It was a somewhat defiant Greg Norman who spoke at a news conference in Saudi Arabia last week, revealing more details about the previously announced investment by his LIV Golf Investments in the Asian Tour.
“We will not be geo-fenced” he warned, to no one in particular, but surely aimed at the current men’s professional golf ecosystem, which Norman and his Saudi allies hope to crash.
Alongside Asian Tour chief executive officer Cho Minn Thant, Norman announced a series of 10 “marquee international events” under the umbrella of the International Series. Two of those have dates and locations – Thailand in March and London in June – while the rest are slated for yet-to-be-determined dates in South Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong. All events are expected to award purses of $1.5 million to $2 million.
Norman also announced the previously stated investment level in the new partnership between LIV Golf and the Asian Tour has increased, from $200 million to $300 million.
“We are on the threshold of a new era for Asian golf,” Cho said. “The International Series is a new upper-tier of elite events, the likes of which the region has not seen before, that will mark the start of a phenomenal period of growth for the Asian Tour.”
The decision to play in London clearly is a not-so-subtle shot across the bow aimed at the DP World Tour, which is located not far away from the host Centurion Club. That is when Norman pointed out that geographical boundaries will not inhibit the expansion of the Asian Tour.
All evidence to date suggests that LIV and its backers are finding the experience of birthing the SGL much more difficult than they imagined. To date, they still have no players, no golf courses, no announced sponsors and no television partners.
Repeatedly, Norman used the word “pathway” to describe what LIV is investing in. He believes his organization, funded by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund will create opportunities for up-and-coming Asian golfers. Seated at the table was one of those young guns: the most recent winner of the Order of Merit on the Asian Tour, Joohyung Kim.
The question that went unasked is: Pathway to where? Where can young Mr. Kim, ranked No. 81 in the Official World Golf Rankings as of last weekend, go next? A win and a T2 finish in Singapore in January leapfrogged him into the top 100 and the future looks bright for this 19-year-old.
The Korn Ferry Tour in the United States or the DP World Challenge Tour in Europe should be obvious next steps on his path. But for as long as LIV continues to operate in its own universe and tries to compete with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, that’s not going to happen for players like Kim. He should be up and out; instead, all he gets is a five-year exemption on the Asian Tour.
Any doubt about that was removed in December, when the R&A rescinded the exemption for the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit winner into the Open Championship. It was a stark reminder to Norman and LIV that you can work within the pro golf ecosystem, or not, but if it’s the latter, the pathway lacks a destination.
Unless, of course, the destination is LIV’s much-discussed Super Golf League. It seems that a call-up for the top Asian tour players each year is part of the plan as it is taking shape. But that’s not what should happen for next-gen players. Playing 54 holes against 40-somethings on their way out for meager OWGR points is not going to enable a player to become his best self. Kim should be able, indeed required to do, what Norman and all the greats did: pay dues, climb the ladder around the world, learn to compete at the highest levels, and win.
All evidence to date suggests that LIV and its backers are finding the experience of birthing the SGL much more difficult than they imagined. To date, they still have no players, no golf courses, no announced sponsors and no television partners. Little news on this front emanated from the Saudi Invitational last week, which hosted many of the prime LIV targeted players.
For Kim’s sake, and for the sake of the others Norman expects to come behind him, LIV should have serious talks with the members of the ecosystem – the so-called five families of golf (USGA, PGA Tour, PGA of America, R&A and DP World Tour). While Norman claims that LIV and the PIF have tried to arrange a meeting with the PGA Tour, they continue with attempts to poach some of its prominent players.
That’s not a particularly sound strategy to engender a meaningful conversation about the future of the pro game. Setting up shop at the June event in London also sends the wrong message, one that Norman likely delights in.
One can argue that what LIV and the Asian Tour are doing with the Asian Tour is indisputably good for the game in the region where it will conduct most of its events. That argument stands up, and LIV is to be commended for that. But in order to really deliver on the promise, they are going to have to solidify the pathway for Kim and the ones behind him.
Otherwise, it’s a false promise, a pathway to nowhere.
Top: Cho Minn Thant, Joohyung Kim and Greg Norman
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