LIV Golf could have no alternative however to hunt some kind of settlement with the PGA Tour because it doesn’t have a survivable enterprise mannequin, in line with PGA of America chief Seth Waugh.
With Waugh additionally on the board of the Official World Golf Rating (OWGR), he’s in a novel and highly effective place inside the sport – and warned that Greg Norman’s new tour might have to attend a while for an end result over rating factors.
Regardless of over $2 billion of money being pumped into LIV Golf by the Saudi Arabia Public Funding Fund (PIF), it’s hardly a worthwhile enterprise as but, with Norman pinning all his hopes of turning a revenue on their franchise mannequin.
That constitutes flawed logic although, in line with Waugh, who can’t see how or why the Saudi backers would proceed burning cash, even with their huge wealth.
“Their logic in regards to the workforce play being one thing vital that individuals can get behind I believe is flawed,” Waugh advised The Occasions. (opens in new tab) “I don’t assume individuals actually care about it. And I don’t see the way it’s a survivable enterprise mannequin.
“They will fund it for so long as they wish to, however irrespective of how a lot cash you’ve, in some unspecified time in the future burning it doesn’t really feel excellent. I don’t see they’re carrying out a lot.”
Waugh added that the one manner he might see it going could be for the upstart new tour to seek out some kind of settlement with the PGA Tour to carry the sport again as an entire.
“It appears logical to me, then, that you’d work in direction of some kind of settlement. I hope the sport comes again collectively in some kind.”
One of many major sticking factors for LIV Golf transferring ahead is the battle over rating factors, because it’s used for qualifying standards into the Majors.
Seth Waugh and Greg Norman earlier than LIV Golf cut up golf in two
(Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Waugh, although, says that it’s a sluggish course of, and OWGR is ready for the newest LIV response of their case – however with obstacles nonetheless to repair there might nicely not be a call even earlier than the 2024 season.
“There are specific elements of their construction that may be solved by math, however there could also be some fairly elementary issues which are tougher,” Waugh added. “There’s the potential battle with the workforce side after which entry – how do you get relegated and promoted?
“They’d our newest response weeks in the past and we haven’t heard again. They’ve made a nasty assumption that this can be a fast course of. It by no means has been. Each utility has taken a year-plus so far as I’m conscious.
“I can’t speculate (on how lengthy it should take) as a result of they haven’t responded. They could have to unravel issues as nicely, and it’s not clear whether or not they’re keen to.”
Waugh does not know the way lengthy Greg Norman’s LIV Golf can preserve burning money
(Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Waugh does hope that in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later, regardless of all of the authorized battles nonetheless happening, that an accord could be struck to carry {the golfing} world again collectively.
“The excellent news is the Masters went first and set the stage for, frankly, civility,” he stated. “That’s the tone we wish -nobody died, proper? I lived in a world of disruption my complete enterprise profession and disruption is mostly wholesome. It makes you higher, and the sport is healthier.
“I don’t assume division is nice for the sport. Hopefully, it’s good for these people which have made no matter selections they’ve, however the recreation has moved on. It’s amplified those that have stayed and those who’ve left have largely disappeared from the panorama – by way of an publicity perspective.”
