19th Hole

Sergio Garcia may just have accidentally revealed LIV’s next big name signing

Published

1 year ago

Nov 14, 2022

LIV Golf has no doubt that its inaugural season was a success.

Despite no television deal and much furor over the morality and “dubious” process of tempting some of the best players in the world to the Saudi-backed tour, the mini-season was certainly as advertised — “golf but louder.”

Related: Pat Perez reveals his ‘hatred’ of Phil Mickelson after Lefty committed ‘unforgivable’ act

Current LIV CEO Greg Norman has already suggested that the tour will add ‘maybe seven players’ to the roster — another change that runs alongside the increased 14 events and an uptake in numbers, both in players and prize-money.

Related: Greg Norman aims another subtle dig at Rory McIlroy as feud shows no signs of going away

Each month there is a report that so-and-so has signed from the PGA Tour, or that X player has been tempted away.

For the second time in six months, current world No. 6, Xander Schauffele, has turned down an offer to join LIV, and the same has been said about the likes of Viktor Hovland and Hideki Matsuyama, names that would be huge for LIV Golf in areas of the world away from the USA.

Names are often banded about on social media, and, most of the time, they turn out to be rumor or conjecture. However, there might be something in what should have been an innocent photo posted on Sergio Garcia’s Instagram account on Saturday.

Garcia hosted a charity day — Fore Kids ATX — at which he and golfing colleagues raised funds for the Austin community and at-risk youth.

Present at the event were three of the dominant LIV team champions — 4Aces GC — comprising Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Talor Gooch.

Alongside those were winners of one event during the LIV season: Eugenio Chacarra, Brooks Koepka, Charl Schwartzel and Henrik Stenson.

But who was that, next to Bangkok winner Chacarra? None other than Mito Pereira.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sergio Garcia (@thesergiogarcia)

The 27-year-old held the lead for almost all the 2022 PGA Championship, double-bogeying the 18th hole to miss the playoff by a single shot, eventually finishing the season at No. 50 in the world, just enough for invitations to all the major events.

However, as the year has progressed, reports on his transfer to LIV have been getting stronger, with Ewan Murray suggesting that the Chilean star was one of several players now strongly linked with a move.

With Schauffele almost certainly staying with the PGA Tour, it remains to be seen how the other three react.

As yet, none of Patrick Cantlay, Thomas Pieters, or Pereira have commented. But if a picture paints a thousand words…

Phil Mickelson drops big retirement hint; Says LIV will grow the game ‘on a much more global basis’

Published

57 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

While speaking with Bloomberg, golf legend Phil Mickelson acknowledged that he is inching close towards retirement.

“I’m 53 now,” Phil said, “and my career, you know, it’s — if I’m being truthful, it’s on — it’s — it’s — I’m a — it’s towards its end.”

Mickelson added that one of his focuses now is helping other young players.

“Now, I would like to help others find the same enjoyment and fulfillment that the game has provided me. I’d like them to experience that as well.”

The six-time major champion credited LIV with reaching new markets in golf to help it grow.

“I think that’s exciting for everyone involved in the game because we are going to reach markets that we didn’t reach before. I think it’s going to inspire more golf courses, inspire more manufacturers selling clubs and equipment, but also inspiring young kids to try to play golf professionally. I just see that the game of golf is going to grow on a much more global basis because of the excitement and the presence that LIV Golf has.”

Mickelson is playing at this week’s LIV Singapore and shot a first round 72 (+1).

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19th Hole

Tiger explains why golf has ‘negative connotations’ for daughter Sam

Published

1 day ago

May 2, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

While Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, has certainly inherited his father’s love for golf, his daughter, Sam, has not.

Related: Gary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career

On Wednesday, Tiger made an appearance on The Today Show with Carson Daly and explained his daughter’s relationship with golf.

“Golf has negative connotations for her. When she was growing up, golf took daddy away from her. I had to pack, I had to leave, and I was gone for weeks. So, there were negative connotations to it.

“We developed our own relationship and our own rapport outside of golf. We do things that doesn’t involve golf. Meanwhile, my son and I, everything we do is golf related.”

The nine-minute interview touches on plenty of other subjects, such as Tiger’s relationship with his late father, Earl.

It’s arguably the most open we’ve seen the 15-time major champion in an interview and is most definitely worth watching.

Tiger Woods sits down with Carson Daly to talk about golf, growing up in Southern California, his father and his new apparel line, Sun Day Red. pic.twitter.com/2TFbSNxzxq

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 1, 2024

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19th Hole

Gary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career

Published

2 days ago

May 1, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

While speaking with KW Golf, golf legend Gary Player said that he believes swing coaches ruined the career of Tiger Woods.

“The US Open at Pebble Beach, he won by 15 shots. You know what that’s like? It’s like running the 100 meters in seven seconds. The next week, he’s having a lesson from a man who, I don’t think, if he played in the Masters, could break 80.”

“And then he goes to another guy who couldn’t probably break 85 in the Masters with the pressure, or the British Open or the PGA on the final day. And he’s having lessons from them.”

“Why did Tiger do that? He was so good, but I understand he wanted to get better,” Player went on. “If he had just gone along and never changed, he would have won at least 22.. He would’ve gone down as the greatest athlete the world has ever seen.”

In 2008, Woods had won 14 majors and was 33 years old. It would take him eleven years to win his 15th at the 2019 Masters.

In addition to the swing coach issue, there are many other issues throughout the career of Woods that golf fans will look back on and wonder “what if.”