Loran - Smith The Players
Loran
When Wyndham Clark’s birdie putt lipped out of the cup late Sunday at Ponte Vedra two weeks ago, it was not exactly a downer, especially for his banker since Clark got a grand total of $1,981,667— say $2 million dollars for his week at the Players Championship.
Not every tournament rewards as handsomely as this brainchild of former tour commissioner, Deane Beman, who came up with the concept of this event, boldly espousing that The Tournament Players Championship could become golf ’s fifth major.
Beman felt that the Players would draw the strongest field in golf and that would allow the tour to make headway with the fifth major idea. That has not come about and based on the scuttlebutt you hear out on the tour is that if there ever is a fifth major, it won’t be a tournament in the U. S.
If money were to dictate the next major, the benevolent and altruistic Saudi Arabians (tongue in cheek) might claim that the fifth major should be in Riyadh where they give away camels for holes in one unless you prefer a Rolls Royce.
By the way, do you remember when the idea of the Senior Tour came about? It really didn’t get traction until Beman took it under the PGA Tour’s wing and brought about organizational structure and sponsorship money to thetable. Nowitisflourishing.
Then along comes Greg Norman who takes up with the sheiks and what do we get? The LIV Tour. Guaranteed money to cover the gap that exists from the time you can’t win very much on the regular tour, which is about age 40, until you reach your 50th birthday.
Saudi money will not only cover that period, but it will also throw big bucks at you to where you don’t have to work at your game to fatten your bank account. You get all that guaranteed money when your game goes to seed as it does for so many.
I can remember the first Players championship which was played at the Atlanta Country Club over Labor Day weekend in 1974. Even though most everybody’s attention was in tune with the start of college football, the tournament was a big success with the Atlanta Classic Foundation hierarchy expressing regrets that the organization would not be able to host it again the following year.
That was Beman’s plan—move the tournament around until the Tour could build the Tournament Players’ Club to host the event on an annual basis.
Look what has happened. The Tournament Players’ Club has become the place to be in March each year, the first big tournament of the year.
The total purse at the first event in Atlanta was $250,000. This past event, it was $25 million dollars. Jack Nicklaus got $50,000 for first place. That was considered top dollar for winning in that era. continued from page
Since 1974, it has been my good fortune to see each of the Players’ championships but two, getting to Ponte Vedra becoming a challenge to manage with other priorities on the schedule.
With the tournament moving to May, it did not fit. To begin with, it was too hot even though it gets much hotter in North Florida in the summer months. Even with ideal weather the championship played in May just didn’t “feel” right.
There were other reasons why the fan base did not enjoy the Players in May, and it was a welcomed decision when it returned to its traditional March dates. It has never been better received by area golf fans than this year.
While I was not on the grounds, I am sure that the LIV Tour had to be smarting from the success of the PGA Tour which was its old dominant self.
It was a terrific tournament to watch. The golf course gleamed in the bright sunshine, the crowds were overwhelming and enthusiastic. The competition reminded you of one of those scintillating Sunday finishes we often get at the Masters.
Perhaps the PGA Tour can’t provide that every weekend, but whatever it offers is a heck of a lot better than whopping gobs of guaranteed money, 54 holes of lackluster competition and competitors playing in shorts.
The LIV tour is way ahead of the PGA Tour when it comes to gimmickry, but for the best in golf, this year at Ponte Vedra was as good as it gets.
