PGA Tour: Lucas Glover trashes Signature Occasions, LIV Golf response

To say Lucas Glover just isn’t a fan of the PGA Tour’s Signature Occasions could be an understatement.

Glover, who gained the 2009 U.S. Open, sounded off on the present construction of the tour in a current interview with Adam Schupak of Golfweek.

“I don’t like the thought in any respect,” Glover mentioned of Signature Occasions such because the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which options restricted fields and elevated purses.

“It’s egocentric, and it’s a cash seize.”

The PGA Tour established Signature Occasions in response to LIV Golf poaching lots of its prime stars. LIV prides itself on enjoying 54 holes with 48-to-54-man fields. These tournaments have $20 million purses and are performed the world over.

“Nothing that has occurred within the final two years in golf, in my view, that may assist the sport,” Glover mentioned.

Photograph by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Pictures

“I’ve but to determine what’s so unhealthy out right here that we needed to do all of the issues we’ve completed.”

Final 12 months, the Arnold Palmer Invitational featured 120 gamers, as Kurt Kitayama fended off the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Jordan Spieth down the stretch to win by one.

This 12 months, solely 69 gamers are within the discipline, with the highest 50 and ties—together with anybody inside 10 photographs of the lead—making the minimize.

“Why do the signature occasions have [a maximum of] 80 gamers, and solely 50 make the minimize? Our greatest signature occasion subsequent week is 144 gamers with a full minimize. The signature occasion,” Glover mentioned, referencing The PLAYERS Championship.

“It’s very mind-blowing that our greatest signature occasion has essentially the most gamers and the most important minimize.”

The PLAYERS, held at TPC Sawgrass yearly, is the flagship occasion of the PGA Tour. It routinely has the strongest discipline in golf and has typically been referred to as the “Fifth main.”

But, the PGA Tour has shied away from following the construction of The PLAYERS for its Signature Occasions. As a substitute, it has adopted the LIV mannequin, awarding prime gamers prime {dollars}.

However with the tour at the moment negotiating with the Saudi Public Funding Fund (PIF), LIV Golf’s beneficiary, Glover sees the writing on the wall of what skilled golf will seem like.

“I feel we’re going to finish up with 12 to 16 occasions all over the world with the highest gamers for essentially the most cash, and wherever that cash comes from—who is aware of whether or not it’s personal fairness or PIF—clearly, that’s the place it’s headed,” Glover mentioned.

Photograph by David Cannon/Getty Pictures

“A number of of [PGA Tour] occasions are most likely going to suit into that. You’re eight PGA Tour/DP World Tour-style occasions all over the world, three or 4 LIV-style occasions all over the world, and 4 majors, and also you’ll have a Tour of the who’s who. I’m very blissful I’m near being completed. That’s how I see it.”

Glover, who turned 44 final November, gained twice on the PGA Tour final 12 months on the Wyndham Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

But, beneath this new visionary, these two occasions is probably not included inside golf’s new world order.

“I’m getting in the direction of the get-off-my-lawn dad,” Glover added.

“I simply don’t see what was so unhealthy out right here that we needed to do all this. Let’s elevate some purses to verify we preserve some guys round, however now we’ve eradicated lots of enjoying alternatives for some actually good gamers.”

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. Remember to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.