1. PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf LIV Golf, fronted by Greg Norman and financed by money from the Saudi Arabian royal family lured several top players from the PGA Tour with signing bonuses of $100 million and up, plus promises of a limited field 54-hole no-cut eight event series paying prize money to every player regardless of score. The reaction in the usually laidback world of pro golf was just short of volcanic. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan withdrew membership status from the players who jumped ship, since they now were playing for a competitor and violating PGA Tour rules of membership. Over the year, acrimony and mudslinging have been a stiff price to pay for what seems to many TenTop 2022 Golf Stories as Norman’s ego-driven revenge for the Tour stomping on his idea of a world tour 30 years ago. Those sticking with the PGA Tour will receive the benefit of multimillion dollar purse increases which may or may not take some of the sting out of the LIV’s guaranteed offers. Unfortunately, any settlement between the two sides is more likely to be in the courts than on the course. 2. Woods inducted into The World Golf Hall of Fame TigerWoods during his March induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame voiced uncertainty when he would return to the PGA Tour, and as we could have guessed—it was the Masters in April. He finished out of contention in 47th and made his next appearance at the PGA Championship, while visibly limping and withdrew after a third round 79. The 15-time major winner then By Ed Travis Not since Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus engineer d the 1968 split from the PGA of America to start the PGA Tour has the professional game been so wrenched from business as usual. The advent of LIV Golf, the well-financed competitor to the established professional tours, has changed the world of those who are paid-to-play. That’s our top story of 2022 and along with some other interesting happenings the year generated a lot of ink. Ohio Golf Journal
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