Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson playing for money during a practice round on YouTube have been viewed over 1.8 million times.
It is quite evident as to why.
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The video encompasses the presence of superstars, the inclusion of mildly intense stakes, the incorporation of lively conversations, and the inclusion of humor through Phil’s amusing one-liners.
I would like to inform you that we do not accept Venmo, PayPal, or any other unreliable payment methods. Mickelson boldly proclaims, “Straight cash.”
DeChambeau earnestly responds with a hint of surprise, questioning the existence of a nearby First American Bank. He contemplates why anyone in their thirties would bother carrying physical currency in the year 2023.
Several days thereafter, DeChambeau accomplished the feat of matching golf’s all-time lowest round by shooting a remarkable 58 at the Greenbrier, thus adding his name to the esteemed record books alongside Jim Furyk.
It is difficult to determine the number of people who watched, as the viewer reception in season two was so low that TV ratings ceased to be disclosed.
The round of DeChambeau may have attracted media attention, but it did not cause any significant impact. This is because certain individuals contend that there is an asterisk associated with it, similar to many occurrences within the LIV Golf boundaries.
Can we truly consider a round of 58 as a round of 58 under the circumstances of a 54-hole tournament with shotgun starts, a team side pot, and music blaring in the background?
Without a doubt, the answer is affirmative, despite the atmosphere leaning towards a corporate golf day rather than an intense tournament.
However, these tough questions cannot be avoided by LIV Golf, as they have faced a significant setback in their second season, despite their efforts to expand to a 14-event global tour.
The abrupt stop may now lead to a profound crisis as the lack of interest from viewers is not favorable for LIV Golf, which is currently engaged in lengthy discussions regarding a merger with the PGA and DP World Tours.
LIV persists in lavishing its funds on its problems, exemplified by its allocation of $50 million (equivalent to A$79.5m) during the Team Championship in October.
Nevertheless, amidst the possibility of its own demise due to a potential merger, the highlight of this year’s LIV Golf was witnessing four individuals engaging in a riveting “nine holes for a G” showdown, with not a single soul present to witness this exhilarating spectacle.
LIV Golf needs to promptly investigate why there was little interest in the high-stakes tournament or its renowned athlete’s extraordinary achievements before, while people are going crazy for a rebellious video captured during a practice session.
The video does not rely on any flashy gimmicks or attention-grabbing tactics. Instead, it cleverly distinguishes itself by offering the general public enhanced access to two highly popular stars.
The video, nevertheless, concludes with a peculiar note as DeChambeau awkwardly proclaims, “This remarkable content marks only the commencement of something extraordinary with LIV.”
DeChambeau’s lack of conviction significantly diminishes the boldness of his call.
If the claim holds any credibility, the 1.8 million views prove that LIV Golf possesses something worth paying attention to.
It is extremely challenging to identify anything valuable in a team that is overstaffed and operates in a chaotic environment, which unveils a possibly fatal weakness as the golf industry’s leaders contemplate its future.
To be frank, LIV Golf has not shown nearly as much strategic thinking as their decision to give us an insider’s view of one of Mickelson’s renowned practice rounds.
LIV Golf has used a heavy-handed approach for everything else, like spending $200 million to recruit Phil. An additional $140 million is being allocated for the acquisition of Cameron Smith. Encourage players to praise the awesomeness of LIV Golf through conversation. Ensure that the commentators consistently adhere to the same time frame of every one-to-two minutes. The fans have been longing for it; hence, let’s crank up the volume of the ball meeting the cup to a staggering million decibels.
Would you like even more? Perhaps we could crank up Avicii’s legendary track ‘Levels’ to full blast, resonating across the whole golf course. Don’t even worry about meeting the OWGR standards, everyone is going to love this!
Naturally, the majority of golf enthusiasts do not perceive this as impressive and are currently pondering the rationale behind segregating the finest golfers in the world for this purpose.
LIV Golf is coming to the realization – or should I say, it really ought to – that unlimited Saudi funds and being unique just for the sake of being unique, just doesn’t cut it when it comes to revolutionizing an entire sport.
The mounting failures of the rebel circuit are becoming increasingly problematic, especially considering the ongoing merger talks between its funder and the PGA Tour, which have already placed it in grave jeopardy.
LIV Golf’s influence over potential targets has diminished. The signing of Smith from the upper echelons of world golf in September 2022 was expected to trigger a wave of high-profile departures. However, it instead marked the conclusion of such movements.
Despite Mickelson’s claim that players are eagerly queuing up to join, Chief Greg Norman has yet to secure a significant recruit and has only managed to establish limited connections with renowned stars.
According to Golfweek, Mickelson expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming year, as well as his confidence in continuously improving the team’s performance by recruiting top-notch players.
It is advisable to trust in something only when you have visual confirmation of its existence.
Despite claims of more defections in the PGA Tour, suffering a significant defeat this year in the pursuit of Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) points further amplifies the probability of players switching allegiances.
LIV Golf expressed their hopes that the strong field in their tournament would lead to an exception in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for their valuable points. However, the board of the organization eventually concluded that it would be unfair to directly compare it with the other 24 tours.
The OWGR board chair, Peter Dawson, expressed that the decision was purely technical and emphasized that there was no animosity involved.
It is obvious that LIV players possess sufficient skill to be ranked. According to him, the reason why they can’t be ranked fairly among the other 24 tours and countless players is simply because they are not participating in the same format.
In the absence of OWGR points, the players of LIV Golf will inevitably witness a decline in their rankings, eventually losing their privileged spots in the four major tournaments.
For certain former champions, this isn’t a concern as they possess enduring or even permanent exemptions, contingent on the specific major. On the contrary, the decision will infuriate the members and supporters of the competition.
completely deprived of any opportunities to break into the major leagues.
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