Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss what the future of men’s pro golf might look like, Tour young guns and the best golf-club logos.
The latest PGA Tour-PIF “reunification” meeting was initiated by President Donald Trump and held at the White House on Thursday, leading to more speculation that some sort of long-awaited deal could come soon. Regardless of how soon a deal is made, based on what you’ve heard and learned over the past several months, what might the future of men’s pro golf look like? One tour? Two working alongside each other? And what about the team component? What’s your best prediction?
Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): My best guess is that we’ll see the creation of a new series of tournaments that will be set apart from both the PGA Tour and LIV but will be open to players from both leagues — with significant investment from PIF. It’s clear that both sides want to see the best players in the world competing against each other more than four times a year, and adding events as opposed to fusing the two tours together seems like the most logical way forward. From what we’ve been hearing, LIV isn’t going anywhere, so this would allow both leagues to continue to exist independently while still “unifying” the world’s top players.
Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): Agreed, Jess. LIV doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. I see both circuits continuing on in their parallel universes, with some kind of limited-event world tour that gets the big guns together more often than the four times a year we now see in the majors. On a side note, whatever happens, I would expect LIV-ers like Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka to appear on opposite teams in this year’s Ryder Cup.
Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): Just what pro golf needs: another tour. But, yes…some version of what my two wise colleagues have sketched out does seem like the most likely scenario, because what’s the alternative? Hard to fathom LIV contractees having carte blanche privileges on the PGA Tour, and it’s equally hard to fathom PGA Tour stars moonlighting at LIV events; the LIV model doesn’t support drop-ins, or at least the tour’s current construct doesn’t. Whatever happens, it seems likely President Trump’s courses will continue to be part of the equation. Why else would he be so involved?
Brian Campbell won the Mexico Open, beating rookie Aldrich Potgieter in the second hole of a playoff after Campbell’s drive ricocheted off a tree out of bounds and he still made birdie. What impressed you most about Campbell’s first Tour title?
Marksbury: Anytime a player wins a playoff, it’s usually indicative of some serious mettle. Campbell is no exception. But I’m inclined to look beyond his performance this week to the journey he’s been on for the past 10 years, grinding on the Korn Ferry Tour. He showed some serious grit to simply get his Tour card for this year, and now he has his first PGA Tour win. I love stories like that — and his looks like it’s just beginning.
Sens: For starters, it came after long years in the wilderness, trying to regain the Tour card he’d lost. But this week, he was also paired for the last two rounds with a kid who was knocking it some 40 yards past him off the tee. He could have easily gotten away from his own game trying to keep up. But he stayed patient. I don’t think anyone would call the round a pretty one, but grinding isn’t supposed to be pretty.
Bastable: Color me impressed by how Campbell managed his nerves. On Sunday evening, he admitted he felt like throwing up most of the day, and perhaps never was that jitteriness more evident than when, on the second playoff hole, he sliced his tee shot into the trees. But instead of letting that bit of messiness undo him, he took advantage of a break for the ages and still made birdie. Pretty cool stuff. How much did the win mean to him and his wife, Kelsi? Her tears said it all.
Potgieter, at just 20 years old, nearly became one of the youngest winners in Tour history, and this comes after he became the youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour history last season. What did you think of his week, and is he the best young prospect in the game?
Marksbury: Is it just me, or does it seem like there’s a new young gun to discuss every week? We had Blades Brown making his first PGA Tour cut on Friday at 17 years old, Ludvig Aberg is ranked fourth in the world at just 25, and Nick Dunlap and Akshay Bhatia already have two wins each at age 21 and 23, respectively. And let’s not forget about Luke Clanton, who’s 21! Given the ball-striking prowess we witnessed this week, I certainly expect Potgieter to make a name for himself in a similar fashion. But the “best young prospect” race boasts a pretty competitive field.
Sens: Combine this week with his final-group showing at the Farmers, and he’s made a strong first impression. But if today’s balky chipping was any indication, his short game still needs polish. I’m with Jess. He’s obviously a huge talent, but I don’t know how you single out the best in such a thick crowd.
Bastable: Is 25 still considered “young” on the PGA Tour? If so, you won’t find a better BYP (Best Young Prospect) than Luddy Aberg. Potgieter is the real deal, though. I liked what he said about learning how to play under Sunday pressure, first at Torrey and then again this week. The only way to experience it — and improve at it — is by getting yourself in the mix.
Our golf-travel experts, Simon Holt and Josh Sens, recently broke down the best golf-course logos in our Destination GOLF podcast — a controversial topic indeed. What’s your favorite?
Marksbury: What a fun question! I have a clear No. 1: The Maidstone Club in East Hampton. The whale logo is traditional, quaint and cool all at once. Honorable mentions for me are Baltusrol, Winged Foot and The Hay at Pebble Beach — that sea lion holding the flagstick is brilliant.
Sens: I’m partial to Pasatiempo — a dude in a sombrero, snoozing under a tree. It’s unusual. And playful. And it captures the laidback air of Santa Cruz and also the chill atmosphere at the course. One of the rare elite Mackenzie courses that allows anyone to play.
Bastable: The Stanwich witch zipping around on a flagpole has always been one of my faves. I also appreciate the simplicity of the Sand Hills emblem: an “S” and an “H” welded together to resemble a cattle brand.
In the past week, two major sports leagues have been lauded (the NHL) and criticized (the NBA) for their handling of their own respective All-Star weekends. (Or, in the NHL’s case, replacing their All-Star Game with the 4 Nations Face-Off.) Why doesn’t pro golf have its own “All-Star weekend”? And, just for fun, what might one look like?
Marksbury: I’m taking some inspiration from the old Wendy’s Three-Tour Challenge and the current Scandinavian Mixed on the DP World Tour. How about a field of 60 players — the top 20 each from the LPGA, PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions — competing in an individual tournament from appropriate tees on the same course? They’ll play 36 holes over two days to identify one All-Star champion!
Sens: Isn’t that what the silly season is/was? Golf already has so many extra events that feel like All-Star games — lots of very talented athletes with nothing much at stake — that I’m not sure it needs another. But if we’re going to go that route, I’ve always wanted to see a pro event where, once a round, at a crucial moment, players get to choose a random spectator from the crowd to hit a shot for the opposition. Talk about putting the hammer down.
Bastable: I’d be all in on a mid-season skills contest featuring the best men and women players. Thinking less along the lines of long-drive contests and more so events that identify excellence in bunker play, putting and iron shots from specific yardages. I’ve also long been fascinated by who are the fastest golfers, and I’m not talking about swing speed. Line ’em all up for a 50-yard dash.
