It's nice to know that veterans of a certain trade dogging younger people for not doing it their way isn't just limited to journalists barking at bloggers. Lee Trevino, one of the better sports quotes of all-time (and one of my favorite golfers), decided to go all Jon Stewart on Crossfire when discussing the economic troubles the PGA Tour is facing, admitting to the LA Daily News that the only true way to make a difference in golf is to force touring pros to play every tournament.
"Now is the time where you say, 'Hey boys, times are tough,'" Trevino said. "They're looking for something to do. Some say, 'We've got to get more personable.' Forget that player. He's not going to do anything.Hey, and while you're at it, get off my lawn!
"If the commissioner comes out and says once every three years you have to play each tournament - If not, there's a tour in Europe."
Kidding aside for a moment, I'm not necessarily against this idea. It would be nice, in theory, to make all the golf pros play in every event. If Tiger Woods went to all the events on the schedule it would probably help the events he doesn't visit now. The only problem with that is, one of the appeals to Woods' presence at tournaments is the fact that it doesn't happen every week. Those 16-18 tournaments a year are a commodity. We get to see Woods battle the field when Tiger wants to play, and I feel he has earned that right.
The only more obvious thing Trevino is missing is his solution. There's a tour in Europe? As in, go play that tour? Well, Mr. Trevino, people are heading to Europe to play that tour because there is more money in the European Tour these days. With the implementation of the Race to Dubai, PGA Tour stars have already said they're planning on teeing it up more on the other side of the pond so they can qualify for the postseason event that could eclipse the FedEx Cup in possible earnings. Kicking people away from the PGA Tour, when European Tour players can just as easily qualify for the majors, isn't really that much of an insult. It might even be a bonus.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-04-2009 @ 5:20PM
Tres said...
There's more money on the European Tour? But we are America and are better.
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3-04-2009 @ 10:42PM
AussieGolfer said...
But he's only suggesting they play every tournament, once every three years though right?
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3-05-2009 @ 7:23AM
Koch said...
I agree with Trevino. I think that the golfers should maybe every four years play in all tournaments, unless of course there are conflicting tournaments which I believe happens a couple of times a year. Why shouldnt they? Without the American tour these guys would have nothing, be like Palmer and give back some. Yes even the great tiger.
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3-05-2009 @ 7:31AM
Terry said...
PGA in trouble financially? Guess even the rich private dudes need a bail out also. Who in the hell in America can manage their money right? Wall Street cant, the govt. cant, GM cant and the PGA cant. Jeez and we worry about the Jhidiast? Think we better look in the mirrow first.
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3-05-2009 @ 7:36AM
greyhound said...
I agree with almost all of what Trevino had to say. What they need to do in the beginning is make the pros play at least 75% of the US tour if they stay in country and 85% of a total combination of Europe and US tours. That should require each player to play between 25 and 30 tournaments a year. They've gotten so fat that they're counting the money instead tournaments and wins. Does this sound familiar Tiger.
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3-05-2009 @ 8:45AM
isuamlmbf said...
Not a bad idea. It has worked on the LPGA tour for years. They have a 1 in 5 rule that says you have to play every tournbament at least once in a 5 year span. Has worked well with no problems. If you do the math it would only add 2-3 tounaments per year to Tiger's schedule and less to most others. Funny thing is, Commisioner Tim Finchem spoke with both Tiger and Phil at the end of last season about playing in more of the lesser tournaments so the idea has been brough up before.
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3-05-2009 @ 8:46AM
bill harris said...
Those American players playing in Europe should be ashamed of themselves. Their first priority to their employer (PGA) is to build the American tour and help make it profitable. These are very selfish players who think only of themselves. Know what, eventually the purses here will drop and eventually the purses in Europe will as well.
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3-05-2009 @ 8:51AM
isuamlmbf said...
Why should they be ashamed of themselves? They can keep their tour card as long as they play thee required number of tournaments on the PGA tour (approx 16-18) per year. That frees them up to play elsewhere. It also allows the "World Players" such as Ernie Els, Geoff Ogilvy, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia etc. to play here and to play on thier home tours as well. In short it gives the U.S. players the same rights as the foreign players get here. Hard to tell someone that they cannot go somewhere and make money.
3-05-2009 @ 8:54AM
John said...
THE TOUR DOESN'T NEED MORE MONEY, IT NEED CLASS PLAYERS LIKE LEE TREVINO.......As far as the tour going to Dubai? i say do it, and bring all the money you can get back to America,,,,,,the Towell heads stole it in the oil field, maybe our golfers can bring some of it back on the links
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3-05-2009 @ 9:17AM
matchtuff said...
I love how people want to make someone do something. I thought we loved the fact that we get to choose what we do(supposedly) in America. There is always this talk in individual sports about making someone do something. Hell the game is clearly making money or it would go away. People who are not players are always talking about what we need to make someone do. Dam* it I say the players get together and make the decisions about what they want to do in these individual sports. We have enough of making people do what "we" in the team sports.
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3-05-2009 @ 11:00AM
Jim said...
Lee is 100% on. The difference with the tour now and when he , Arnie, Fuxxy, etc were playing is personality. Fuzzy said several years ago: that when they were playing you could go to the driving range (as a spectator) and you'd see several of the big guys joking with each other, new players, and the crowd. You's also see 6 different swings between 6 different players. NOW, the players today don't joke with any one and you'll see 6 identical swings. Personality of the players it what keeps people coming back. Tiger has it, but to the rest this is not a fun sport you can make a good living at, It is a money making sport you happen to be good at and the fans are not part of it.
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3-05-2009 @ 11:35AM
dungal1 said...
Playing every tournament is crazy. First they have a practice round on Wednesday then four days of play then travel time. Where's the time to relax, be with family, etc.?
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3-05-2009 @ 12:14PM
hobbsoldbg65 said...
Without Tiger and the bigger names, PGA will have to drop some of the tournaments . With the economy and the fact that a lot of golf fans don't care to watch the plodding personality- devoid players such as Kenny Perry, sponsors will drop them. .If Phil or Tiger do not play then golf can be boring. The rest of you 9-5 players need to get a personality and bettter golf skills.
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3-05-2009 @ 12:20PM
jpeters645 said...
Travino is right. High profile players, Tiger, etal owe it to the tournaments and the fans to play more events. The LPGA has a "1 in 4" rule that works quite well. The tour should do the same.
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3-05-2009 @ 12:45PM
Daniel said...
Hey, Koch. Not Gary Koch, by any chance? Anyway,The thought of them playing every tournament every year, I think that that Would be too much physically for them to have to bear. Their performances would have to suffer later in the year, simply from exhaustion. Injuries would increase, as well. Why not, as an example, have, say, Tiger play in the tournaments he doesn't normally play in. Such as the Transitions this year. Too late for this year, I know. It kills me to say this, but you know, spread the wealth? LOL Let's see Tiger, Phil, Vijay, Ernie at tour stops we don't normally see them. That's all I have to say. Thanks
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3-05-2009 @ 1:11PM
Thomas Family said...
I've been wondering how long it would be before the "GOOSE" that laid the golden egg would die with regard to professional sports. I laugh when I hear how much it cost to take a family of four to a pro sporting event. Greedy fools!!!!
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3-05-2009 @ 1:49PM
leibeaux said...
As sponsors become more financially strapped, the purses are bound to drop. That will make playing more tournaments necessary to support these guy's lifestyles. The problem may take care of itself.
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3-05-2009 @ 1:54PM
eddav72 said...
I bet the other players on the tour would be delighted to compete with Tiger each week!
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3-05-2009 @ 3:13PM
Keith said...
The economy is terrible, people are losing their jobs and homes--- who really cares about these snobs that play with their putters in public????Why is this newsworthy?????
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3-05-2009 @ 5:09PM
kennethkarnes said...
Trevino isn't the voice of golf, by a long shot (can you tell that I personally don't like him?) What's with all this 'control' talk? Forcing somebody to do something is really never the best method. The players are grown men. Golf is an individual sport. Times of trouble require innovation and creativity - get moving PGA Tour! You can't ride Tiger forever.
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