McIlroy was the first star to directly address the proposed league, seemingly backing the PGA TourGETTY IMAGES
Golfer Rory McIlroy became the "first among the star players to truly address" the proposed Premier Golf League, the "new world golf tour trying to lure top players in the world" away from the PGA Tour, according to Mark Cannizzaro of the N.Y. POST. McIlroy on Saturday "sounded like he was very much backing the PGA Tour." McIlroy said, "Those guys have been talking to a few of us for years. They approached me at the end of 2014. It's a hard one. I love the PGA Tour, but these guys have exploited a couple of holes in the system." McIlroy added, "I love the PGA Tour, I love the way golf is set up right now, so it might be that -- it might be the catalyst for something a little bit different out there as well. Who knows? But I certainly wouldn't want to lose what's been built in the last 40 or 50 years." Cannizzaro noted PGA Tour members are "required to play a minimum of 15 events per year." If a global tour was to lure enough top players, it is "unlikely they'd be able to fulfill that required commitment and then play the 10 or so events on the new global tour" (N.Y. POST, 1/26). GLOBAL GOLF POST's Ron Green Jr. cited a source as saying that some top players "have been briefed on the tour ... and contracts have been offered to certain players." But "none have committed, at least publicly, to the idea" (GLOBAL GOLF POST, 1/27).
INTERESTING IDEA? GOLF DIGEST's Daniel Rapaport wrote the rumblings surrounding the Premier Golf League have "caught the attention of the PGA Tour brass, and the matter was discussed at this week's players meeting," where Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan was in attendance and spoke. A potential '22 or '23 start date for the nascent tour has been reported, though the communications team for the Premier Golf League "issued a statement saying a number of things being were reported were untrue" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 1/25). Phil Mickelson called the concept of the global golf tour "intriguing." He said, "I'm listening to it. I think it's intriguing, but I just don't know enough about it to comment publicly. I hope to learn more" (ESPN.com, 1/25). European Tour CEO Keith Pelley said, "They've been trying to move forward for eight years, but I can't comment on other tours. I wouldn't comment on the business of the PGA Tour or certainly one that is not real" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 1/25).
IFS & BUTS: GOLF.com's weekly roundtable addressed the possible tour, with Josh Sens noting there are "a lot of ifs here, of course, one of the biggest ones being if fans really have a huge interest in seeing this come off." There are "already an overabundance of limited-field events where the biggest names play for obscene purses." Sens: "Do we really need more huge cash grabs at just-add-water events?" Dylan Dethier also noted the tour would "not necessarily" be better for fans. The tour would "lean heavily on star power to start new traditions." Dethier: "I think that can work, but I’m not positive it can." Alan Shipnuck also noted there are "already too many mediocre golf tournaments out there" (GOLF.com, 1/27). MORNING READ's John Hawkins wrote this is a "concept that sounds as if it came straight from the Land of Wishful Thinking" (MORNINGREAD.com, 1/26).
