Major(s) News & Notes, November 10, 2022

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Major(s) News & Notes November 3rd, 2022

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Patrick Reed Sues Brandel Chamblee And Golf Channel

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Horschel On LIV "Hypocrites" Who Want To Play Less But More When It's Convenient: "I believe they made their bed"

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David Kent shares Billy Horschel’s stunning-even-by-Billy-Ho-standards lashing out at “hypocrites” who are petitioning to play this week’s Genesis Scottish Open while also defecting to LIV golf events in the name of reduced scheduling.

After a hearing this week, Ian Poulter, Adrian Otaegui and Justin Harding had DP World bans lifted and they were added to the field at Renaissance Club, followed by LIV Portland winner Branden Grace.

“They decided to go play on that tour and they should go play there. They shouldn’t be coming back over to the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour.

‘“To say that they wanted to also support this tour, whether the DP or PGA Tour, while playing the LIV tour, is completely asinine. Those guys made their bed. They say that’s what they want to do, so leave us alone.

“They keep talking about how the PGA Tour doesn’t listen. I’ve been really frustrated by it because there’s a lot of guys that are hypocrites, that aren’t telling the truth and are lying.

“I just can’t stand to sit here any more and be diplomatic about it.”

Meanwhile sponsors seem to be quietly leaving the Poulter camp as his logo tally has been greatly reduced:

Former PGA Tour Players Try To Explain Why They Took Saudi Cash And Remind Us Why They Won't Be Missed

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I should just post that photo and end the post there.

But you have to soak some of the wisdom shared by PGA Tour defectors and genuinely-hard-to-care-one-iota-about individuals.

From Bob Harig’s account of this LIV Portland prick conference.

Asked if there was something the PGA Tour could have done to thwart the LIV Golf effort or improve, Reed said: “Listen to the players for once.’’

For once! Maybe he didn’t know about Justine’s direct line to the Global Home.

This was nice from Perez:

“I don't think I did anything wrong,’’ Perez said. “Plus, I want the money that I earned from this year. I played 20 events. So I'm still entitled to my FedEx money and whatever this other money that we're talking about. I'm not resigning from anything.”

Another one who forgot his disdain for the whole Saudi thing until he didn’t.

And Koepka, the four-time major winner going from finding the whole thing shady, growing angry about questions during the U.S. Open, to signing on the dotted line.

“My opinion changed; that was it,’’ he said. “You guys will never believe me, but we didn’t have the conversation 'til everything was done at the U.S. Open and figured it out and just said I was going to go one way or the other. Here I am.

“Like I said, opinions changed. And I feel very comfortable with the decision I made. I’m happy, and I did what’s best for me.’’

In the just plain pitiful division, Matthew Wolff spoke repeatedly of missing college golf, 54 hole tournaments and the best years of his life, suggesting he’s been converted by the team aspect where he’ll join the Hy Flyers: Phil Mickelson, Bernd Wiesberger and Itthipa Buranatanyarat. The team van trips to mediocre courses will be just like the old Cowboy days!

I think, you know, it's hard when you're out there struggling and you've gotta play three, four weeks in a row, and you feel like you're in a rut. You feel like you just can't get out of it. And, you know, here, being able to really prepare, have more time. I mean, also, I know this is my job, but it's like on your off weeks, too, I mean sometimes when you're traveling for three weeks in a row and you got one week off, my coach, he lives in California. So it's like do I want to spend time with my girlfriend and my dog at home and enjoy my time off and sleep in my own bed or do I want to go travel again across the country and go work with my swing coach and then not have time for that.

The folks at LIV did seek to refute Brandel Chamblee’s suggestion players will be earning on-course money against their advances. Without seeing contracts we won’t know if the folks here are telling the truth.

Rory On LIV Flippers: My Duplicitous Peers

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Oh, just imagine Dustin Johnson being told he’s duplicitous.

From David Dusek’s report on Rory McIlroy’s pre-Travelers presser where it was revealed Brooks Koepka has not exactly been consistent on his stances.

“Yes, because of what he said previously. I think that’s why I’m surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another,” McIlroy said. “I don’t understand that, and I don’t know if that’s for legal reasons or if they can’t, I have no idea. But it’s pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing.”

Rahm: "I play for the love of the game, and I want to play against the best in the world. I've always been interested in history and legacy"

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Jon Rahm at the 2022 U.S. Open, discussing the LIV Golf exodus and why he won’t be joining.

JON RAHM: I almost feel -- I feel for Jay Monahan. If you see his time as a commissioner, he had to deal with COVID and now this. I don't know if he signed up for all this or not.

I consider the PGA TOUR has done an amazing job giving us the best platform for us to perform. I do see the appeal that other people see towards the LIV Golf. I do see some of the -- I'll put this delicately -- points or arguments they can make towards why they prefer it.

To be honest, part of the format is not really appealing time. Shotgun three days to me is not a golf tournament, no cut. It's that simple. I want to play against the best in the world in a format that's
been going on for hundreds of years. That's what I want to see.

Yeah, money is great, but when Kelley and I -- this first thing happened, we started talking about it, and we're like, will our lifestyle change if I got $400 million? No, it will not change one bit.

Truth be told, I could retire right now with what I've made and live a very happy life and not play golf again. So I've never really played the game of golf for monetary reasons.

I play for the love of the game, and I want to play against the best in the world. I've always been interested in history and legacy, and right now the PGA TOUR has that.

There's meaning when you win the Memorial Championship. There's meaning when you win Arnold
Palmer's event at Bay Hill. There's a meaning when you win, LA, Torrey, some of the historic venues. That to me matters a lot.

Tour Sources Begin Spilling On Defectors Bryson DeChambeau And Patrick Reed

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While they sound happy to see both go, the amount of First World dirt spilled on Bryson DeChambeau to Golf Digest’s Dan Rapaport suggests his impending LIV departure for a $100 million advance really stings.

And it should. DeChambeau is a draw. Reed is not and never will be.

From Rapaport:

DeChambeau’s defiant and often erratic behavior began shortly after he played his way onto the PGA Tour in 2016. At an AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am early in his career, DeChambeau unleashed a profanity-laced tirade on a volunteer who failed to spot his errant ball. The incident was reported up the chain of command and, per sources familiar with the tour’s operations, almost certainly resulted in discipline. The tour didn’t speak to the incident, as is their long-standing policy, but according to one tour player, a similar situation played out years later at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

In the summer of 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, tour officials and volunteers were instructed to be particularly conscious of where people could and could not go. After pounding range balls long after sundown, DeChambeau attempted to enter a building without his credential. When he was denied access, he grew agitated. Shortly thereafter, a tour official addressed the incident with an adamant DeChambeau, who was dumbfounded that the volunteer did not recognize him. This was the same week he objected to a cameraman following him for too long, after which he took a thinly veiled shot at the PGA Tour.

The story goes on to detail how Justine Reed had a direct line to a Tour executive who had to play the role of Team Reed concierge. Hope the benefits package for whoever that is included therapy and extra vacation time!