Connect with us

19th Hole

The Premier Golf League: Everything you need to know about the proposed new world tour

Published

on

@geoffshac

The Premier Golf League has been a hot topic of discussion in the world of golf this year, and more information has emerged on the potential new world tour over the past few days.

With those recently released details from the minds behind the new concept and with plenty of reaction being given to the press from Tour players over the past week, here’s a breakdown of all the essential details of the Premier Golf League.

Who is behind the Premier Golf League?

CEO of the Premier Golf League is Andrew Gardiner—an attorney and London-based director at Barclays Capital. Together with Gardiner, Colin Neville, a partner at Raine Group—a New York-based sports, media and entertainment investment firm—is reported to have been highly influential in the PGL’s conception.

What is the concept of the Premier Golf League?

The new Premier Golf League would consist of an 18 event circuit featuring the top 48 players in the world who would be competing for a total prize purse of $240 million. 

The PGL would involve an eight-month season—including 10 U.S. events—which would be played over 54 holes. 

The remaining eight events would be split as follows: four in Asia, three in Europe, and one in Australia.

At each event, there would be a total prize purse of $10 million up for grabs, with the winner of each stroke play event taking home the $2 million winner’s share. The end of season champion would collect a bonus of $10 million.

Would the Premier Golf League consist solely of strokeplay events?

No. Co-existing alongside the individual strokeplay events would be a team event. The team event would consist of 12 four-man teams, with one player from each side being the team owner.

Each team would be competing for a total prize of $40 million with the winner’s share being $14 million.

What other details do we know?

  • Shotgun starts for the first two rounds with each captain deciding before each round which two player’s scores would count towards the team event.
  • No dress code outside of potential team uniforms.
  • A draft system.
  • A transfer window.
  • A relegation and promotion system as seen in soccer.
  • A playoff concept for the final event involving top seeds.
  • No course venues have thus far been discussed.

Could a player compete on the PGA Tour and the PGL?

No. Players would have to choose between one or the other.

Could players compete in the PGL and golf’s four major championships?

Yes. Separate bodies run the four majors and therefore players in the PGL could compete in golf’s four biggest events.

When could the PGL launch?

The PGL would likely kick off in 2022 or 2023.

What has the PGA Tour and European Tour said in regards to the proposed new World Tour?

PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan issued a memo to Tour players last month stating

“If the Team Golf Concept or another iteration of this structure becomes a reality in 2022 or at any time before or after, our members will have to decide whether they want to continue to be a member of the PGA Tour or play on a new series.”

European Tour chief, Keith Pelley, has not spoken publicly on the matter.

What have players said about the PGL?

Tiger Woods confirmed at a press conference at this month’s Genesis Invitational that he had been “personally approached” about his potential involvement in the world super-circuit and that he and his team are currently “looking into it.”

Earlier this year, The Scotsman reported that Phil Mickelson met and played with key PGL members during the Saudi International Pro-Am and told the media that he was “intrigued” by the idea.

“I haven’t had the chance to put it all together and think about what I want to say about it publicly, but I do think it was an informative day for me to have the chance to spend time with them.”

Last week, Justin Rose told the Daily Mail that “It’s (The PGL) increasingly becoming talked about in the locker room,” and that “there are a lot of incentives for the guys to be interested.”

Before the WGC-Mexico, Rory McIlroy dealt the PGL its most significant blow yet, when he told reporters that 

“The more I’ve thought about it, the more I don’t like it. For me, I’m out.”

The Ulsterman also added that he believes opinions in the locker room are currently split on the concept.

Following McIlroy’s comments, Bubba Watson also ruled out any potential involvement in the PGL telling Golf Channel last week 

“It doesn’t matter to me; I’m playing on the PGA Tour. Why go anywhere else, we have the best tour in the world?”

While Xander Schauffele looks to have also sided with the PGA Tour, telling the publication that

“Our commissioner set us straight, you have to pick which tour you want to play on and the benefits we have on the PGA Tour are pretty hard to beat. For me, how young I am and how early it is in my career all the history is made on the PGA Tour and that’s where I want to be.”

 

 

 

 

 

Your Reaction?
  • 22
  • LEGIT4
  • WOW1
  • LOL3
  • IDHT2
  • FLOP1
  • OB1
  • SHANK4

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

19th Hole

Butch Harmon reveals what he worked on with Rory McIlroy during visit earlier this year

Published

on

While speaking on the “Son of a Butch” Podcast, legendary swing coach Butch Harmon revealed what he worked on with Rory McIlroy when the four-time major champion went to visit him after the Players Championship this season.

“The work I did with him wasn’t a tremendous amount of changing what he did, it was his attitude and the way he played certain shots. From 150 yards and in he made a full swing like he was hitting a driver and I wanted him to make more 3 quarter swings and chop the follow through off a little. He’s a very high ball hitter, but with short irons high balls aren’t good, it’s hard to control, we wanted to bring the ball flight down.”

The work certainly seemed to help McIlroy, as he went on to win the Zurich Classic alongside Shane Lowry and the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in back-to-back starts.

Rory will now tee it up at Valhalla for the PGA Championship, which is the site of his most recent major victory in 2014.

More from the 19th Hole

Your Reaction?
  • 9
  • LEGIT2
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK2

Continue Reading

19th Hole

Brandel Chamblee says this technological development was key to Phil Mickelson winning major championships

Published

on

While speaking with GolfWRX, Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee shared that he believes the solid core golf ball helped Phil Mickelson win major championships.

“One of the consequences of the solid core golf ball coming around was it put the straightest of hitters in the rough.

“Phil started winning majors in 2004, I don’t think that’s any coincidence. I think he started winning majors after the solid core golf ball came along and put everybody in the rough.

“And so [Phil] is like ‘I got you in the rough, I’m going to kick your a**. This is my game. I’ve been in the rough my whole career. I can go over trees, through trees, around trees.’

“Because he’s got that amazing creativity and Phil is an underrated iron player, phenomenal iron player. Great, great great out of the trouble. If you put the top-40 players on a list and ranked them in terms of accuracy, he would be 40th.

“So, I think that was one of the consequences of the solid core golf balls was it allowed Phil to win major championships.”

Mickelson went on to win the Masters in 2004 as well as five additional majors from 2004-2021 including three total Masters, two PGA Championships, and an Open Championship.

Check out the full interview with Chamblee below:

More from the 19th Hole

Your Reaction?
  • 7
  • LEGIT4
  • WOW2
  • LOL1
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP3
  • OB1
  • SHANK15

Continue Reading

19th Hole

Former Augusta National employee pleads guilty to transporting stolen Masters memorabilia; Arnold Palmer’s green jacket among stolen items

Published

on

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, a man was charged in Chicago with stealing millions of dollars’ worth of memorabilia from Augusta National last month.

The man, Robert Globensky, was charged with transporting the memorabilia across state lines.

The report states that between 2009 and 2022, Globensky allegedly transported “millions of dollars’ worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and historical memorabilia” from Augusta National “and transported to Tampa, Florida, knowing the same had been stolen, converted and taken by fraud.”

The document was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Since then, more details have emerged about the case.

According to Darren Rovell of Cllct, one of the items that was stolen was Arnold Palmer’s green jacket.

The Chicago Tribune also reported that Globensky was able to steal the merchandise due to his role as a former warehouse coordinator at Augusta National who oversaw the Masters merchandise that was sold.

Rovell states that “A source with intimate knowledge of the case said an Augusta National member, who knew the jacket was missing, contacted a well-known collector who had gained a reputation for tracking down rare items. The member’s goal was to return the jacket to Augusta under the guise of purchasing it in a private sale.”

The plan worked, and the man agreed to sell the jacket for an agreed upon price of $3.6 million. After the sale was complete, the FBI swarmed the house of the thief.

Cllct also reported that Globensky pled guilty in a federal court in Chicago on Wednesday and now faces up to 10 years in prison.

The Chicago Tribune adds that Globensky’s plea deal includes an agreement to provide the government a cashier’s check for $1.5 million in the next few days.

More from the 19th Hole

Your Reaction?
  • 1
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW1
  • LOL1
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending