Rickie Fowler Counters Greg Norman’s LIV Entertainment Efforts, Jay Monahan Given Ideas For Innovation

Unlike LIV Golf, the PGA Tour might never have a revolutionized format! The Saudi Arabia-backed circuit had been in hot waters for the 54-hole gameplay for quite some time now. While it may look evolutionary to a few, many in the golf world have ridiculed it. Even the new member, Jon Rahm had opined for a change of format in LIV Golf. However, will the Jay Monahan-led PGA Tour ever go through a similar pathway? According to Rickie Fowler, the Tour should not change the format. However, the schedule can be altered to hype the game altogether.

This is the first press conference of Rickie Fowler at the newly named Cognizant Classic; which will start in a few hours. A reporter asked Fowler about the immense ridicule that LIV Golf has received over their changed format, so is there any place for change in golf? The 33-year-old replied, “I think within reason.” Per Fowler, golf is “a very traditional sport with traditional tournaments. 72 holes, cut going into the weekend.” Instead of a change in the format, there should be an innovative schedule for the Tour’s season.

Fowler said that since the regular season continues from January to August, there are ways to “do different things in the fall.” However, there needs to be curiosity about golf. “We kind of have to create the want for golf, “ said Fowler. He compared it to football and said, “I feel like with other sports, people can’t wait for football preseason to start up, and that’s just preseason. The games don’t really matter a whole lot.” The 6-time PGAT winner desired to create a model with “a little bit more of a demand for golf”, as compiled by ASAP Sports.

Fowler had pressed that since golf is available more or less every weekend the people might be as intrigued to tune in. However, with a proper off-season, there will be hype about golf without changing its format. In the past couple of years, golf in its entirety has gone through certain changes. From larger purses to smaller fields, the world of golf has seen the PGA Tour trying not to lose its players to the LIV Golf. However, while Fowler proposed a new schedule, the recent ones had been a source of worry for Mackenzie Hughes.

Mackenzie Hughes shows disappointment with the PGA Tour model, amid Rickie Fowler’s comments

Before withdrawing from the Cognizant Classuc, Mackenzie Hughes had shared his worries about the current business model of the PGA Tour. From the Genesis Invitational’s greens, Hughes had said, “It’s all about the money and it’s all about, ‘how much money can I make?’” The 33-year-old feels that while chasing the money, they have “lost the spirit of the game in the process.” 

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Hughes asserted that though the large sum of money being invested in golf sounds good, “it was just never the reason” why he played on the PGA Tour. While the game of golf sees many changes that may not align with every pro, is Fowler’s idea of longer off-season a fruitful innovation to entice intrigue about golf? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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