Most Pro Tournaments Unlikely To Be Covered In The Case Of A Pandemic

ESPN.com’s Bob Harig looks at the Valspar Championship—which is supposed to be well into round 2 of the 2020 event—tearing down and dealing with issues related to the COVD-19 cancellation.

This from Harig’s piece answers a question many have had about significant professional golf tournaments and whether insurance covers pandemics:

Making matters worse? Although the Valspar Championship and most events take out insurance for business interruption, a pandemic is not covered in such instances.

"We can't go back to them at all,'' she said.

I can confirm this is the case for most tournaments. Another blow to lost events and communities benefiting from their charitable dollars.

LPGA Commish Whan To Sponsors: Don't Penalize Players For My Decisions

So much took place on March 12, 2020 that it’s easy to overlook some of the financially and logistically painful actions taken with both short and long term consequences.

The LPGA Tour, as with many other sports leagues, decisively postponed the next three stops on their circuit—Founders, Kia and ANA—and issued this statement:

"This is a difficult situation and as we navigate these uncertain times, we appreciate the support of all those involved with the LPGA. I am fully committed to rescheduling these important events on our 2020 schedule, especially our first major, the ANA Inspiration," LPGA commissioner Mike Whan said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with all of those around the world affected by this virus. And on a personal level, it pains me to see the impact of this health crisis on our athletes, our sponsors and our fans. That said, I know keeping our LPGA family safe, and all those who follow us safe, has to be my top priority.

"We will continue to monitor this rapidly evolving situation with our global health partners and are planning for different scenarios for future LPGA events should they be necessary."

But it was this Tweet later by Whan that both raised eyebrows about what kind of things sponsors have suggested could be an issue, but also highlighted his big picture outlook in sharp contrast to the PGA Tour’s confused approach to an (admittedly) unprecedented situation.

If only the world had more bosses like this…

To all sponsors who endorse @LPGA athletes. PLEASE consider disregarding # of events they play or how many times they are televised in ‘20! I know they want to play, but we are keeping them (and others) safe. Please don’t penalize them for my decisions!! Respectfully, Mike

— Michael Whan (@LPGACommish) March 13, 2020

ANA Inspiration Next? Coachella Seems Headed To Fall, BNP Paribas Open Cancelled

Jin Young Ko dives into Poppie’s Pond after winning the 2019 ANA Inspiration

With a huge senior citizen population, the first recorded case of COVID-19 in the region and events drawing significant crowds adjusting, the LPGA Tour’s first major of 2020 now appears in jeopardy.

The Desert Sun’s trusted golf correspondent Larry Bohannan, is on the case regarding the ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills. The LPGA’s statement to Bohannan:

“The LPGA Tour continues to closely monitor all information related to the coronavirus in partnership with our security and medical teams, the (Centers for Disease Control) and the (World Health Organization),” the women’s tour said in a statement to The Desert Sun on Monday. “At this time, there are no plans to cancel any upcoming LPGA Tour events.

The LPGA Tour has already lost three events to coronavirus concerns and has not played a tournament since February 16th.

AP’s Beth Harris on the economic blow caused by the BNP Paribas Open’s “postponement”.

Dave Brooks of Billboard on the Coachella music festival’s efforts to postpone until October.

PGA Tour, LPGA Tour Media Deal Becomes Official: CBS, NBC, Golf Channel Return, ESPN+ To Take PGA Tour Live

It’s rare to get a public relations opening like Monday, March 9th. It’s not like the Sunday prior the futures were setting off circuit-breakers, or the price of oil was cratering, or the world was staring down a pandemic.

In the meantime, Ron Green Jr. has most of the next PGA Tour media deal details in this Global Golf Post story.

While the GGP story validates previous reporting (links below), Green confirms the new PGA Tour media deal is for 9 years. He says dollar figures are undisclosed and beginning in 2022, NBC and CBS will alternate early coverage of the FedExCup playoff events. That last bit of news is important to no one.

The LPGA Tour, which turned over its rights deal negotiating to the PGA Tour, picks up some more weekend network finishes and Golf Channel will show more of the Symetra Tour.

More will be revealed Monday of 2020 Players week, with Commissioner Jay Monahan scheduled to make the rounds unless there is bigger news than the new media deal—I know, blasphemy.

Until then, previous posts:

The ESPN+ role in PGA Tour Live reported by AP.

Tour operation of TV compounds/world feed.

The biggie first reported by Sports Business Daily: CBS/NBC/Golf Channel returning.

R.I.P. Mickey Wright

The legendary LPGA champion and founder has passed away at 85.

Famous for her swing and grace, Mickey Wright is remembered by a number of stories, starting with the AP obituary posted at GolfChannel.com listing her remarkable accomplishments.

• 82 LPGA titles, second only to Kathy Whitworth (88).
• 13 major championship titles, second only to Patty Berg (15). Four of those were U.S. Women’s Open titles, equaling Betsy Rawls for most ever.
• 13 victories in a single LPGA season (1963). It remains the tour record. She won 11 times in 1964, which equals Annika Sorenstam for second most LPGA victories in a season.
• Four consecutive major championship victories, a mark no other woman has ever achieved. She won the last two majors in 1961 and the first two in ’62.
• Five consecutive Vare Trophy titles for low scoring average (1960-64), the most won in a row in tour history.
• Four consecutive LPGA money titles (1961-64).
• 14 consecutive years with an LPGA victory (1956-69).

Beth Ann Nichols for Golfweek on Wright:

Wright was one of the most important figures in golf throughout the early 1960s, a private person by nature but constant presence on the course while playing some 30 tournaments each year and winning at a rapid rate. She later allowed the public into her life in a different way, offering more than 200 artifacts to the USGA Museum for her own personal room at the Far Hills, N.J. shrine.

Wright’s swing was the envy of the golf world. It’s one she began building at age 15 while taking lessons from Harry Pressler, an esteemed instructor in California. Wright and her mother traveled 250 miles round trip to see Pressler every Saturday for two years.

Wright’s swing was the envy of several all-time greats and can be seen in this Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf, as well as in a shortened clip from that broadcast. Ben Hogan famously said her swing was the best he ever saw:

Seven years ago, Adam Schupak wrote about Wright’s donation of all her memorabilia to the USGA.

Wright, 77, is only the fourth player — and the first woman — to have a gallery honor her name at the museum, joining the golf icons Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones and Arnold Palmer. If there were ever a doubt, her place as part of the celebrated history of the sport is now drawn in indelible ink.

“She cried when I told her,” said Rhonda Glenn, a U.S.G.A. historian and longtime friend, who informed Wright in November that the U.S.G.A. executive committee had approved the room.

Here is a fantastic highlight film of Wright’s fourth U.S. Open win at San Diego CC.

Ron Sirak authored this tribute feature for Wright’s induction into the PGA of America Hall of Fame.

2017 PGA Hall of Fame Inductee Mickey Wright, LPGA from PGA of America on Vimeo.

Coronavirus: LPGA Cancels Two More Events, This Week's Asia Pacific Women's Amateur Also Off

While the least of the world’s concerns given the agony and suffering caused by the coronavirus, golf is feeling the first repercussions with more tournament cancellations and inevitably, issues for golf equipment manufacturers.

Again, blips on the radar of a disease that has killed 724. Nonetheless, it must be noted: the LPGA has now cancelled all three events of its late Feburary, early March Asia swing.

“It is always a difficult decision to cancel events and the LPGA greatly appreciates the understanding and all the efforts made by our title sponsors (Honda and HSBC) as well as IMG to host incredible events for our players,” the LPGA said in a statement. “The health and safety of our players, fans and everyone working on the event is always our highest priority. While we are disappointed that these tournaments will not take place this season, we look forward to returning to Asia soon.”

The cancelation of those three tournaments means the LPGA will not visit Asia until at least August, when the Olympics will be held in Japan. There will also be a sizable void in the immediate schedule; after this week’s Women’s Australian Open, the LPGA won’t hold a tournament until the Founders Cup, which begins March 19 in Arizona.

The R&A announced Saturday that it was postponing this week’s Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific.

“The decision has been taken amid serious concerns for the safety of players and officials travelling during the current coronavirus outbreak,” R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said in a statement.

Five Families Early Polling: Rollback 3, Distance Sells 2

A case could be made for the LPGA Tour and European Tour bringing golf’s power family total to seven, but let’s be realistic: there are still only five families with a prime seat at the table.

The USGA, R&A, Augusta National, PGA Tour and PGA of America all have the power to sway votes and alter the course of history.

Only one of those aforementioned families carries a vote capable of doubling or tripling in times of regulatory crisis, and that’s Augusta National.

So as we assess reactions to the Distance Insights Study and consider the language suggesting action is needed to end expanding distance cycles, maybe we should start caucusing the families.

The USGA and R&A can safely be registered as votes after statements made in the “Conclusions” document.

The PGA Tour and PGA of America have indicated they are opposed to change in recent years, but at least took a slightly less hostile approach in the report’s wake.

And Augusta National, home of the Masters?

When contacted, the club offered no new statement regarding the Distance Insights Study, but instead pointed to past remarks by Chairman Fred Ridley as indicative of their position.

From the Chairman’s press conference in 2019:

“Although we now have options to increase the length of this hole, we intend to wait to see how distance may be addressed by the governing bodies before we take any action.  In doing so, we fully recognize that the issue of distance presents difficult questions with no easy answers.  But please know this:  The USGA and The R&A do have the best interests of the game at heart.  They recognize the importance of their future actions.  You can be assured that we will continue to advocate for industry‑wide collaboration in support of the governing bodies as they resolve this very important topic.”

A year prior:

“We have been consistent in expressing our confidence in the governing bodies, and we will continue to support their efforts.  Although differing views may well, in fact, exist on the subject among golf's major stakeholders, we hope and strongly encourage all who are a part of our sport to work together in the best interest of the game as this important issue evolves.”

Note the jump from advocating togetherness in 2018 to a full endorsement of the USGA/R&A in 2019.

Therefore, Augusta National would appear to support the notion of breaking “the cycle” of increasingly longer hitting distance and of efforts to restore “a broad and balanced set of playing skills” as the primary determinant of success.

I believe that puts things at 3-2, with those three votes representing the three most prestigious championship titles in golf. And while playing those under a different set of equipment rules would not be ideal, a splintered scenario has happened before and could be the outcome should the Tour’s and PGA of America decide to hold their ground.

Guardian: World Cup Eyed As Possible $10 Million Mixed Event

The Guardian’s Ewan Murray says the biennial World Cup may get a purse bump and female professionals joining the event. It’s not clear if they would compete as a mixed partners event, though that seems likely.

Origin Sports Group, where the multimillionaire Sir Keith Mills is a director, has been integral to the World Cup project. Australia hosted it last November but even the event’s place in the golfing calendar may be subject to change, with venues in Europe and the Middle East expressing interest in the World Cup under a fresh guise.

Nothing is expected to be in place by the time the World Cup tees off this year – with Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry to defend the trophy on behalf of Belgium – but alterations for 2022 are entirely plausible.

With this week’s Vic Open and the European Tour’s mixed event hosted by Stenson and Sorenstam, it would seem only a matter of time before a big purse and established name such as the World Cup makes this long overdue move.

Coronavirus: LPGA Cancels Blue Bay Event, Will European Tour Be Next?

The LPGA Tour’s Statement on the Blue Bay LPGA:

Given the current health concerns and significant travel restrictions put in place due to the coronavirus in China, the LPGA along with our partners in China have made the decision to cancel the 2020 Blue Bay LPGA, which was scheduled to take place March 5-8 on Hainan Island. Any time you cancel an event, it is a difficult decision and we appreciate how hard our title partner (Blue Bay), IMG, the China LPGA and the China Golf Association have worked to host an incredible event. The health and safety of our players, fans and everyone working on the event is always our highest priority. While we are disappointed that the tournament won’t take place this season, we look forward to going back to Blue Bay in 2021 and for many years to come.

The next significant golf event scheduled for the country deemed unsafe for Americans to travel to: the European Tour’s Volvo China Open, April 23-26.

Premier Golf League Also Intends To Expand Concept To Women's Golf

While the questions will keep coming over the proposed series of 18 events and pro golf “league”, one question I’ve received from some: will they go after the women’s game as well?

Documents I’ve seen do refer to a “women’s format” and an effort to “cooperate with the LPGA” to establish an identical format of individual events along with a team component.

The World Golf Group also intends to, “where appropriate, operate a complementary schedule enabling both formats to share and thereby reduce aggregate event and production costs.”

Since those documents, the LPGA Tour has merged with the LET and Alistair Tait looks at the gamble Commissioner Mike Whan is taking. The European Tour is a partner and their efforts now figure to at some point potentially involve discussions about “The League” and how it might impact the women’s game.

On Sunday, the Morning Drive gang considered the Premier Golf League concept:

Ratings: LPGA Benefits From Network Airing In Rare Victory Over PGA Tour

You can understand when LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan pines for network coverage after seeing last weekend’s ratings. That’s when the Diamond Resorts TOC aired on NBC while The American Express (formerly the Bob Hope/Chrysler/Humana/Clinton/Careerbuilder/Desert/) was on Golf Channel.

According to Showbuzzdaily.com’s wrap-up of weekend sports ratings, the LPGA drew a .40 on NBC each weekend day, averaging 595,000 and 587,000 viewers respectively.

Meanwhile, the final round of the The American Express won by Andrew Landry, went up against the NFL’s Titans-Chiefs AFC Championship game on CBS and averaged 227,000 viewers to draw a .04. The round did, however, edge out a particularly powerful episode of Vet Exotic on National Geographic to be the 137th cable show of the weekend.

Also airing at the same time as the LPGA and the PGA Tour on ESPN2: the tape delayed final round of the Latin America Amateur. That telecast drew a .03 and 121,000 average viewers.

**Some added context to the LPGA’s strong week:

VIEWERSHIP: @diamondresorts Tournament of Champions delivered 306K viewers per minute and was seen by more than 4.25 million unique viewers across @GolfChannel and @NBCSports, +3% YOY. The past two years of this event are the most-watched @LPGA Tour season-openers in 11 years. pic.twitter.com/HkjzvvIJEL

— Golf Channel PR (@GolfChannelPR) January 23, 2020

Insanity Files: LPGA Playoff Finally Ends After Seventh Playing Of 18th Hole

We’ve been through this before. The LPGA’s insistence on exclusively conducting sudden-death playoffs at the 18th hole can be tedious. Other tours are increasingly doing the same.

But I believe we have a new insanity record to ponder after the Diamond Resorts Invitational finished Monday morning following seven turns at the 197-yard 18th. (Eight total including the final round.)

Gaby Lopez and Nasa Hataoka returned Monday to finish the event, playing it two more times after darkness had forced a pause overnight. Inbee Park only had to play the hole three times Sunday before her elimination. Jeff Babineau has the full story for the Associated Press.

At least in finally winning, Lopez served up this gem in her post-victory interview, highlighted how silly it was to repeatedly play the hole, down to using a launch monitor to dial in the number.

 “I do have a feeling for this hole. I like it. It was a perfect number for me to be honest. Yesterday I was hitting 4-hybrid, 3-hybrid, 4-hybrid. The wind was down, the wind was into, it got cold and it was hard for me to figure out the number. This morning with my coach and caddie we kind of figured out the number with Trackman and it was the perfect number for me.”

GWAA: Writers Name Brooks Koepka, Jin Young Ko, Scott McCarron 2019 Players Of The Year

On the wings of his T2-1-2-T4 finish in the 2019 majors, Brooks Koepka was named the Golf Writers Association of America player of the year. Also on the ballot with Koepka were Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who made strong cases for the award. But Koepka’s consistency in the majors ultimately got him the nod, it would seem.

McIlroy was named player of the year by his PGA Tour peers.

The full release:

KOEPKA, KO, MCCARRON VOTED 2019 GWAA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

HOUSTON (January 7, 2020) – World No. 1 Brooks Koepka’s impressive record in last year’s majors propelled him to his second consecutive Golf Writers Association of America’s Player of the Year Award, while Jin Young Ko and Scott McCarron won their respective 2019 Player of the Year honors.

Koepka is the first player to win back-to-back since Tiger Woods won back to back in 2006-2007 (he also won in 2005).  Koepka got 44 percent of the vote to world No. 2’s Rory McIlroy’s 36 percent while Woods, who has won the Player of the Year honor 10 times, was third.

Koepka, who was sidelined with a knee injury in the fall, crushed the majors in 2019. In addition to winning his second consecutive PGA Championship, he finished in the top four at the other three majors. He was tied for second at the Masters, second alone at the U.S. Open and T-4 at The Open. In addition to the PGA, he won the WGC FedEx St. Jude Invitational and T-2 at the Classic, T-3 at the TOUR Championship and fourth at the AT&T Byron Nelson.

"I am extremely humbled to receive this award for a second year in a row,” said Koepka. “The GWAA does so much for the game we all love, so to be their Player of the Year again is a real honor.’’

Ko, in just her second season on the LPGA Tour, ran away with the Female POY race with Nelly Korda finishing a distant second. 

The South Korean star won four times, including two majors and swept every major LPGA award. She won the ANA Inspiration and Evian Championship and posted 12 top-10 finishes and ended the year winning the Rolex Player of the Year, the money title and Vare Trophy. Her 69.052 average was the second-lowest mark in LPGA history to Annika Sorenstam’s record of 68.697 in 2002.

She made headlines, too, for playing 114 holes without a bogey, besting Woods’ record by four holes.

"It is a great honor to win this prestigious award,” said Ko. “To be recognized by golf writers, who cover our sport of golf all year long, makes it even more special. I'm really proud and excited to be named alongside all the other recipients of this award in the past."

 McCarron won three tournaments and the Schwab Cup and had 14 top-10 finishes in 26 events to edge twin-tour wizard Steve Stricker. The 54-year-old McCarron won The Mitsubishi Electric, Insperity Invitational and Mastercard Japan.

 "To be selected Senior Player of the year by the Golf Writers Association of America is truly a great honor," said McCarron.

Koepka, Ko and McCarron will receive their awards at the 48th ISPS HANDA GWAA Annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday April 8 in Augusta, Georgia.

Mike Whan: "I can’t be thinking, 'I rebuilt the LPGA, now I am going to cash out and go to a bigger platform.’"

GolfChannel.com’s Randall Mell talked to Commissioner Mike Whan about his intention to stay with the LPGA for a long time.

“My wife says, in time, God answers prayers, but maybe not in the way we expect,” Whan said. “I really believe, in some strange way, he answered my prayer. I wanted to raise and impact a young woman’s life, but there was another plan, another way to do that.”

A primary focus of Whan’s purpose going forward will be to address big, complicated issues.

Now, Whan can’t imagine leaving his adopted daughters with this larger purpose still to pursue, with women’s empowerment a cause he is committed to champion:

Growing the game to where half the golf population is female.

Growing the profile of his players with more network TV opportunities.

Narrowing the gender pay gap.

They’re all more aggressively in his crosshairs today.

“I can’t just let that be somebody else’s problem,” Whan said. “I can’t be thinking, 'I rebuilt the LPGA, now I am going to cash out and go to a bigger platform.’ That would feel wrong. You’re either in this, or you’re not.”

His comments are also notable given the pending renewal of media deals that certainly may lead to a bonus.

One More Look At Key Stats From 2019

In the October Golfweek (not online), I looked at ten of the more intriguing stats from the PGA Tour season with help from ShotLink. One of those eye openers appeared in Golf Channel’s five “mind-blowing” stats from 2019, embedded below.

Since it’s natural this time of year to want to reflect on the season, I think you’ll enjoy Justin Ray’s 15th club rundown of best stats from 2019. He covers a wide range from the mens and women’s games

A couple that I enjoyed:

– Iron play proved to be pivotal again at Augusta National: Woods led the Masters field in strokes gained approach on his way to victory. Over the last five years, players to lead the Masters in that statistic have finished 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 1st.

It’s never too early to start factoring that into your 2020 Masters prognosticating.

And this was sensational for Scottish golf…I think. Then again, if it’s been this long maybe not…

– Before Robert Macintyre won the European Tour Rookie of the Year title, he laid claim to some remarkable Scottish golf history at The Open Championship. Bob finished tied for sixth at Royal Portrush, becoming the first Scottish player to finish top-ten in his Open debut since Andrew Kirkaldy… in 1879!

And Golf Channel’s for those more video inclined.