PGA TOUR announces formation of PGA TOUR Americas

[smashdn]

2 hours ago, billyspan said:

@smashdn Good question!  I can only speak to the S. American tours as far as first-hand knowledge.  The various "continent-wide" tours in S.A. competitors were only the Argentinean and Colombian domestic tours for much of that history.  I use the word "tour" loosely here as most of the the events were national opens that were largely independently run by each nation's organization.  The biggest issue that S.A. faces is lack of participation (and golf being 99% private) and of course, competition by other more accessible sports (football, tennis, baseball, cycling, water polo, men's field hockey, volleyball, etc. are ALL much bigger than golf).  Gosh, in the 90s, there were probably around 100K golfers in Central and South America combined!

 

Canada's issue is it is too easy for homegrown professionals to join the US-based tour.  The PGA TOUR should really explore 2-3 events in Canada each year.  They used to have an event in British Columbia (I believe the Truckee-Tahoe event replaced it) and many US professionals used to participate in the Canadian PGA Championship as well.

 

 

That was what I was getting at.  I don't fault the PGAT for this, but they need to realize it, not necessarily react but at least understand that this dynamic exists, they siphon off the best talent from these other tours.  Even the DPWT.  All these other tours are de facto feeder tours.  

 

This is just my opinion, but the PGAT "saving" these couple of tours really only saved them a talent pipeline that they had benefitted from but really didn't have to fund/own/manage the way they do with the KF Tour.  Self serving but also gives those professional golfers in those countries/continents a place to play.  I am not saying it is not without it's merits nor not worth saving, just that it is not 100% altruistic. 

 

Camilo Villegas was the name that popped into my head.

 

You have to have marketable and desirable players to attract eyes/interest and the money that follows that.  If you are constantly losing your best how do you build interest?

[billyspan]

On 4/25/2023 at 12:02 PM, Hawkeye77 said:

Okay fine, probably shouldn't have chuckled!

 

But . . . . I was responding to the notion that across all these Tours the points would be called the same thing (just different values, I assume).  The FedEx points are unique to qualifying for the playoffs, etc. and unique to the PGA Tour for a lot of reasons.  The Tour can't let the DP Tour assign FedEx points for its events, nor the other Tours, unless there is just one big global tour, etc.  and things are being completely reworked from top to bottom, IMO.

 

I totally agree with the point you make in the post above re the loophole!

Is Akshay Bhatia this year's Will Zalatoris?  Cannot qualify for the Playoffs.  Can he qualify for the designated events?  This could be avoided if all PGA Tour "properties" would play for the same currency.

 

https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/tour-insider/2023/03/15/akshay-bhatia-status-explained-special-temporary-membership

[Hawkeye77]

5 minutes ago, billyspan said:

Is Akshay Bhatia this year's Will Zalatoris?  Cannot qualify for the Playoffs.  Can he qualify for the designated events?  This could be avoided if all PGA Tour "properties" would play for the same currency.

 

https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/tour-insider/2023/03/15/akshay-bhatia-status-explained-special-temporary-membership

Rules are rules, it doesn't need to be avoided but it's pretty complicated and very structured across all Tours and within Tours. The designated events are next season.  

 

He gets special privileges, they come with limitations.  

[grm24]

4 hours ago, billyspan said:

Is Akshay Bhatia this year's Will Zalatoris?  Cannot qualify for the Playoffs.  Can he qualify for the designated events?  This could be avoided if all PGA Tour "properties" would play for the same currency.

 

https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/tour-insider/2023/03/15/akshay-bhatia-status-explained-special-temporary-membership

He can qualify for the FEC Playoffs. Win an event. Same exact situation as Zalatoris. He is able to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions for the rest of the season. Numerous other players have earned their PGA Tour card this way. It doesn't need to be changed for any reason. AB has his full tour card already secured for next season. If he would win an event, like others had the chance to, he would become an immediate PGA Tour member and gain additional benefits by being a tour winner. Tom Kim did it last season. Won the Wyndham. Put him in the FEC playoffs. Rest is history. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by grm24

[billyspan]

14 hours ago, Hawkeye77 said:

Rules are rules, it doesn't need to be avoided but it's pretty complicated and very structured across all Tours and within Tours. The designated events are next season.  

 

He gets special privileges, they come with limitations.  

You may have be right, Hawk. Am I looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist?  Perhaps, but I have been very intrigued by the ATP Tour model of tournament stratification and ability to hold concurrent events 

[Hawkeye77]

4 hours ago, billyspan said:

You may have be right, Hawk. Am I looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist?  Perhaps, but I have been very intrigued by the ATP Tour model of tournament stratification and ability to hold concurrent events 

I'm not saying that as such, but the structure of everything PGA Tour is pretty complex and down to the last detail - so I assume a lot would have to be undone in a lot of ways to do what you suggest, but not claiming it couldn't somehow work.

[golfortennis]

On 4/25/2023 at 1:29 PM, billyspan said:

Maybe it is time for The PGA TOUR, DP World, Korn Ferry Tour and now the PGA TOUR Americas to all use the same points currency (FedEx Points)?  A move towards a structure like the ATP (Tennis) Tour would be a plus IMO.

 

I've argued that but the problem is there are turfs being protected.  The ATP tour has multiple events around the world most weeks, and a few events where top players come together.  It's what should be happening with golf, but there are too many entrenched interests and turfs to be protected.  You don't build massive world headquarters to then loosen your grip on something.

[billyspan]

15 minutes ago, golfortennis said:

 

I've argued that but the problem is there are turfs being protected.  The ATP tour has multiple events around the world most weeks, and a few events where top players come together.  It's what should be happening with golf, but there are too many entrenched interests and turfs to be protected.  You don't build massive world headquarters to then loosen your grip on something.

I thought about tagging you on the post for your input!  Thanks for chiming in.

[jimecherry]

Now that pga tour americas owner is a part of this new entity one wonders how the budget will be effected. will the tour americas, korn ferry, and champions tour be under the for profit entity like the Asian tour probably will be. or will they stay apart of the membership based non profit entity that will run pga tour tournaments.

[grm24]

19 minutes ago, jimecherry said:

will they stay apart of the membership based non profit entity that will run pga tour tournaments.

I would not see any changes in regards how the PGA Tour runs its various tours if this goes through. No reason to.

[golfheaven69]

Hope sponsors find better ways to spend their advertising money. I’m buy whatever those who crap on the new Saudi Tour sell. 

[jimecherry]

Its October and as per https://www.golfdigest.com/story/pga-tour-canada-latin-america-2024

Quote

The full 2024 PGA Tour Americas schedule will be announced in September.

we should now have the 2024 PGA Tour Americas schedule......

we dont even have a pga tour americas website 

[billyspan]

22 hours ago, jimecherry said:

Its October and as per https://www.golfdigest.com/story/pga-tour-canada-latin-america-2024

we should now have the 2024 PGA Tour Americas schedule......

we dont even have a pga tour americas website 

Good eye @jimecherry I hope this tour is not a casualty of the $, time, and other resources sink that are the Signature Events.  This Tour (like the Latin American & Canadian Tour predecessors) does not make anyone $.

[jimecherry]

12 hours ago, billyspan said:

Good eye @jimecherry I hope this tour is not a casualty of the $, time, and other resources sink that are the Signature Events.  This Tour (like the Latin American & Canadian Tour predecessors) does not make anyone $.

i dont think the americas tour is in jeopardy of not happening i do think the time lines have been pushed back. As for the lack of website thats the pga tours mo of being slow technology wise.

[jimecherry]

After long delay 

 

PGATourAmericas

anounces its 2024 schedule 

https://www.pgatour.com/americas/article/news/latest/2023/11/07/pga-tour-announces-2024-pga-tour-americas-schedule?webview=1

 

Quote

Americas schedule, which features 16 tournaments spanning eight countries, beginning in March and concluding in September with the Fortinet Cup Championship.

some highlights:

 

1. Fortinet retains the season long race sponsorship from the formerly Canadian Tour

2. purses will avg 225k a 25%+ increase over Latin tour purses flat for canadian tour purses

3. latin america swing is 6 events down from 12 in 2023

4. north american swing sees all canadian tour stops from 2023 return +1 new one

5. north american swing will be open to 20 tour u grads 6-25 in standings

6. north american swing fields will be kft size at 156 excluding the fortinet cup championship at 120

so the merger is more of a reduction of the latin america's tour to a 2 1/2 month swing for now. lots of dead time between the swings and several weeks off during the la swing means there's plenty of room for growth, just a question of sponsors and whether to expand to places that have had tournaments in Latin America or to places in the usa.

Edited November 8, 2023 by jimecherry

[jimecherry]

On 11/7/2023 at 11:55 PM, jimecherry said:

After long delay 

 

PGATourAmericas

anounces its 2024 schedule 

https://www.pgatour.com/americas/article/news/latest/2023/11/07/pga-tour-announces-2024-pga-tour-americas-schedule?webview=1

 

some highlights:

 

1. Fortinet retains the season long race sponsorship from the formerly Canadian Tour

2. purses will avg 225k a 25%+ increase over Latin tour purses flat for canadian tour purses

3. latin america swing is 6 events down from 12 in 2023

4. north american swing sees all canadian tour stops from 2023 return +1 new one

5. north american swing will be open to 20 tour u grads 6-25 in standings

6. north american swing fields will be kft size at 156 excluding the fortinet cup championship at 120

so the merger is more of a reduction of the latin america's tour to a 2 1/2 month swing for now. lots of dead time between the swings and several weeks off during the la swing means there's plenty of room for growth, just a question of sponsors and whether to expand to places that have had tournaments in Latin America or to places in the usa.

Latin america swing just added a new event announced yesterday in the lead up to vidante

Totalplay Championship at Atlas Country Club

it will be the second event in mexico on back to back weeks. in the final years of the latin american tour a tournament was played at atlas country club the week before bupa which rapped up the season. 

 

[jimecherry]

first event of the new era is under way and the lord himself is in the lead 0:

 

https://www.golflive24.com/pga-tour-americas/bupa-championship/