The first reaction at this desk upon hearing that LIV Golf Invitational had released an eight-event schedule last week was to give RBC Canadian Open officials a jingle for their reactions.
After all, the first event of this fledgling tour is scheduled to be played at Centurion Golf Club across the Atlantic in London, England, directly opposite the RBC Canadian Open, June 9 – 12 at Toronto’s St. George’s Golf and Country Club.
Really though, what was the point? What could they say about the rival circuit that was of any consequence?
Assuming it is played, the London event will draw some interest out of curiosity, but the main attraction will always be the names in lights on the marquee and when it comes to the players who will participate in the inaugural LIV event, all we’re hearing is crickets.
Meanwhile, the RBC Canadian Open moves forward with the knowledge that it will have defending champion Rory McIlroy, Team RBC players such as Dustin Johnson and a full Canadian contingent that includes Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Hadwin, to name just a few.
It’s business as usual for the national championship, which is the way it should be for a PGA Tour event that hasn’t been played for nearly three years. Whatever the final field is at St. George’s, there is an appetite for PGA Tour golf after it was cancelled twice due to COVID.
So, why distract yourself with an event taking place across the ocean on a series that, as of yet, has no players, no broadcast partner and hasn’t taken its first tee shot? There are more concerns here in reality
Former PGA Tour player Richard Zokol said after the LIV schedule was released last week that it’s time to pass the popcorn, things are about to get entertaining and he’s right. Lawsuits could be launched and players could be named to play by Greg Norman and the rest of his crew.
Phil Mickelson, even after his faux pas a couple of weeks ago that led to a sabbatical that will keep him out of the Masters, is the name most mentioned for joining the Saudi series, but who else would fill out the fields? If the calibre of the rival event in London isn’t even close to the RBC Canadian Open, what’s to discuss?
As Zokol correctly pointed out, money talks and the Saudi series has a lot of it. While some players may jump ship, many marquee players such as Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau have said they’re sticking with the PGA Tour.
I suspect that, with the RBC Canadian Open being played just before the U.S. Open, the majority of players who prefer to play the week before a major, will prefer to be at an established event near Brookline, Mass, which is the case in Toronto.
Other players may prefer to sit on the fence for the inaugural LIV event in England and see how it and the entire first season shakes out before committing to the new entity.
It all remains to be seen, but this year’s RBC Canadian Open is just over two months away, so they need to leave the talking to an event that has no history.
