🏌🏻 PGA Exodus To LIV?

Good morning. We’re covering some of the top stories that made headlines, from Greg Norman claiming his phone is blowing up with PGAT players wanting to join LIV, PGA Tour commissioner’s salary and PGAT’s legal fees skyrocket, to the full lowdown on the PNC Championship that starts today.

So, grab your favorite morning beverage, and let's get into the swing of things!

And don’t forget to check out the deal of the day!

🧦 Deal of the day: Check out this deal on I'd Rather Be Golfing Socks for Men and Women.

⛳ This day in history: In 1907, the first women's golf tournament in Hawaii was held at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, with fifty women competing for the championship.

And in 1964, in a Hawaiian setting that offered palm trees, luxury hotels, Pacific surf and even hula lessons, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer played powerful golf to win the Canada Cup for the U.S.

ALBATROS
PGA Tour Players Flood Greg Norman's Phone to Join LIV Golf

LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman believes more PGA Tour players are interested in signing up for the 2024 season after Jon Rahm made his switch to the Saudi-backed circuit.

"To have Jon [Rahm] on board was critically important to our next steps into the future and what we want to do," Norman told the BBC's World Business Report. "It will create a domino effect, there will be more apples falling from the tree - there's no question about it, because LIV continues to grow and develop."

"Since Jon signed, less than a week ago now, I know my phone is blowing up. I know we probably have eight to 12 players who are very, very keen to sit down and talk to us about coming on board. Time will tell. Right now, our roster is very close to being filled but maybe within two or three [players].

It tells you the value of what our platform is, where these PGA Tour players see the opportunity that LIV offers. All the guys that play on LIV are just so happy about the decision that they've made.”

TWEET
Worth Mentioning

EAGLE
PNC Championship Lowdown

The PNC Championship consists of two-player teams made up of a PGA Tour, Champions Tour or LPGA Tour player and a family member of theirs who isn't a current touring professional.

Twenty teams will play in the 36-hole scramble where the winner will earn the Willie Park Trophy, named after British Open champions, Willie Park Sr. and Willie Park Jr.

📍 When and Where: 14-17 December, at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando.

💰 Purse: $1.085 million, winner takes $200,000.

🏆 Defending Champions: Vijay and Qass Singh

🐅 Tiger and Charlie Woods Tee Time: 9am ET on Friday

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news

The Sentry: The PGA Tour announced that Viktor Hovland, Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler and Scottie Scheffler have committed to play in The Sentry, the first Signature event of the PGA Tour season.

Netflix Data: “Full Swing” was watched for 53.1 million hours from the documentary series’ release through the end of June. The eight-episode series was the 267th most-watched title in the first six months of 2023, despite its release in mid-February.

PGA vs Other Sports: How much do PGA Tour players make compared to other professional sports.

Professional’s Handicap: Do professional golfers ever keep a handicap? Are they required to? And what's been the lowest ever handicap in the amateur game? Read here.

Excellence Awards: In a celebration of excellence, the Pacific Northwest Section PGA proudly announces the recipients of its prestigious 2023 Annual Awards, recognizing outstanding performance across 13 categories.

Q-School: 7 surprising golfers fighting for status at Q-School this week.

BIRDIE
Jay Monahan’s Salary, PGA Tour Legal Fees Skyrocketed

PGA Tour Inc.’s legal expenses jumped more than 10 times from 2021 to 2022—from $2 million to $20.7 million—according to its most recent tax return. This is a small glimpse into the mounting cost of the group’s protracted legal battle with Saudi-backed upstart LIV Golf.

The figure is more than the nonprofit reported in legal fees in the previous 14 years combined ($20.2 million).

Monahan’s overall compensation in 2022 was reported as $18.6 million, up from $13.9 million in the 2021 document. The commissioner’s 2022 haul includes a $1.8 million base salary, $9.2 million in bonus and incentive compensation, and an actuarial estimate of $7.4 million for non-cash benefits that he will receive after he retires, according to the Tour.

Overall, the PGA Tour reported $1.9 billion in revenue in 2022, up from $1.59 billion the previous year, thanks to new multibillion-dollar TV deals. Expenses rose as well, with the organization reporting $1.87 billion in costs, up from $1.55 billion in 2021.

DRIVING RANGE
2 Simple Drills For More Club Head Speed

Lets face it, we would all like a little more club speed, to hit longer driver and outdrive our playing partners.

We also know that there are many factors when in comes to hitting longer driver, but in this videos Chris Ryan covers 2 very simple, yet effective, drills that can hep you do just that.