signing lucrative deals this week, the huge prize money matters less than the inflated numbers might suggest. But if you follow the first two events, dollar signs will be the focus of the plot.
Armed with their newest commentator recruit, the acclaimed David Feherty, they will also look to make the most of their team element, which is rumored to be attracting a multi-billion dollar corporate interest for future support.
Perhaps Stenson, who joins a ‘Majesticks’ cast led by Lee Westwood, will help write another story to continue golf’s current golden thread?
Or maybe not? I really have no idea.
But that’s certainly the biggest challenge for LIV and its 54-hole, 48-man shotgun launch format – giving sports fans a reason to care about an outcome that goes beyond already wealthy boys getting richer .
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