Money talks, and it did for many LIV Golf players when they left the PGA Tour. Most of them had already earned millions from their success in the PGA Tour. Yet, they chose to make the switch to LIV Golf for more money. But was that also the reason others stayed back in the PGA Tour?
Money has often been a topic of discussion in golf. It doesn’t matter which league you support. But some have had the luxury to not worry about it. Rory McIlroy, who has chosen to commit more of his time to the DP World Tour despite the PGA Tour offering far more lucrative options. And why wouldn’t he? The Irishman has earned nearly $100 million just through the PGA Tour.
However, he’s not the only one who falls into this picture. The likes of Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Justin Thomas also don’t worry much about the financial gains from the PGA Tour. Do you think Jordan Spieth cares about playing in Signature events because of the $20 million purse? No, he doesn’t, as he is a multi-millionaire, too. All of them only have one goal in mind as they play the PGA Tour events, and that’s title glory.
That was the topic of discussion between the 5 Clubs host, Gary Williams, and part-time golfer/Jupiter Links GC player/Lead Analyst at NBC Sports, Kevin Kisner. Kisner wears many hats in professional golf, and his experience in the sport was the reason Williams questioned him, “Do you think elite players are affected by cash anymore?” The question came after the host explained how the $20 million Arnold Palmer Invitational is immediately followed by THE PLAYERS Championship worth $25 million.
Kisner stated how the same group of top players will go into the final round of the event to play for big payouts every week. THE PLAYERS Championship 2025’s purse won’t make a difference as “they know what they’re making or playing for, but I don’t know if that affects the way that they play,” said the pro/analyst. Kisner clarified that “most of those guys are playing for trophies more than money. They got piles of money already”.
The veteran golfer pointed out how the players often get a glance at how much money they are playing for. Speaking from experience, he said, “I don’t see guys faltering over how much money we’re playing for”.
Golf – The Masters – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia, U.S. – April 14, 2024, Scottie Scheffler of the U.S. celebrates on the 18th green after winning The Masters REUTERS/Mike Segar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
It’s evident that the top players are not concerned about the payouts. Their goal is to win the title and add more gold to their trophy cabinets. But that is not always the case for many golfers, as we have seen in some recent incidents. Let’s explore a few other incidents in professional golf where money has been an issue.
Scottie Scheffler & Co.’s greed ruins the purest form of golf
Money might not come into the equation when the likes of Scottie Scheffler and other top American golfers walk into a PGA Tour event. Many of them have already amassed a lot of career earnings. But that didn’t stop some of them from demanding more from the PGA of America. And to the dismay of the European golfers, their demands were met.
Team US players raised their concerns about not being compensated for their participation in the Ryder Cup. The tournament, which is known to be the purest form of golf, was never about winning a paycheck. The Ryder Cup has always been about national pride. So it came as a shocker when the PGA of America announced that Team US players will be getting a $500,000 stipend each for their participation in the prestigious event. Fans even criticized Scottie Scheffler & Co. for breaking the 100-year-old tradition for greed. Especially when every one of them earns way more in every PGA Tour event they participate in.
So the question remains: Do the PGA Tour players care about the monetary gains from tournaments? Share your opinions in the comments section.
The post Scottie Scheffler & Co. Don’t Care About $25M as ‘Piles of Money’ Have Already Flooded Their Careers appeared first on EssentiallySports.