THOMASTOWN, IRELAND | The LIV Golf Invitational Series might be a major disruptor on the world golf landscape, especially for the PGA Tour, but the mood on the ground here was one of confidence in the future following Keith Pelley’s announcement of a player pathway for Europe’s leading players to the U.S. circuit.
Though Pelley, the CEO of the DP World Tour, was miffed by talk of the tour as a “feeder circuit,” nobody is under any illusions that it always has been the little brother in this relationship.
It will remain a conveyor belt of talent with 29-year-old Pole Adrian Meronk the latest to roll off the assembly line after he finished birdie-birdie-eagle-par and carded a 66 to win the Horizon Irish Open by three strokes at Mount Juliet Estate.
As an Irish Open champion, he follows in the footsteps of major-winning European legends such as Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo, Sergio García and Rory McIlroy, and his ambitions are clear.
“I'm super-excited,” Meronk said after a win that puts him in position to win one of 10 PGA Tour cards awarded to the leading players not already exempt on the U.S. tour. “It opens a lot of new doors. I think it's a step in the right direction. So, I'm super-excited for the future. I hope there will be a place for me.”
Though reports persist of deep anger amongst the rank-and-file in Europe over LIV Golf and the threatening letter sent by the 16 “rebels” to Pelley, there is a very measured reaction on the ground.
Ireland’s Pádraig Harrington has no problem with those who have gone to LIV and will remain friends with them.
“Everybody's got to make their own choices, but you make a choice,” Harrington said. “You make your bed, and you sleep in it; that's it.”
“It was very, very clear that there would be severe sanctions for anybody who went. But I honestly don't judge the guys who went for the money. It's a pretty good offer."
Pádraig Harrington
What surprises him is the reaction from the LIV players to the fines and suspensions imposed by Pelley.
“It was very, very clear that there would be severe sanctions for anybody who went,” he said. “But I honestly don't judge the guys who went for the money. It's a pretty good offer. Certainly, if you turn around and they offer you that sort of money, and bear in mind, people at times are looking at the moral side of it. Everybody has different morals depending what country you come from, what religion.”
Speaking 24 hours after winning the U.S. Senior Open, Harrington expressed deep concern that Europe’s young stars might have their way to the PGA Tour barred by next month’s PGA Tour-initiated change in the Official World Golf Ranking system, fearing players in Europe could be “squeezed out” in the clash between LIV Golf and the U.S. tour.
But that was just a few hours before Pelley – unconcerned about rumours that 2023 Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson will defect, saying, “Henrik has never given me any indication of that in any way” — addressed the players to reveal the newly enhanced relationship with the PGA Tour.
The deal not only gives Europe more cash to fund its events — new Irish Open sponsor Horizon came from the PGA Tour contact book and doubled the purse to $6 million this year – it gives players a route to the top of the game in the U.S.
“There is plenty of room in golf for two big tours, and that's why I was worried about the European Tour getting squeezed out,” Harrington said. “But with the announcement last night, Europe looks like it has a very strong future, a strong future for its players, younger players, and a strong pathway to growing our games and building from there.”
Harrington believes LIV Golf will be there for the long haul, and he’s happy that the PGA and DP World tours are getting on with their thing.
“It's up to the PGA Tour and the European tour to have a very strong, viable alternative,” he said. “The PGA Tour is always going to be there, but Europe, as I said, it looks like this will strengthen its ability to attract players and keep players going forward, which is so important.”
He’s still worried about the Ryder Cup and the possibility the DP World Tour may ban the LIV Golf players from playing or being captains and vice captains.
“I don't want the Ryder Cup in any shape or form damaged,” he said, adding that the LIV Golf members should not be made ineligible for the majors.
“It's such a great event. I think it should be as good as it can be, and you know, some rivalries are good. Who knows, in 20 years' time, there will probably be a match between the LIV Tour and the PGA Tour. … If there's money to be made, there will be a match."
Though some players have not hidden their contempt for some of the more vocal LIV Golf members, players speaking on condition of anonymity were less emotional.
“In all honesty, I understand the position that both tours have taken,” one player said at Mount Juliet. “I understand the decision of the players who made the decision to go and play there. But as far as my own personal opinion, I don’t really have one.
“I don’t feel any resentment over those who have gone. You have so many different scales of spectrum amongst the guys who played the first tournament. There are guys that are getting paid a large sum of money to have contracts there, and there are guys that don’t have full status in Europe that played the event. They wouldn’t have gotten into the Scandinavian Mixed at the same time.
“Who knows what the golfing gods have in store for the future of the game, but all I know is I hope I have a front-row seat to enjoy it all.”
Another player said: “I don’t think there’s a vibe that we don’t want these people back or anything like that. G-Mac is a very good friend of mine,” he said of Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, “and I’m still in touch with him.
“But I don’t understand why they want to come back. If they are making all their millions over there, it doesn’t make sense.”
Top: Adrian Meronk says he was "super-excited" after winning the Horizon Irish Open by three strokes.
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