Frank Nobilo is a former professional golfer-turned-analyst and broadcaster. He has played with the likes of Phil Mickelson and contested for various Majors.
The Kiwi has been a part of CBS as an analyst since 2015 and signed on for a full term in 2020. Recently, Nobilo sat with Gary Williams on his podcast, Five Clubs, and revealed one thing that the PGA Tour and LIV Golf would not talk about.
Frank Nobilo calls LIV Golf “a divorce”
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In conversation with Gary Williams, when asked about Nobilo’s opinions on the LIV Golf and PGA Tour merger and the future of golf thereafter, Nobilo simply said, “Wow.” He went on to call LIV Golf “a divorce”. He continued, “If LIV never happened, would the people who have gone (and) talked so poorly of the PGA Tour? I think we all know the answer to that.”
He further explained that the PGA Tour is not “cookie-cutter clean” and there needs to be an improvement in many sectors. Moving to Rory McIlroy‘s change of heart about LIV Golf, Nobilo believed the involvement of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) would ease the “commercial load” and prove sustainable to the PGA Tour.
Nobilo made a statement about golf rating lower than most sports. He said even if it’s unfortunate, it is the truth. “We don’t rate high enough, as much as it pains me to say. Golfers are overpaid compared to every other sport. No one wants to admit that. They don’t want to say it.”
Comparing the sport of volleyball to golf, Nobilo expressed that it is rated higher than golf, and even then the players don’t seem to enjoy the luxurious life golfers do. According to the analyst, the over-payment has made the golf world be in a “weird place”. Circling back to the topic of the merger, Nobilo wished that Jay Monahan would take a decision that does not make the situation worse for the golf scene.
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Frank Nobilo, saddened by Phil Mickelson becoming a part of controversies
Phil Mickelson has been part of controversies throughout his career. However, the veteran has stayed in hot water for quite some time. Since his departure from LIV and the gambling addiction resurfacing, Mickelson has not been left alone. The book releases on his life have further tainted the legacy. Nobilo found it “sad” that Mickelson has so much flawed stuff about him in the public eye.
Nobilo also expressed that Mickelson’s Major win at 50 was something no other golfer, even Tiger Woods, could achieve. When asked about whether Lefty will return to the image he had, Nobilo said, “No…and it’s sad.”
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What do you think the much awaited merger will do to golf and Phil Mickelson?
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