Greg Norman’s LIV Sparks Prize Money Disruption Amid PGA Tour & Others; R&A Chief’s “Concerned” Plea Echoes Across Golf World

Martin Slumbers will leave his job at the end of this year. But he is no less worried about what the future holds. Slumbers, an investment banker turned R&A chief issued a stark reminder to golf fans.

The Open Championship will have increased its purse size but only marginally by $500K, half of what the PGA of America did this year. PGA Championship’s purse size was $11M in 2020; this year it was $18.5M. The USGA has injected $9M in the last three years. The U.S. Open purse stood at $21.5M. The Masters purse has increased $5M since 2022 now matching the $20M of Signature events and the 14 LIV Golf events.

Slumbers had a very good reason to not take part in the merry-go-round of throwing more money. Given R&A’s commitment to developing ‘amateur and recreational golf in 146 countries internationally’, Slumbers reiterated they need to strike a balance. It’s also a cautionary tale as Slumber’s next comments revealed.

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“We remain concerned about the impact substantial increases in men’s professional prize money are having on the perception of the sport and its long-term financial sustainability. We are determined to act with the interests of the global game in mind as we pursue our goal of ensuring golf continues to thrive in 50 years time,” the Guardian quoted him as saying.

via Imago

There is however one small problem. Since LIV Golf’s inception, the PGA Tour has tried to match the purse size of the PIF-funded side. Seemingly in a bid to stop the exodus, Jay Monahan has squeezed the sponsors, leaving them a little ruffled and worried about the future as well.

The other three majors in a bid to match the status, were forced to bump the purse as well. But Slumbers hit the nail on the head. Both the ‘perception of the sport’ and the threat to ‘financial sustainability’ the veteran CEO talked about are corporeal.

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Jon Rahm has been on a seemingly good but frustrating form. Good because he has become a top-ten cyborg in LIV Golf. Frustrating because he hasn’t won yet this season, and his form at the Major has been jarring.

Fans, however, don’t sympathize with the Spanish pro much. Any of his foul-mouthed rants on the course are met with equally caustic reactions from the golf community. And, they rarely forget to mention the contract money the two-time major winner received.

Then, the PGA Tour is in a similar boat. Jay Monahan, the Tour Commissioner, was booed by spectators at THE PLAYERS Championship. And the limited field $20M purse Signature events haven’t satisfied the loyal fans.

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Additionally, sponsors are in a dilemma as well. Honda has left, and RBC has refused to commit to a long-term extension. Wells Fargo, the sponsor of the PGA Tour’s Quail Hollow stop, declared they would not renew the contract beyond 2025.

On top of that, the tournament hosts are concerned with a new proposal by which they have to contribute to the purse. “Many of them are just saying they won’t do it, they’ve had enough,” Sports Illustrated quoted a tournament director as saying. Slumbers’s comments show that not just them but even the R&A, the world’s top governing body is on pins and needles.