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PGA legend Curtis Odd on why professionals jumped to LIV Golf: It’s about the dollars

PGA legend Curtis Odd on why professionals jumped to LIV Golf: It’s about the dollars

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Some of the PGA Tour’s leading-ranked players have given differing reasons for resigning their memberships and choosing to participate in the LIV Golfing circuit. 

But, for a person long-time tour member, the reasoning is pretty simple. 

Curtis Strange, a 17-time PGA Tour winner and again-to-back again U.S. Open up champion (1988-89), told Fox News Electronic this week he believes the most significant motivator for players joining the rival Saudi-backed golfing league is the cash. 

Curtis Strange is victorious after a shot during the U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., June 19, 1988.

Curtis Peculiar is victorious soon after a shot throughout the U.S. Open up at The Place Club in Brookline, Mass., June 19, 1988.
(John Biever/Athletics Illustrated via Getty Visuals)

“You know, you can find just one motive these players are likely, and one motive only, and that is the appearance dollars,” Odd said. 

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“I applied to go overseas two or three instances a year when I was enjoying well, and it was about the income. It was about physical appearance charges. But, at the same time, you were taking part in in tournaments that experienced significant prize income. So you constantly test. I suggest, but they ended up true-lifestyle entire world ranking tournaments, so it intended one thing — financially, reward-wise as far as globe position points and your standing in the recreation, which is pretty critical. This is not the circumstance.”

The PGA Tour does not make it possible for visual appeal expenses though LIV golf does – comparable to the DP Globe Tour. Players also compete for $20 million purses in addition to an more $5 million prize for the workforce competitiveness for each match. 

Players like Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson have reportedly signed bargains with bonuses worth $150 million and $200 million, respectively. 

Phil Mickelson of Hy Flyers GC smiles on day three of the LIV Golf Invitational — London at The Centurion Club June 11, 2022, in St Albans, England. 

Phil Mickelson of Hy Flyers GC smiles on working day three of the LIV Golfing Invitational — London at The Centurion Club June 11, 2022, in St Albans, England. 
(Charlie Crowhurst/LIV Golf/Getty Pictures)

Bizarre also claimed the tour’s newest measure to boost purse sizes, which was expedited since of the beginning of LIV Golfing, delivers the two circuits closer but also helps make overall look income all the much more considerable. 

He claimed he can realize the financial entice for certain gamers but dismissed some of the explanations that have been publicly available for their departures.

“I fully grasp the gamers likely. I do because it is really so big, it really is everyday living-switching,” Weird claimed. “Now, some individuals will say, ‘Well, they now make a large amount of money.’ Sure, they do. But some of these players are at the conclusion of their careers, and so they’re not heading to make substantial quantities of money for the future, you know, number of yrs.

Curtis Strange at the 1991 Phoenix Open.

Curtis Unusual at the 1991 Phoenix Open up.
(Kevin Warren/PGA TOUR Archive)

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“It is just not about not liking the your. This is not about what the tour hasn’t finished. It is not about I want to see my family much more in a year. It is not about owning much more time to myself. These guys never play that significantly in any case. It really is all about this enormous visual appearance dollars. And that is it. That’s the base line.” 

Brooks Koepka, who joined LIV Golf just before its initially U.S.-based party in Oregon this 7 days, instructed reporters during a push convention that his chief purpose for joining the tour was simply because of harm and the motivation to expend much more time rehabbing

“What I have experienced to go by means of the previous two a long time on my knees, the agony, the rehab, all this stuff, you know, you know, I need to have a very little bit much more time off,” he said. “I will be the very first one particular to say it: It is not been an easy very last pair of decades, and I believe acquiring a tiny far more breaks, a small far more time at house to make positive I’m 100% before I go participate in in an party and will not sense like I am forced to engage in suitable away [is good].”

Pat Perez, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed speak to the media during a press conference prior to the LIV Golf Invitational — Portland at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club June 28, 2022, in North Plains, Oregon. 

Pat Perez, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed talk to the media through a press meeting prior to the LIV Golfing Invitational — Portland at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club June 28, 2022, in North Plains, Oregon. 
(Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf by using Getty Photographs)

In February, Koepka mentioned of LIV Golfing: “They’ll get their men. Any person will offer out and go to it.”

But, on Tuesday, he mentioned, “viewpoints improve,” including that he created his determination immediately after the U.S. Open up. 

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Odd expressed his knowledge but included that he thinks this will harm the two the PGA Tour and the video game of golf in the prolonged run. 

“Is this dangerous to the tour? Sure, for the reason that it has taken some huge player names away from the tour. Is it destructive for golf? Indeed. Because it is really diluting the whole technique. It is a rebel method with really deep pockets, and they are getting their tour.

Curtis Strange hits a bunker shot on the first hole during the first round of the Insperity Invitational at the Tournament Course at the Woodlands Country Club May 2, 2014, in The Woodlands, Texas. 

Curtis Weird hits a bunker shot on the first hole throughout the very first spherical of the Insperity Invitational at the Event Class at the Woodlands Region Club May possibly 2, 2014, in The Woodlands, Texas. 
(Scott Halleran/Getty Image)

“This is just one of the major points to at any time happen in a negative way to our match. And so it really is not very good for anyone. But will it go on to happen? You know, as extensive as they continue on to toss that type of revenue, there is certainly often a likelihood. Does that tour exist for for a longer period than a few of a long time? Which is all up to them, how significantly money they want to place in it.”

Peculiar defended the PGA Tour and Commissioner Jay Monahan for suspending the membership of individuals defectors, stating he’s making an attempt to secure the integrity of the tour for those people remaining members. 

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Curtis Strange kisses the U.S. Open trophy at the Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, in 1989.

Curtis Unusual kisses the U.S. Open up trophy at the Oak Hill State Club in Rochester, New York, in 1989.
(Rick Stewart / Allsport)

“I can not consider turning your again on the group that gave you the system to be who you are,” Weird stated. “At the identical time, I do recognize a man who does not feel he can enjoy well ample any longer likely. But I just have a hard time. After participating in the tour for so prolonged, turning your back again on an organization and truly remaining considerably detrimental to it. But I get it. I get it. It is dollars.” 

The Related Push contributed to this report.

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