The Break: LIV pulls out the rug

Hi everyone! Today we’re looking at LIV’s ownership taking away a big financial benefit for some players and what that might mean.

The Gravy Train is Stopping?

LIV Golf is still around, as you probably know. The Saudi-owned circuit is plotting out their 2026 schedule, and they’re figuring out how much they’ll have to shell out to keep the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson for another contract (even if DJ looks like a guy who’s had enough of pro golf).

The ownership has consistently tightened the purse strings over the last few years, pulling back benefits like private jets and team budgets. Now, they’ve decided to stop subsidizing the DP World Tour memberships of their players.

According to James Corrigan at The Telegraph, LIV Golf will stop paying fines levied by the DP World Tour against its members who are also LIV Golf League players for competing in events conflicting against their schedule (which is to say, pretty much all of them). LIV Golf had agreed to do that from the outset, hoping to make it easier for European stalwarts to come to LIV Golf if they could still maintain DP World Tour membership — as membership is a prerequisite to being on the European Ryder Cup team.

The fines can rack up quickly, particularly for players that aren’t exactly crushing it on LIV Golf these days. Sure, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are playing fabulous golf on the circuit, and their pockets were lined with Euro when they signed. Sergio Garcia has done well on LIV, too. Beyond them, though, the other Europeans on LIV will have to consider if it’s worth it to pay that much out of pocket to remain a DP World Tour member or to just play all their golf on LIV and the Asian Tour.

Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson suggested last week that LIV Golf could create its own full schedule, with expanded fields in the LIV Golf events and then a slate of 20 or so regular events, so to speak. That sounds a lot like taking over the Asian Tour in full, instead of just integrating with the International Series. Instead of funding their players to go compete on other circuits, the Saudis may be looking to encourage (coerce?) their LIV Golf players to stay in their walled garden — particularly if the Official World Golf Ranking board approves recognition of LIV Golf events.

The Links

Check out the Golf News Net TV original series, Grilling at the Green, as Jeff Tracy and Lee Ann Whippen blend golf and barbeque into one delicious show.

I spoke with Gil Hanse for The 19th Hole Golf Show about his work restoring Baltusrol Golf Club’s Upper Course, as well as the club’s historians about unearthing critical history that informed the 1936-focused work. Listen below!

I Want a Shot

I know I’m not good enough to be a professional golfer, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think I could put up a somewhat respectable number given the opportunity. I’m pretty sure I could beat a 91.

That’s what Korn Ferry employee Dan Massello shot in the first round of this week’s NV5 Invitational out at The Glen Club in Illinois. Korn Ferry is the title sponsor of the Korn Ferry Tour, and they gave a sponsor invite to their 42-year-old employee to take a crack. Massello made three pars, including one on his first hole, en route to a 20-over score.

Massello was worst in the morning wave by 17 shots and 29 shots behind first-round leader, and future Road to French Lick guest (we already shot the interview), Davis Chatfield. Massello then withdrew from the tournament, though it’s unclear if that was on his volition or he was not-so-gently ushered outside the ropes.

The two other sponsor invites for the week are 2019 U.S. Amateur runner-up John Augenstein (70) and Miami of Ohio product Charlie Nikitas (69).

Massello is a Korn Ferry principal, specializing in finance and accounting, as well as professional search. He was a PGA professional before working at Korn Ferry, including at Evanston Golf Club in nearby Skokie. He also worked for nearly five years as a golf instructor for Northwestern’s Wildcat Golf Academy.

I’m not saying that Korn Ferry can’t use their sponsor exemption how they want. They backstop the tour in the biggest way possible. One spot per year isn’t hurting anything. And the reason why I’m saying that is because I would love that spot instead — and, frankly, almost any of us would. Turn that spot into a charity lottery for people with a scratch-or-better handicap, and I promise it’ll raise a ton of money that’ll do good, even if the winner plays very, very badly.