Monahan On Oversaturation Of PGA Tour Golf: "This is not the first time we've heard this"

There was much to chew on from Commissioner Jay Monahan’s press conference kicking off the 2020 Players, including not one, but three Wyndham Rewards mentions along with other topics of note. And the oversaturation topic did come up.

Several top players of late have said Monahan and the Policy Board are aware of “issues” with the PGA Tour product after the Premier Golf League’s vision became public. It’s not an easy one to answer publicly without upsetting tournaments. All 49 of them.

Q. I just wonder what you made of Rory's thoughtful argument last week that there were too many tournaments in professional golf. That, in his words, we'd reached saturation points and were in danger of exhausting the fans.

JAY MONAHAN: Well, we have a wonderful PGA TOUR FedExCup schedule with 49 events this year, and there really are very few weaknesses on our schedule. And when you look at our model and the fact that players are independent contractors, for us putting the best tournaments forward week-in and week-out, recognizing that in our sport players like to play in certain conditions, certain markets, like to sequence their schedule differently, a lot of factors that go into the schedule that we have, and we've got great commitments from the markets where we play, and that's what's gotten us to here.

But I think when you look at -- when players -- this is not the first time we've heard this. When you're in Player Advisory Council meetings, when we're in board meetings, we're constantly looking at how our schedule is performing. I talked a lot about where we are and where we're headed, and it's been reinforced by the marketplace, but I would say that because the schedule is so dynamic for our players, it's also as dynamic for us as leaders, and that's something that we'll continue to look at and say, what are the things that we can do to improve our schedule. But I would tell you, we feel really good about where we are today and the flexibility we have going forward.

Flexibility. Does that mean with 52 weeks in a year there is room for growth? Presumably not.

Rory Questions America's "Casual" Coronavirus Response; PGA Of America Says No Discussions "At This Time" About PGA Move

Derek Lawrenson on world No. 1 Rory McIlroy's concern that the United States is taking a less proactive response to the coronavirus causing cancellations of sporting events and concerts.

'It's obviously very worrying but the US seem to be very casual about it compared to the rest of the world,' said McIlroy.

The PGA Tour, meanwhile, has moved from task force to business unit in analyzing the virus, according to Commissioner Jay Monahan. I’m not sure what that means, but here’s what he said Tuesday at the Players regarding the WGC Dell Match Play in Austin two weeks.

I would tell you that it started out as a task force. It's now essentially a business unit, where we have two leaders, Tom Hospel, our medical director, and Alison Keller, our chief administrative officer, who have organized a large team to fully understand the coronavirus and its implications on all facets of our business. I think it goes without saying that the health, safety, well being of our players, our fans, our tournaments, everybody that's involved in our ecosystem is of utmost importance.

Meanwhile, yesterday’s report on discussions to secure a backup PGA Championship venue were inaccurate, a PGA of America statement says. At this time. From Brian Wacker’s GolfDigest.com report:

“Reports that the 2020 PGA Championship will be relocated from TPC Harding Park are inaccurate,” said a statement from the PGA of America released on Tuesday. “At this time, no such discussions have taken place. We continue to carefully monitor this rapidly evolving situation, in close coordination and communication with representatives from San Francisco. We will follow the guidance of state and city officials and public health authorities, keeping the safety and well-being of all involved as our highest priority.”

While they deemed yesterday’s report inaccurate, would anyone fault them for considering back up options?

Tyrrell Hatton Wins First PGA Tour Title, Likely With A Few Paycheck Deductions From The Fines Department

Then again, as a proud member of That European Tour and special temporary PGA Tour status player, maybe Tyrrell Hatton isn’t eligible for deductions from his Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard check. I’d ask, but we know the rules on commenting about such weighty matters.

Either way, another wild API played out over a tough Bay Hill that yielded only one weekend sub-70 round. And for the European Tour world still smarting from last week’s Paul Azinger jab and Rory McIlroy’s PGA Tour fealty pledge, the Hatton win should soothe some bruised egos.

After edging Marc Leishman by one and earning a three-year exemption, the volatile Hatton became a sentimental winner, reports GolfDigest.com’s Dave Shedloski.

“It’s an incredible feeling to win on the PGA Tour and to do it at such an iconic venue,” said Hatton, 28, a four-time winner on the European Tour, who completed 72 holes in four-under 284, the highest winning score in tournament history. “I’ve grown up watching this event as a kid on TV, and to be sitting here next to the trophy now is an amazing feeling and very thankful I managed to hold on at the end.”

Josh Berhow with a nice roundup of Hatton’s various gestures and otherwise entertainingly neurotic activity that included an inordinate amount of hostility expressed toward…a lake.

Not to be outdone in the character department is Mich Donaghy, Hatton’s looper, who Ryan Lavner talked to regarding the working relationship with Hatton.

But now Hatton is ... more controlled of his emotions, if only slightly?

“We’re getting better,” said Hatton’s caddie, Mick Donaghy. “That’s why I think I’m employed – to threaten him and kill him. And I will, and he knows that. I won’t put up with any of his s---. That’s what he needs.”

McIlroy, meanwhile posted a final round 75, his second straight year with a rough API final round. Though 2019 worked out okay for him and he’s banking on a similar bounce heading into the rest of 2020, writes GolfChannel.com’s Rex Hoggard.

Also keeping the Fines Department busy will be Brooks Koepka after a blissfully blunt assessment of his game following weekend rounds of 81-71.

PGA Tour Entertainment’s round four highlights:

WGC Dell Match Play A Go: You Can Bring Your Very Own Hand Sanitizer, Just Don't Expect Autographs

With Friday’s SXSW cancellation in Austin, Texas, Steve DiMeglio gets answers on questions about the WGC Dell Match Play.

The event, which brings the top 64 or so golfers from around the world, is three weeks away but forging ahead despite a Coronavirus “local disaster” declaration by Mayor Steve Adler.

From DiMeglio’s story:

The Tour has established protocols for the safety of fans, volunteers and players, including equipping the event with extra hand-sanitizing stations at all restroom locations, along with stations positioned in high-traffic fan zones and in the volunteer headquarters.

Fans will be permitted to bring hand sanitizer into the tournament. Also, heightened cleaning practices with disinfectant in restrooms and food-vending areas will take place each night.

Further, the Tour said out of an overabundance of precaution, “some players may decline to sign autographs at the event. This is out of respect for the health and well-being of all involved, and the PGA Tour and its players greatly appreciate your understanding.”

Is Tiger On A Hogan-In-'53 Schedule, Or Is It Something More?

He did warn us he would be playing a lot less. We just didn’t know his schedule would look like Hogan’s in 1953.

Tiger Woods’ decision to skip the 2020 Players after looking seemingly healthy the last we saw him, suggests there is reason to be concerned about his back, writes ESPN.com’s Bob Harig.

Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, offered nothing more than a text that read: "Back just not ready. Not concerning long term, just not ready.''

Given the chance to ask -- a simple question: How could this not be concerning?

Is there more to it than just a stiff back? Is another part of the back compromised? Could it be some other injury not being disclosed -- like the knee troubles that plagued him last year that nobody had a clue about until Woods announced he had surgery?

Given Notah Begay’s comments earlier this week about a 2019 “ripple effect”, Daniel Rapoport’s conclusion makes sense even though Woods swung the club beautifully at January’s Farmers Insurance Open.

Perhaps Woods' hectic end of 2019 is still taking a toll. After winning the Zozo Championship in Japan to tie Sam Snead's record of 82 PGA Tour victories, Woods finished T-4 at the Hero World Challenge, then made a 26-hour trip to Australia for the Presidents Cup, where he went 3-0-0 as a player-captain of the winning American side. He said after that trip that he would put the clubs away for a while to rest.

In a pre-Masters conference call, Woods had said his upcoming tournament decisions would be “weather dependent.” The Players forecast calls for sunny, mid-70s days.

What Would Arnie Do After An Opening 65? Probably Not Lobby For Cannibis!

That was Matt Every (65), unlikely Bobby Jones Award winner in this or any lifetime, gunning for his third Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard win. And using his platform as first round leader to make a case for scrubbing marijuana off the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned substance list.

Evin Priest with this in his report from Bay Hill where Every, after serving a 12-week suspension for prescribed marijuana use, lobbied the few writers who hadn’t moved their game to Rocco’s for a margarita.

"I think it would be cool if we were proactive about it and made some changes," he said.

"Anxiety is a real thing and the way I treat it is the healthiest way possible for my body.

A case could be made for yoga.

"It bothers me that (cannabis) is even an issue (and) on the list of banned substances," he said on Thursday.

"You could fail for heroin and marijuana and the penalty is the same. If anyone wants to make the argument that that is performance enhancing, they have never done it before."

These guys are good!

NASCAR, XFL Stealing Eyeballs? 2020 Honda Classic Ratings Down

NASCAR’s Auto Club 400’s 2.9 Nielsen average easily beat out the Honda Classic won by Sunjae Im. According to Showbuzzdaily.com, the 2020 Honda on NBC drew a 1.67 overnight rating, down nearly 30% from last year’s 2.4, also on NBC.

The slide continues a tough start to 2020 for golf ratings, which have now seen ten straight broadcast television windows down. Most recently, the WGC Mexico City saw weekend ratings drop 37% Saturday and 18% Sunday despite an excellent leaderboard and finish.

Possible influences? NASCAR’s renaissance built on improving race intrigue and even the XFL’s sliding ratings still make a dent. (Sports Media Watch’s Paulsen on the XFL’s ratings).

The fall is noticeable because both events featured compelling final rounds and did not feature Tiger Woods to influence ratings.

Other notes:

-Saturday’s third round 1.17 rating on NBC was down from a 1.4 (2.1 million avg viewers).

-Sunday lead-in coverage on Golf Channel fell from a .8 in 2019 to a .47 in 2020

THATgate: Azinger Regrets His Grammar, Lee Westwood Comments

Since we have enough problems in this world, it appears we can cross out the impending Azinger v. Europe summer long brouhaha.

Doug Ferguson talked to Paul Azinger following last Sunday’s bold commentary, and it appears the NBC announcer brought a mop along to mop after his first unsuccessful attempt.

“A lot of pressure here,” Azinger said on the broadcast. “You're trying to prove to everybody that you've got what it takes. These guys know, you can win all you want on that European Tour or in the international game and all that, but you have to win on the PGA Tour.”

That European Tour.

“Bad grammar,” Azinger said Monday. “If I had said ‘the’ European Tour, the whole thing would have been different.”

Maybe.

Either way, that was his lone regret.

It was easy to assume this was just an unfortunate word choice. But it was the take on Lee Westwood, with 41 worldwide wins, that he says were not his intention.

Westwood isn't on that list, but with 41 wins around the world across four decades, his record speaks for itself. Azinger was bothered only by the notion that Westwood took his comments as being disrespectful of his career.

“I would never do that,” Azinger said.

The Daily Mail’s Derek Lawrenson argued that Azinger’s comments hit close to home for a reason: he was correct. Still Lawrenson described the Azinger episode this way:

How insular can you get, topped off by the sneering ‘that’ for good measure. Cue predictable outrage all over Europe, from players such as Ian Poulter to fans and critics, with Westwood summing it up deliciously on Twitter: ‘Oh dear, oh dear.’

At least Azinger was being true to form. As the man who said Francesco Molinari was ‘facing the biggest putt of his career’ when trying to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year, eight months after the Italian had won the Open and five months after claiming five points out of five at the Ryder Cup, we shouldn’t be too surprised.

McCord On Recent CBS Broadcasts: "I have never seen anything quite as negative...It’s not a good time."

Note the cap.

Longtime CBS golf broadcaster and pretty-good golfers, too, Gary McCord sat down to talk with Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz of the Subpar podcast.

It’s a terrific listen, but McCord’s comments on the state of CBS golf broadcasts jumped out after Peter Kostis’ recent podcast statements.

“I’m not part of it. You can kind of react to it from a position I have never had before for a long, long time. It just so happens that my former network is not doing as well as they would like with the golf broadcast at this point. I have never seen anything quite as negative as I’ve seen coming out of everywhere about what’s going on, so I have a lot of empathy. Those are my friends. I don’t want to see them fail, but they are getting blasted. It’s not a good time.”

If reports are true of—wild guess here, $8 billion 10-year TV deal announcement next week that includes CBS—they’ll have 10 years to figure it out.

On the overall state of “analysis” found on PGA Tour broadcasts of late, McCord says a lovefest is making for awful TV.

“If you go, ‘Wow, that was a great shot, and let’s go to Gary.’ ‘Oh, that was a wonderful shot, and how about that one? That was fantastic.’ Are you kidding me? You can’t have that,” McCord said. “You gotta have this ridicule. Some guys gotta jack it up and another guy has to break and you got to get those people together and get your team together and do it. And that’s what we are lacking at this point in my humble opinion.”

The full podcast:

Azinger Tries To Walk Back European Tour Slight And Sticks To His PGA Tour Partiality

Paul Azinger’s on camera comments regarding the value of a PGA Tour win over worldwide play in Europe did not go over well with international players. The mix of the condescending remarks (on-camera) and referencing “that” tour and “all that” international golf, Azinger certainly sounded more demeaning than likely intended. Then again his walk back (bottom of this post) suggests he’s holding his ground. I love Ryder Cup years!

Here is the clip where Azinger is explaining why getting a PGA Tour win would mean so much to Tommy Fleetwood, third round leader of the 2020 Honda Classic:

A good example of why I wouldn't advise watching PGA Tour golf with the sound on pic.twitter.com/rQEHjY5cTa

— Garrett Morrison (@gfordgolf) March 1, 2020

Prominent players and Ryder Cuppers chimed in:

I like @PaulAzinger a lot. And get on with him great. But Paul please do not condescend or disrespect the @EuropeanTour and our players like that. We have slapped your arse in Ryder Cup for so long 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆I know you captained a win but seriously that was embarrassing today.

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) March 2, 2020

One minute Paul walks down the range wishing you good luck before you play the next he’s condescending to the tour you play on and disrespects the tournaments you’ve won around the world. I’ve won in 19 different countries over 4 decades. That is disrespecting a lot of people!

— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) March 2, 2020

It was so easy for @PaulAzinger to say that @TommyFleetwood1 has won around the world and is a world class player. Now the time has come for him to prove that on the strongest tour in the world.
He was at best ignorant, at worst arrogant in delivering that.
Bring on September !

— Thomas Bjorn (@thomasbjorngolf) March 2, 2020

Besides the European’s recent Ryder Cup dominance, the comment also disregarded field strength in Europe, particularly in weeks when Fleetwood has won:

Zinger: “You can win all you like on that @EuropeanTour... but you have to win on the @PGATOUR”

As per @gfordgolf:

Strength of field for Fleetwood's 3 biggest @EuropeanTour wins:

‘18 Abu Dhabi: 351
‘17 Abu Dhabi: 330
‘17 French Open: 270

Honda: 261pic.twitter.com/HEmv63gsvA

— James Byrne (@jamesbyrne89) March 1, 2020

JuliaKate Culpepper at Golfweek received this attempt at calming the waters and Azinger isn’t budging.

Azinger told Golfweek he and Poulter exchanged multiple text messages Sunday night.

“I wasn’t trying to be malicious. I didn’t mean to disrespect anyone,” Azinger told Golfweek. “But professional golfers choke for two things: cash and prestige. And the PGA Tour has the most of both.”

The man loves his PGA Tour!

Let the Ryder Cup bickering begin!

Deja Vu All Over Again? DJ First Star To Bow Out Of Tokyo 2020

Dustin Johnson’s intention to devote himself to the Playoffs(C) suggests defections will become a focus of the Olympic Games build-up. Again.

Last time it was Zika virus, this time if may be the Coronavirus. Or, in Johnson’s case, Playoff Fever.

From Eamon Lynch’s exclusive, Johnson agent David Winkle confirmed the Tokyo 2020 defection:

“At the end of the day, it’s a matter of personal preference and priority. As much as he would be honored to be an Olympian, the FedEx Cup Playoffs are also very important to him. Having had a few close calls in the Playoffs, he really wants to win them before his time is done and feels that he wouldn’t be giving himself the best opportunity to do so if he added a lengthy international trip just prior to their beginning (and shortly after returning from two weeks in Europe).”

With Brooks Koepka on the fence and Tiger Woods signaling that his schedule will be very limited, the men’s portion of Olympic golf is staring down a no-show narrative. Again. And it’s only March.

Beyond the Olympics and possible pandemics, a rush of scheduling-based defections should warrant a condensed schedule reconsideration. At least, in Olympic years. Again.

Another Zany Honda Classic: Sungjae Im Survives For First Win, Fleetwood Says He Was Not Affected By Yelling Fan

Say what you want about the Bear Trap—aka “The Trap”, as Dan Hicks called it this year, causing all sorts of drinking game disputes—the closing stretch at PGA National delivered again.

Sungjae Im, the 21-year-old South Korean and Korn Ferry Tour grad who plays anywhere they let him, as GolfDigest.com’s Brian Wacker reports from Palm Beach Gardens, survived after a stellar 18th hole up-and-down to edge Mackenzie Hughes, a 100-1 shot to start the day.

And hey, this Presidents Cup bump is a thing. Handicap accordingly in the coming weeks!

7 of the 10 winners in 2020 were on the 2019 @PresidentsCup team.

🇺🇸🏆 @JustinThomas34
🇦🇺🏆 @CamSmithGolf
🇦🇺🏆 @MarcLeish
🇺🇸🏆 @WebbSimpson1
🇦🇺🏆 @AdamScott
🇺🇸🏆 @PReedGolf
🇰🇷🏆 Sungjae Im

This is how Sungjae kicked off last year's Presidents Cup. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/VU97ahDmjl

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 2, 2020

Im’s win came at the expense of a long-awaited Tommy Fleetwood PGA Tour victory that will have to wait another week at least after he unsuccessfully went for the 18th in two.

After the round, Fleetwood and caddie Ian Finnish said they did not hear the fan so clearly caught by NBC’s award-winning sound, reports Wacker:

Tommy Fleetwood needed birdie to force a playoff.

His approach landed in the water and he made bogey to finish solo third. pic.twitter.com/ZNtQI7h1O0

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 1, 2020

NBC did not address whether the screamer could be heard by Fleetwood even as social media erupted upon hearing what seemed like potentially shot-altering noise. Either way, such fan “interaction” is certainly something to watch given the PGA Tour’s anticipated push into legalized gambling and the potential for competitive interference.

Here are the round four highlights from PGA Tour Entertainment:

Feherty On Patrick Reed: "'There is no God' was the first thing I said after he'd won last week."

Following last week’s Patrick Reed win at the WGC Mexico, SI.com’s Ryan Asselta talked to David Feherty as he launches season ten of Feherty.

It’s a lively chat about the show and several players, but his Reed remarks stand out after working the WGC for NBC:

DF: Jesus. You can put that in there actually. Just Jesus. I mean, I don't even know what to say. It's just, it's going to follow him for the rest of his life.

SI: Obviously we know about the rules violation at the Hero in the Bahamas. We know how he handled it, claiming no wrongdoing. He was called out by Koepka last week and Peter Kostis among others. And what does he do? He goes and wins in Mexico. Is Patrick Reed the most polarizing figure in the game of golf today?

DF: I'm not even sure that he's polarizing. I'm not sure there's too many people on the other side, you know what I mean? I mean, "there is no God" was the first thing I said after he'd won last week. There is no God, you know, that's proof of it right there. Amazing. I mean, he is amazing. He's Captain Oblivious, just can let everything run off his back. I've never seen anything like it.

Ratings: NASCAR, NBA, XFL Take A Chunk Out Of Tigerless WGC Mexico

Competing for eyeballs against a suddenly resurgent NASCAR, Lakers-Celtics on ABC and the mystery that is the XFL (ESPN), not even NBC’s very enjoyable coverage of a compelling leaderboard could help the WGC Mexico Championship’s ratings.

Throw in Tiger playing this event in 2019, and the 2020 ratings were down significantly across the board according to ShowBuzzDaily’s Mitch Metcalf. This continues a trend from the West Coast swing where CBS numbers were well down according to SportsMediaWatch.com.

2019’s numbers:

Paulsen at SportsMediaWatch.com analyzed the final numbers this way:

Final round coverage of the PGA Tour/WGC-Mexico Championship averaged a 1.8 rating and 2.79 million viewers on NBC last Sunday, marking the lowest rating and viewership for the event — previously held in Doral, Fla. — since it debuted in 2007.

Ratings and viewership fell 18% from last year, when Tiger Woods was in the field (2.2, 3.42M) and 31% and 29% respectively from 2018 (2.6, 3.93M).

Third round action declined 37% in ratings (to 1.2) and 40% in viewership (to 1.72M). Eight straight PGA Tour windows on broadcast have declined.

Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel averaged a 0.44 (-46%) and 709,000 (-43%) on Saturday and a 0.37 (-44%) and 540,000 (-44%) on Sunday.

"Self-governance took a hit in that bunker and communal-governance took a hit in the incident’s aftermath."

Michael Bamberger brings calm, perspective and a very simple explanation as to why Patrick Reed will have a hard time changing the narrative, no matter how much great golf he plays after last December’s waste bunker lie improvement: “That afternoon, he made a mockery of golf’s underlying principle: Play the ball as it lies.”

Read it all at Golf.com, but this was strong and perhaps helpful for those struggling to understand why the story isn’t going away:

Koepka, Kostis and Chamblee weren’t just playing with New Year’s Eve noisemakers. They were defending golf’s organizing principle: play the ball (all together now) as it lies. These are serious people. Anybody who has played a lot of golf knows that what Koepka said is true: you know where your clubhead is and what it’s doing. Your clubhead has the ability to detonate a bomb. Your hands are on the grip, your ball is underneath you and you know exactly where the clubhead is and what it’s doing. Professional golf is not played casually. It’s a study in obsessive-compulsive behavior. It’s a study in self-governance and communal-governance.