Westwood calls for unified tour schedule

[ron lefthanded holmes]

[quote name='corky' timestamp='1291681449' post='2827118']

It's simple ......Westwood's problem is that he dethroned some people's King, and for that he can't be forgiven.

Where were all these posts stating their distaste for him when ET was NO.1?..... that's right, there weren't any.....

[/quote]

well this post is spot on

[Goldenhawk]

[quote name='ernschaeden' timestamp='1291592378' post='2825184']
the world number 1 speaks...the official tours shake in fear.
[/quote]

LOL. Westwood becomes No. 1 and thinks he's the man with the plan. He should just shut up and leave well enough alone. Someone take the No. 1 ranking away from him already.

[Goldenhawk]

[quote name='joekelli' timestamp='1291703099' post='2827689']
With the economy going down the tubes the Euro tour is going to be where everyone will be playing. How much longer can USA keep supporting these high paid athletes? Sponsers are dropping like flies and the average person just can't afford to go to these events and the prices just keep going up. The euro tour will be paying the higher purses and I bet they will raise the Race to Dubai purse to entice the best players to play over there. I can just see them raising it to 20 million or more!
[/quote]

Last time I checked, it was European countries with debt trouble causing the global economy to falter...can you say Greece, Ireland, Spain and Portugal.

The future of the European Tour, or for any Tour, is not in Europe. It's in the oil rich countries of the mid-East and the Far East Asia. Not only can these countries host an event with some money to back it up, but they pay TW Co., Philly Mick, Micele Wie and other golfers appearance fees just to show up. Imagine collecting a million dollars, euros or whatever just to tee it up on the first hole, and you don't even have to make the cut.

BTW, has anyone heard of our buddy Lee getting an appearance fee for any event?

[jaskanski]

[quote name='Goldenhawk' timestamp='1291756030' post='2828536']

BTW, has anyone heard of our buddy Lee getting an appearance fee for any event?
[/quote]


Why not? He is, after all, the world #1. Perhaps not the same amounts as Tiger used to get (and probably still does).

[Bubbalongball]

Well then the Canadian tour will have to join this world tour its only fair

Now as far as anything happening to the PGA tour is ridiculous and it will never happen it is the biggest tour in the world with probably double the money that the euro tour makes and pays out, there is no way that our tour will and the only reason that Lee is flapping his gums because he wants the tournament purses that we have but still wants to stay close to home to do it. If the Euros want bigger purses they are more then welcome to come to the US and play our events.

[lafayette7]

[quote name='J13' timestamp='1291596464' post='2825343']
I wonder if this is done will it take away opportunities for the journeyman or younger players trying to make it to the show. Both here and Euro.
[/quote]


I was wondering the same thing............ Who decides what players get to play on the world tour? Also, who decides which tourneys get dropped or stays? How about the loss of charity monies from dropped tournaments here and abroad............I'm kinda thinking if it ain't broke............

[mat562]

[quote name='Goldenhawk' timestamp='1291756030' post='2828536']
Last time I checked, it was European countries with debt trouble causing the global economy to falter...can you say Greece, Ireland, Spain and Portugal.
[/quote]
Last time[i] I [/i]checked, the whole economic downturn started as a result of the culmination of years of irresponsible lending policies by certain large American banking corporations. Numerous American banks and mortgage lenders chucked billions of dollars at millions of people whom they knew full well would have trouble paying it back. With many economies tied to the U.S. economy, the debt snowballed. For the most part, many of the financial woes that are currently being experienced in Europe and elsewhere can be traced directly back to American clangers dropped by greedy American bankers.

If you're sitting at home in the U.S. bemoaning the fact that your American Dream has turned into an American Nightmare, it isn't Paddy O'Reilly or Stavros Paparizou who are to blame for it all.

You have to laugh at some of the reactions to this comment of Westwood's. People have been saying the same thing for years, but as soon as Westwood says it it's flame city. Most people are moaning that he isn't a 'real' number one as he supposedly isn't testing himself against the best week-in, week-out. He moots a decidedly non-controversial plan to make that happen and... more criticism. 

People also make me laugh with their reactions to Westwood's 'posturing.' They talk as if he's stood up and shouted 'Everyone shut up! I've got something to say! I'm the World No. 1 and therefore everything I say is both indisputable and required listening for all.' What's actually happened is that he's spoken to the press following a recent victory in the time honoured tradition and has answered and expanded upon a question posed by a journalist. Hardly something that makes him No 1. on the Official Arrogance Rankings as well as the golf ones. 

[Bubbalongball]

[quote name='lafayette7' timestamp='1291757969' post='2828587']
[quote name='J13' timestamp='1291596464' post='2825343']
I wonder if this is done will it take away opportunities for the journeyman or younger players trying to make it to the show. Both here and Euro.
[/quote]


I was wondering the same thing............ Who decides what players get to play on the world tour? Also, who decides which tourneys get dropped or stays? How about the loss of charity monies from dropped tournaments here and abroad............I'm kinda thinking if it ain't broke............
[/quote]

I got reading through here again and I did make a post already and got reading through again and all i can think off is how we are wasting our breaths there is no change coming to the PGA tour, nothing and no new tour will be made or organized that would affect the PGA tour and its sponsors

[Langlands]

[quote name='Bellyhungry' timestamp='1291594991' post='2825293']
No to silly season events with limited field and by invitation only.
[/quote]

That include The Masters?

[OneBowTie]

No matter where we go hang out.... whether in a domestic or international airport pub..... or even a golf internet chat site..... you will always find internationals the first to step up and place blame on the US for anything wrong in any part of the world.....

Yet, no matter where you sit in any part of the world.... when there is a crisis.... any kind of crisis..... almost always the country they DEPEND on the most to help bail them out is THE USA.

but who cares right

back to the topic ......

there already is a unified tour schedule with 10 plus world events..... it works just fine for many of the players, sponsors, and it works great for me too.... I wouldn't want to have to read anymore threads then those 10 plus tourneys a year how some whiney, spoon fed, prima donna and their fans don't like the TV coverage, don't like the food of country choice, don't like warm or cold beer, don't like the golf course event is contested on, don't like the weather of said location.... (this part of the post you can insert any tour or country you want- the bitching comes from all sides)

[Guia]

I don't see a joining of the tours. The American PGA is much more lucrative than the European, I don't think the PGA will want to give up its reputation as the stronger tour.

[Body_Visions]

I don't like it. As long as it can be supported, I want to see as many tournaments as possible. A world tour would harm this. I would rather see the players suck it up and play for a little less money.

What would happen to the developmental tours?

Leave it alone as long as the economy will support it.

[LYG]

We all hate to admit this this but many things in life are driven by revenue and margin.

The sponsors, more than the fans, decide this issue.

[SwingLikeElk]

[quote name='joekelli' timestamp='1291703099' post='2827689']
With the economy going down the tubes the Euro tour is going to be where everyone will be playing. How much longer can USA keep supporting these high paid athletes? Sponsers are dropping like flies and the average person just can't afford to go to these events and the prices just keep going up. The euro tour will be paying the higher purses and I bet they will raise the Race to Dubai purse to entice the best players to play over there. I can just see them raising it to 20 million or more!
[/quote]


The economy is so much better in Europe.

[Justin_Ellis]

I just don't see this happening only because there is not enough Talent at the top to float this idea and the bottom players on either tour would not be trekking the globe week-end and week-out to miss cuts. Tiger and Phil play so few events as is I don't see them even playing as many as they do expanding the tour on a global scale.

[RJD]

It seems to me that globalizing the tour would diminish the traditions of the established tournaments / majors already in place. I like the traditions of the Open, U.S. Open and Masters, and would hate to see one or all of them suffer in the name of globalization. If anything, I think it's a shame how much that trend has already happened - the Western Open at one time competed with the U.S. Open in terms of prestige. Where is the Western Open now? Oh yeah, it's called the BMW Championship. No thanks to that ever happening again. It's a lot like the college football bowl system in the U.S. The Cotton Bowl was traditionally one of the four big bowls, and now it's not even in the BCS championship series of bowls. It's a shame if you ask me.

The more local or regional the better. People care about things that they have a personal interest or investment in more. There are enough international events as it is to keep things interesting, and the players themselves are always free to go off and play in the events in other parts of the world.

[hogans71]

[quote name='mat562' timestamp='1291760447' post='2828663']
[quote name='Goldenhawk' timestamp='1291756030' post='2828536']
Last time I checked, it was European countries with debt trouble causing the global economy to falter...can you say Greece, Ireland, Spain and Portugal.
[/quote]
Last time[i] I [/i]checked, the whole economic downturn started as a result of the culmination of years of irresponsible lending policies by certain large American banking corporations. Numerous American banks and mortgage lenders chucked billions of dollars at millions of people whom they knew full well would have trouble paying it back. With many economies tied to the U.S. economy, the debt snowballed. For the most part, many of the financial woes that are currently being experienced in Europe and elsewhere can be traced directly back to American clangers dropped by greedy American bankers.

If you're sitting at home in the U.S. bemoaning the fact that your American Dream has turned into an American Nightmare, it isn't Paddy O'Reilly or Stavros Paparizou who are to blame for it all.

You have to laugh at some of the reactions to this comment of Westwood's. People have been saying the same thing for years, but as soon as Westwood says it it's flame city. Most people are moaning that he isn't a 'real' number one as he supposedly isn't testing himself against the best week-in, week-out. He moots a decidedly non-controversial plan to make that happen and... more criticism.

People also make me laugh with their reactions to Westwood's 'posturing.' They talk as if he's stood up and shouted 'Everyone shut up! I've got something to say! I'm the World No. 1 and therefore everything I say is both indisputable and required listening for all.' What's actually happened is that he's spoken to the press following a recent victory in the time honoured tradition and has answered and expanded upon a question posed by a journalist. Hardly something that makes him No 1. on the Official Arrogance Rankings as well as the golf ones.
[/quote]

Hold on there-

We live in an ever increasing "global" economy and have for well over a decade. While the prevalence of unscrupulous lenders certainly made for flashy headlines, the failure in the system goes back much farther than just 2007. Think mid-nineties when Fannie and Freddie were pushing their agenda. Needless to say, every bank and financial institution in the world wanted to get in on it while the gettin' was good- for you to suggest it was all the fault of "greedy" American bankers is laughable at best. If you're going to be along for the ride during the good times, you better damn well accept the consequences for your actions on the way down. Many of these institutions in the States are buried in debt in one way or another from their involvement in those that make up the P.I.I.G.S.. - you better believe they need to stand up and take responsibility for their own short-sidedness when it came to participating in those economies. So let's back off on the U.S. vs. Euro rhetoric, shall we?

Personally, I have no problem whatsoever with what LW has to say- its about time someone speaks their mind a bit. Makes for a conceivably interesting upcoming season. As far as the proposed "unified" tour, too many things at play to make it work successfully in my opinion...

[wedge1]

All the same conversations as tennis from the mid 80's before the [b]PLAYERS[/b] forced the creation of the ATP tour. The players control it all. If they collectively decide having a world tour is in the best interest of the sport and themselves, they can make it happen.

[url="http://www.atpworldtour.com/Corporate/History.aspx"]http://www.atpworldt...te/History.aspx[/url]

I was at that ATP press conference in the parking lot and saw much of this first hand.


*And the animosity to Lee Westwood is uncalled for. Truth hurts sometimes...if we dealt with thing more openly in this country we would not be in the pickle we are in with everything.