PGA Tour's biggest stars benefit from LIV Golf without signing on the line | KEN WILLIS

Right about now, the question is obvious: Why didn’t the PGA Tour start throwing around all this money sooner?

Why didn’t they introduce additional no-cut, limited-field events with large guarantees back when some of the star players were suggesting such things, instead of waiting until they were seemingly forced to do so?

The answer is also probably obvious: Because they didn’t have to.

And while no one could’ve envisioned the Saudis linking arms with longtime Tour nemesis Greg Norman, there has been enough chatter of competing forces over the years that maybe, just maybe, they could’ve started throwing around stupid money before all this.

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But again, they had a pretty damn good thing going, and they were always able to bigfoot any doubters, detractors or would-be rivals. But that Saudi money flows like sweet crude from T. Boone Pickens’ back-40, and even this latest emptying of the ATM machine is no match, buck for buck, for the Prince’s debit card.

But it’s something. Really something. Starting this year, the Tour designated eight upper-rung events that will carry purses of $20 million. Starting in 2024, those tournaments will feature limited fields, 70 to 80 players, with no 36-hole cut.

That’s great for the eligible players, of course, but also good for fans (and viewers) who know a Rory or Rahm or whoever will be around on the weekend even if things go haywire on Thursday or Friday. And those are eight additional events, beyond the traditional majors, where all the marquee golfers will be khaki’d up together on your color television.

LIV tweaks PGA Tour with Twitter response

The Saudis’ Liv Tour wasted little time in responding to the Tour’s latest move.

Through Twitter, naturally.

“Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Congratulations PGA Tour. Welcome to the Future.”

Cheeky, yes, and an easy retort, but a wee bit misleading.

The Tour and several top players, including Rory McIlroy, were quick to point out the obvious differences between the PGA Tour’s big-money, limited-field events and those that make up the entire LIV Golf schedule.

LIV Golf has a set roster of 48 players, many (most?) with guaranteed contracts, regardless of how many 75s and 78s they might hang on the scoreboard during a given week. The PGA Tour’s limited-field events are available to all Tour members who can play their way into that level, with proposed logistics designed to reserve spots for those who have played the best “recent” golf.

From one limited-field, no-cut, $20 million PGA Tour event to the next — presumably 4-6 weeks later — no two fields will be the same around the fringes, so to speak. From around No. 50 back, there will be some churn, but the Spieths, Schefflers and Finaus will be constants as far as golf can offer a constant — ask Rickie Fowler or Francesco Molinari about constants in golf.

Finally, LIV Golf pays off for the general golf fan

It’s probably the first good thing to come out of all this for the at-home golf fan, who, like the Tour itself, thought he had a good thing going all these years. And he did, you know, which is why so many were upset with Norman, the Prince and LIV in general, beyond all the geo-political reasons.

Golf remained a true meritocracy, where you had to maintain performance to maintain paychecks. Sure, you could say the same for other sports, but if you suddenly can’t hit .200 but have four years and tens of millions remaining on the contract, people will talk.

Hit too many foul balls in golf, the banker will forget your name.

With the Tour’s new changes announced this past week, things got better for the tall timber, but they all know the tentative nature of golf, and know the American league still offers no long-term guarantees.

They have benefitted from LIV Golf without needing to join that venture and pretend they’re doing it to ensure quality family time.

— Reach Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: PGA Tour stars benefit from LIV Golf without need for a contract