Tom Watson wants to see golf stars ‘together again’
The honorary starters for the 2024 Masters want to see the world of men’s golf reunified.
Jack Nicklaus trusts that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund on the right track, but Tom Watson said he hopes the players look inward regarding the fractured state of the sport.
Watson, Nicklaus and Gary Player served as the ceremonial starters for the 88th edition of the Masters, each hitting a ball off the first tee at Augusta National on Thursday morning. They have combined to win 11 green jackets, with Nicklaus earning six on his own.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Watson was asked about the fact that the four major championships are presently the only times the best male golfers in the world convene to compete against one another, ever since the Saudifunded LIV Golf League attracted several marquee names with giant guarantees.
“Well, we all know golf is fractured with the LIV tour and the PGA Tour doing the different things they are doing,” Watson said.
He then relayed a story about standing up at the annual champions’ dinner early in the week to address the group, which would have included members of LIV Golf and longstanding opponents of the league alike.
“I’m looking around the room, and I’m seeing just a wonderful experience everybody is having,” Watson said. “They are jovial. They are having a great time. They are laughing. I said, ‘Ain’t it good to be together again?’
“And there was kind of an appall from the joviality, and it quieted down, and then Ray Floyd got up and it was time to leave. And in a sense, I hope that the players themselves took that to say, you know, we have to do something. We have to do something.”
Watson said he believes the players have control, claiming, “I don’t think the PGA Tour or the LIV tour really have an answer right now.”
The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF struck a deal for a “framework agreement” 10 months ago, and a self-imposed Dec. 31 deadline to finalize the deal came and went.
WET WEATHER CAUSES LATE START
Bryson DeChambeau birdied the par-5 15th hole to break a tie with Ryan Fox of New Zealand for the mid-afternoon lead at the weather-delayed first round of the Masters on Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
Fox, bolstered by an eagle on the par-5 eighth hole, had a clean card until No. 13, when a bogey 6 dropped him into a tie at 4 under par before DeChambeau’s sixth birdie of the round moved him to 5 under for the day.
The first golfer to complete an under-par round was Erik van Rooyen of South Africa at 1 under, though he was 4 under through 13 before struggling down the stretch.
There was a 2 1⁄2-hour weather delay before the first round of the 88th edition of the tournament finally got started in late morning. Many golfers had yet to begin their first rounds and not all will complete the round until Friday.
Defending champion Jon Rahm of Spain teed off in the afternoon rather than during the morning.
Five-time champion Tiger Woods had his tee time pushed back from 1:24 p.m. to 3:54 p.m., so he won’t finish the first round until Friday.
American Gary Woodland said Wednesday after the Par-3 Contest that Augusta National was in pristine condition and he was hopeful rain wouldn’t impact the course.
“The golf course is hard enough without the weather. It’s as good as I’ve seen it, to be honest,” he said. “The golf course is absolutely perfect, so hopefully some of the rain misses it. It’s firm and fast now. Absolutely perfect.”