Originally Posted by Tvflguy (Post 2112910)

Months ago, I never thought I’d say this. I don’t blame pro golfers to go to LIV Golf.

Hurts to say, but lifestyle, family time, and certainly BIG Bucks speak loudly.

Most of us have a price. And for those guys LIV hit the target. Not wanting to get into the Saudi thing, but the +s sure negate that negative.

Putting myself in a 35 year old PGA pro, and receiving an offer as they are…. Yikes tough to ignore.

I -kind of- admire guys like Rory, but money talks. And for those PGA pros with a healthy bank account, they have it made. Stick with PGA.

But Finally, a golfer said I did it for the money when going to LIV. I actually don’t recall who finally said it, but Finally a Switcher was honest.

I watched some of the John Deere match this weekend but became bored without the big names playing. Just saying.

Some of the LIV changes to the tourneys are quite god and I have watched some of the Portland match on Facebook. Was interesting. But LIV will need sponsors and a TV coverage deal to really succeed in the USA.

Competition is good and the PGA is getting it head-on.

Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 2113290)

I was commenting on the poster who complained that the PGA pays no taxes.

I stated the monies paid out (in prize purses) are taxed as income...

It seemed to me, that the poster wanted the PGA to pay taxes and then have the players pay taxes as well...

Non-profits don't work that way...

Originally Posted by Vikingjunior (Post 2113561)

The NFL, MLB, NHL were also once tax exempt but because of public outcry they relinquished their tax exemption status. These sports league now pay taxes on the billions in revenues they receive.
The PGA also makes billions in revenues mainly from the big TV networks and just recently announced they're making their purse payouts even bigger.
Why is golf the only professional sports league that gets a free pass on paying taxes. These other leagues pay taxes and also donate to charities so don't give me that excuse.
Did you know that with the PGA's tax free revenue they're investing billions in China for a development tour. So they pay no taxes but send money to China so those citizens can play golf. How about with that tax free money you invest in AMERICANS BEFORE CHINA.

It gets better, this monopoly and that is what it is are banning independent contractors from ever playing in the PGA again. WOW thats some not for profit you got there, sounds more like the Mafia.

The individual players paying taxes is a different story than the multi billion dollar PGA paying taxes. This is not a children hospital not for profit we are talking about like St. Jude. This is just a bunch of already rich men getting even richer by hitting a little white ball because of a tax exemption. The PGA could never have these multi million dollar payouts if it wasn't for being propped up by the US government tax exemption.

There is no reason just like all the other billion dollar sports leagues that the PGA shouldn't be paying taxes.

People are struggling to pay for gas and food these days both which are taxed want to defend the greedy PGA Tour from paying taxes. Amazing!

Originally Posted by Teemotay (Post 2113359)

The PGA Tour does not have a non compete clause.

Originally Posted by Vikingjunior (Post 2113561)

The NFL, MLB, NHL were also once tax exempt but because of public outcry they relinquished their tax exemption status. These sports league now pay taxes on the billions in revenues they receive.
The PGA also makes billions in revenues mainly from the big TV networks and just recently announced they're making their purse payouts even bigger.
Why is golf the only professional sports league that gets a free pass on paying taxes. These other leagues pay taxes and also donate to charities so don't give me that excuse.
Did you know that with the PGA's tax free revenue they're investing billions in China for a development tour. So they pay no taxes but send money to China so those citizens can play golf. How about with that tax free money you invest in AMERICANS BEFORE CHINA.

It gets better, this monopoly and that is what it is are banning independent contractors from ever playing in the PGA again. WOW thats some not for profit you got there, sounds more like the Mafia.

The individual players paying taxes is a different story than the multi billion dollar PGA paying taxes. This is not a children hospital not for profit we are talking about like St. Jude. This is just a bunch of already rich men getting even richer by hitting a little white ball because of a tax exemption. The PGA could never have these multi million dollar payouts if it wasn't for being propped up by the US government tax exemption.

There is no reason just like all the other billion dollar sports leagues that the PGA shouldn't be paying taxes.

People are struggling to pay for gas and food these days both which are taxed want to defend the greedy PGA Tour from paying taxes. Amazing!

Originally Posted by Dsritchey (Post 2113441)

I have to laugh when Rory McElroy talks about the PGA tour. When he was in his early 20s why did he come over here to the US to play in the PGA and not play on the European tour it was all about the MONEY.

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr (Post 2113052)

I can understand some of the players taking the big money but I don't understand some of them.

Phil's career is pretty much over. Whether it's gambling debts or whatever, it would be hard to turn down $200 million. Same can be said for Sergio Charl Swartzel, Lee Westwood, Iam Poulter, Martin Kaymer, Louis Oosthuizen, Grahame McDowell.


Some of the other's are not going to make a ton of money on the tour and are not going to have a real legacy to protect. Maverick McNealy, Scott Stallings, Patton Kizzire, Pat Perez, Abe Ancer, Branden Grace, Talor Gooch Kevin Na, Andy Ogletree, Hudson Swafford, Peter Uhlein and a few others.
Some of these players have bounced back and forth between the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour. They are much better off playing again fewer players with no cut.

Several at the bottom of the list were never really full time PGA Tour players anyway and were probably never going to make it on the PGA Tour.

Now a few puzzle me and I have a some theories that might explain whay they moved.

Koepka, DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson have all had some injuries lately and they may feel as though they're never going to be the players that they once were. They can still play at least three of the majors (The PGA of America hasn't said anything yet about the PGA Championship) but they won't be able to play The Players nor possibly the Ryder Cup or President's Cup.

Many have lost all of their sponsors and won't be getting and OWGR points.

The other possibility is that they have lawyers telling them that they are going to sue the PGA Tour in order to get their playing privileges and they are going to win. of course, the Tour also has lawyers that are telling them that they will prevail in a law suit as well.

The DP World Tour sound fairly confident that they are following the rules that have been in place for decades and would also prevail in a lawsuit.

It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

So far this is just another minor league tour with a few marquee players. They will have to get on television in the US or Europe in order to be a worldwide success. They are also going to have to get OWGR points.

But right now, all they have is a five of the top 30 players in the world, a bunch of guys that should be on the Champions Tour or the Korn Ferry Tour or be playing one of the other minor tours around the world.

I'd be interested in watching the event at The International in Massachusetts only because I've played that course several times.

Originally Posted by justjim (Post 2113749)

Nice summary of the current situation. That said, two tournaments doesn’t make a viable golf league. Time will tell. It’s easy to criticize the LIV for the money source but don’t we all purchase clothes, furniture , vehicles etc. from
“Not so nice” countries because it’s cheaper than made in USA. In addition, it was our people who closed factories and displaced workers and moved their businesses outside the US in order to make more money. Who wants to “cast the first stone”? (Hypocrites). The elite players in all major sports make more money in a year that most of us make in a lifetime. Yeah, it is what it is and it will be interesting how it all plays out two or three years from now. Fore!