BERNARD GALLACHER’S GOLF
Golf is like any sport. You cannot manufacture competition artificially.
Competition will always be ahead of money. Glory comes first and the riches come later.
Then there was ‘The Match’ between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
When it was first announced, it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Nothing about the event itself, or the reaction to it over the past week, has made me feel any different about it.
Out of sheer curiosity, I turned on to watch, but switched off again after four or five holes.
The golf was so poor, it just wasn’t very interesting.
They tried everything to make it a spectacle, but it all failed.
There was no good banter or chat. Tiger just doesn’t do small talk and there is no love lost between the pair, anyway. That shone through.
They were playing for a $9-million prize, but it was not their own money.
Tiger did not lose $9m. He lost nothing, save a bit of credibility.
As for the winner, I think the event has left an indelible mark on his already-stained reputation.
Seeing the pictures of Mickelson posing with the money on offer was another serious blow to his image.
Since he launched into his public criticism of US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson at Gleneagles in 2014, Mickelson has gone off the rails.
Before that, he was the golden boy of American golf, signing autographs and charming fans.
He was commended for skipping the US Open at Erin Hills last year to attend his daughter’s high school graduation. But he should not have sent long-time caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay ahead to the course on the off-chance that he might play.
This year has been even worse. His behaviour at the US Open at Shinnecock Hills – when he hit a moving ball on the green – was appalling.
Then Mickelson’s game at the Ryder Cup was an embarrassment. His total lack of form was a big reason why the US lost so heavily.
For him to come out afterwards and say he was not going to bother playing on courses like Le Golf National again was disrespectful to his sport.
Being a golf professional is about finding a way to play on all courses in all conditions – not just when it suits you.
Phil may have walked away from Las Vegas $9m richer, but no-one else cares. I just hope a lot of that money finds a good home with some charities.
He may have bragging rights over Woods from a meaningless game. But I’d bet he’d rather have one of Tiger’s three US Opens to complete his own career Grand Slam.
Aside from the huge jackpot that was on offer, my biggest worry is that this event was the start of betting companies getting into golf in a major way.
With betting laws in the US about to be relaxed, it’s no surprise that they used the two biggest names to test the waters.
Golf has always resisted in-play betting, but I don’t think this will be the last match of its kind.
I can imagine Las Vegas staging matches like Rory McIlroy against Dustin Johnson or new boy, Cameron Champ, with people encouraged to bet on who hits the longest drive at every hole.
Gambling in golf is nothing new. People play for small or big money all over the world. But it’s the idea of it creeping into the pro ranks that rankles.
We’ve seen corruption in football, tennis and cricket. So if big money can be made, the temptation is there for a player who is struggling to make cuts to indulge in spot fixing or similar.
If the PGA Tour wants to get involved with these betting companies, then they need a robust system to make sure golf stays clean.