The discontent on the PGA Tour shows no sign of letting-up any time soon.
Whilst attempts to broker peace between the US-based circuit and the Saudi Arabian bankrollers of the LIV Golf League continue to rumble on, the discord amongst the tour’s so-called rank-and-file appears to be intensifying.
The primary bone of contention? The Signature Events.
The eight-strong series of $20million tournaments – most of which are no-cut, limited field affairs – was designed to get the world’s best players competing together more often.
However, not everybody is happy – particularly the PGA Tour card-holders who are missing out on them.
Speaking to Golfweek during the RBC Canadian Open, Nate Lashley pulled no punches in his appraisal of the series, putting the blame squarely, and emphatically, at one man’s feet.
“If that’s the best field all year, then why are these signature events that are supposed to be so good 70 (man fields)? It makes no sense.
“Look at how good The PLAYERS was this year. When you have more competition, things stay tighter, more compact. When you’ve got fields with no cuts, it spreads things out.
“But [when] we have a commissioner who is a chicken shit and won’t stand up to a handful of guys, that’s what happens.
“You can’t tell me finishing top-10 in a limited field is similar to a 144- or 156-man field. It’s not even close. There’s no comparison. This is way harder.”
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Another pro, Mark Hubbard, is equally frustrated.
“I know we are trying to keep the top guys here and we had to do something,” he told Golfweek.
“But to shrink the game the way they have, it’s tough because there are 70 guys on the Korn Ferry Tour that could come out and win tomorrow and I think we have just lost sight of that.
“There are just so many people playing really good golf right now and the world has no idea who they are because the Tour has chosen to make it that way.
“I’m not talking about fringe players, I’m talking about guys that are super good.”
