Lucas Glover trashes PGA Tour for response to LIV Golf, Signature Event structure

It’s safe to say that Lucas Glover is not a fan of the PGA Tour’s signature event.

Glover, who won the 2009 U.S. Open, said: Current tour structure In a recent interview with Adam Shupack golf week.

“I don’t like that idea at all,” Glover said of signature events like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which feature limited fields and high purses.

“It’s selfish and it’s a money grab.”

The PGA Tour established the signature event in response to LIV Golf poaching many of its top stars. LIV prides itself on playing 54 holes in a field of 48 to 54 players. These tournaments have his $20 million prize pool and are held all over the world.

“In my opinion, nothing that has happened in the golf world over the last two years has helped golf,” Glover said.

“I still don’t understand what’s so bad here that we have to do all the things we’ve been doing.”

Last year, 120 players participated in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and Kurt Kitayama won by one point, fending off Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Jordan Spieth.

This year, only 69 players will be participating, and those in the top 50 and within 10 strokes of a tie for first place will qualify.

“Why signature events? [a maximum of] 80 players and only 50 will survive? Next week’s big event is a full cut of 144 players. It’s an iconic event,” Glover said of The Players Championship.

“It’s pretty amazing that our biggest signature event has the most players participating and generates the most revenue.”

PLAYERS, held annually at TPC Sawgrass, is the PGA Tour’s flagship event. It has always been the strongest field in golf and is often referred to as the “fifth major.”

However, the PGA Tour has avoided following The Players’ structure in its signature events. Instead, we follow the LIV model and award the highest prizes to the top players.

But with the Tour currently in negotiations with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), the beneficiary of LIV Golf, Glover says he sees the writing on the wall for what professional golf will look like. I’m seeing it.

“Eventually there will be 12 to 16 events held around the world and the top players will get the most money, but where is that money coming from, is it private equity or PIF? No one knows for sure, but it’s clearly the destination,” Glover said.

Photo credit: David Cannon/Getty Images

“Several [PGA Tour] Events will likely fit into it. When you consider eight PGA Tour/DP World Tour-style events around the world, three or four LIV-style events around the world, and four majors, you get a picture of the tour. I’m very happy because it’s nearing completion. That’s how I see it. ”

Glover, who turned 44 last November, won twice on the PGA Tour last year, at the Wyndham Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

But under this new foresight, these two events may not be part of golf’s new world order.

“I’m facing my father as he walks off the lawn,” Grover added.

“I don’t know what went so bad here that we had to do something like this. Let’s raise money to make sure we keep some players. But now we… It eliminated a lot of opportunities for some really good players.”

Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.