Good riddance to greedy lot – we won’t miss them
FUNNY how some things stick in the memory bank and survive the years to resurface now and then.
A chat, as we walked to the paper shop, with my dad on a beautiful sunny day back in ‘77 as my teenage self and old man discussed who was going to win The Open at Turnberry that afternoon is one that occasionally pops into my head.
A few hours later, Tom Watson (his favourite) and Jack Nicklaus (my favourite) would provide one of the greatest sporting stories ever told, then walk off into the Ayrshire sunset with their arms around each other, embracing history while they were at it.
Nicklaus shot 65, 66 over the weekend and didn’t win. Three months after beating him to win the Masters for the first time, Watson shot 65, 65 to take the Claret Jug.
Oh, and the winner’s cheque for £10,000. A lot of money 45 years ago but nothing like the riches on offer to golfers now, who can make more by winning a run-of-themill PGA Tour event than some of the greats made in a lifetime.
Patrick Cantlay, who has never won a Major in his 10-year pro career, pocketed £12million from winning the FedEx Cup last year. An obscene amount of money.
Ever heard of Peter Malnati? Me neither, until I started writing this. Then I discovered the American had already banked more than £800,000 from Tour events this year for two top-10 and three top25 finishes – and is 94th on the money list.
But how much is enough? Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy know the answer, which is why they’ve come out all guns blazing against the Saudibacked LIV Golf series.
Rahm’s dignified response when asked if he’d consider following Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson
DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka was: “Kelley (his wife) and I started talking about it, and we’re like, ‘Will our lifestyle change if I got $400m?’. No, it will not change one bit.
“I could retire right now with what I’ve made and live a very happy life and not play golf again.
“I play for the love of the game and I want to play the best in the world. I’ve always been interested in history and legacy. And right now the PGA Tour has that.”
The gazillions thrown at the top guys in the LIV league in an effort to make the Saudi- regime somehow seem more acceptable will add to bank balances that already read like international phone numbers.
In return, they get to play each other over 54
Schwartzel took home £3.25m – 325 times what Watson won. But who’ll be remembered?
holes with no cut. Charles Schwartzel took home £3.25m from the first LIV tournament – 325 times what Watson won in the Duel in the Sun. But who’ll be remembered forever?
The LIV lot have been banned from the Scottish Open and good riddance. Crowds who flock to the Renaissance won’t miss Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter or Graeme McDowell. Not when they can watch Rahm and cheer on our Bob MacIntyre. Or Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth.
These guys deserve our applause, just as Watson and Nicklaus did.
The shower of greedy sods? Their grubby little money-making project can LIV and let die. The sooner the better.