Rory Rocks New Orleans (and the Charts?): Win, Policy Board Return, & Epic Stage Performance
McIlroy Makes Waves On & Off the Course While Club Car Expands, Ryder Cup Hope for Rahm & Hatton, PGA Tour Equity Payout, LIV Update & Viewership Woes
Greetings, golf aficionados!
As you settle into your routine, we invite you to take a moment, enjoy your morning cup, and immerse yourself in our succinct roundup of the week’s golf industry news. Our dedicated team has been hard at work, combing through over 40 industry publications, more than 20 general news sites, a dozen golf newsletters, and a selection of the finest podcasts. We’ve distilled all this information into a comprehensive summary that will get you up to speed on the past week’s events in under 10 minutes.
Here’s what we’ve got for you this week:
Club Car’s Expansion: The renowned golf cart manufacturer opens a second factory in Poland to meet increasing demand.
Rory’s Milestone Week: McIlroy marked Zurich’s 20-year sponsorship of the New Orleans PGA Tour with a win, coinciding with his return to the PGA Tour Policy Board. The celebration peaked with Rory and Lowry’s impromptu stage performance, culminating in a crowd-pleasing rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” 😎😎
Rahm and Hatton’s Potential Ryder Return: Kinnings leaves the door open for their comeback.
PGA Tour Enterprises’ Payout: Set to distribute player equity.
LIV’s Norman’s Decision: Despite the success of the league in Adelaide, a second Australian event is ruled out.
PGA Tour’s Viewership Challenge: Continues to face headwinds due to weather and lack of star winners.
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Club Car’s New Era: Expanding Footprint and Accelerating Sustainability in Poland
In the bustling city of Mielec, Poland, a significant event unfolded. Club Car, a renowned name in the realm of small-wheel, zero-emissions electric vehicles, inaugurated a new factory. Spanning 3,300 square metres, this facility wasn’t just another manufacturing unit; it was a beacon of Club Car’s dedication to cater to the escalating demand for their unique vehicles.
Marco Natale, the Vice President EMEA for Club Car, stood at the threshold of this new establishment, a sense of pride radiating from him. “The addition of this new factory in Poland strengthens our ability to respond to increasing global demand,” he declared.
Club Car wasn’t a newcomer in Poland. They had already established a significant presence with a major factory, thanks to their acquisition of the Melex manufacturing plant in 2022. But this new facility was a game-changer. It was larger, more advanced, and embodied Club Car’s ambitious vision and commitment to its clientele.
Club Car was more than just a global manufacturer of golf cars, utility, personal transportation, and other low-speed vehicles. It was a pioneer in electrification and sustainability, leading the charge in environmentally responsible Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) technologies. And with this new factory, it was all set to accelerate into the future.
Zurich’s Renewed Commitment Celebrated at PGA Tour Event + McIlroy and Lowry’s Victory and Karaoke Celebration.
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans recently marked a significant milestone with Zurich celebrating its 20th year as the title sponsor. Despite a packed PGA Tour schedule, the event attracted top players, including Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, who emerged victorious. This victory was particularly special for them. The duo, who have been friends for over a quarter of a century, triumphed after a one-hole playoff against Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer. McIlroy and Lowry finished tied in regulation on 25-under 263. In the playoff hole, played in the alternate-shot format, McIlroy and Lowry made a par on the par-5 18th to the Ramey and Trainer team bogey to win the title.
McIlroy expressed, “To win any PGA TOUR event is very cool, but to do it with one of your closest friends … Think about where we met and where we’ve come from, to be on this stage and do this together – just awesome to be able to do it alongside this guy”.
The team format of the event, introduced in 2017, has been a key factor in attracting strong fields.
“In the world of commercial insurance where we deal with brokers and C suite types, the team concept was something that was appealing.”
Alban Laloum, Zurich North America’s chief customer officer.
The victory celebration took an unexpected turn when McIlroy and Lowry headed to the tournament’s post-round concert at TPC Louisiana. They joined a cover band from England, “The Molly Ringwalds,” on stage. As videos of the duo on stage began circulating on social media, the crowd started a resounding “Rory! Rory! Rory!” chant. McIlroy then took the microphone and belted out the opening line of Journey’s hit “Don’t Stop Believin’,” marking a memorable end to an unforgettable day.
A Resounding Return to the PGA Tour Policy Board
In a move that echoes the spirit of the classic song he sang last night, Rory McIlroy is making a significant comeback. Just as the song performed by Journey, McIlroy is holding on to his belief in the future of golf. Now he is set to return to the PGA Tour policy board, a mere five months after stepping down. His return is not just a personal decision, but a statement of his commitment to the sport. “I’d rather the men’s golf professional landscape survived this, so I’m happy to do my bit,” McIlroy stated.
He would replace Webb Simpson, who has reportedly offered his resignation and requested McIlroy to take his place (as reported by Sky Sports). His re-entry into the board is expected to expedite an agreement between sponsors and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the PIF, marking a new chapter in the narrative of golf’s professional landscape. McIlroy’s return is seen as a major boost to the PGA Tour and its sponsors. His potential return is likely to impress others, including the DP World Tour, which would gain a boardroom voice at the PGA Tour, and Fenway Sports Group as part of the Strategic Sports Group. Fenway and McIlroy have existing connections via the TGL (as reported by The Guardian).
PGA Tour’s Equity Payout Plan
Last Wednesday, PGA Tour members were informed about the “current value of award grants” from the PGA Tour Enterprises’ Equity Program. Jay Monahan, the CEO of PGA Tour Enterprises, sent a letter to the 193 eligible recipients, detailing the “number of equity units they receive and the fair market value of said equity”. The list of award recipients is kept confidential.
The recipients are divided into four groups:
Group 1: 36 players sharing $750M (80% of the prize), representing “just a few dozen pros.”
Group 2: 64 “steady performers and up-and-comers” receiving a total of $75M.
Group 3: 57 players earning from a $30M pool “based on tournaments won, career money and number of times finishing in the top 125 of the FedEx Cup.”
Group 4: 36 “past legends” sharing $75M “based on Career Points.” (Source: Golf.com)
Notably, Tiger Woods was informed that he could receive up to $100M in equity “for staying loyal to the PGA Tour,” while Rory McIlroy could benefit up to $50M for not joining LIV. Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are due equity worth around $30M each. (Source: The Telegraph).
New Leadership at DP World Tour: A Shift in Approach and a Call for Unity
Guy Kinnings, the new head of DP World Tour, signals a change in stance towards LIV defectors, indicating a less-strident position than his predecessor:
Kinnings clarifies that under current rules, LIV-departees Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton could still be part of Europe’s next Ryder Cup team, as reported by James Corrigan in The Telegraph.
Rahm and Hatton, who did not resign their memberships, can serve suspensions in non-LIV weeks while needing to play four DP World Tour events.
Kinnings calls for a unified approach in professional golf. He suggests that all key parties need to discuss the current state of non-major championship golf, as highlighted by Martin Dempster in The Scotsman.
He emphasizes the need for a product that appeals to fans and works for all parties involved, suggesting that compromises will be necessary for a solution. He believes that a solution won’t be found until everyone gets in a room together.
LIV Golf’s Success in Australia and Future Plans
LIV Golf’s Adelaide event this year drew over 94,000 fans across three competition days, surpassing last year’s crowd of “just under 77,000” (The Adelaide Advertiser).
The event’s signature “party hole” saw a water bottle “launched from the stands” after the final putt, causing private frustration among LIV executives (The Sydney Morning Herald).
LIV Golf CEO & Commissioner Greg Norman is “‘very open-minded’ to the idea of expanding tournaments” from 54 to 72 holes, considering the “economic impact about putting television on for 72 holes” (The Washington Post).
Despite the success in Adelaide, Norman has “effectively ruled out a second Australian event,” stating that the partnership created in Adelaide was “enough for them for now” (Sydney Daily Telegraph).
The players at LIV Golf in Adelaide combine for 27 major championships, contributing to Australia becoming the “jewel in LIV’s global tour crown” (Code Sports).
Tiger Woods Announces Jupiter Links Golf Club Team
Tiger Woods has completed the four-man team for his TGL team, Jupiter Links Golf Club, with the addition of three “popular PGA Tour players” - Max Homa, Tom Kim, and Kevin Kisner. Homa, a six-time PGA Tour winner, recently partnered with Woods at the Masters. Kim, who won twice on the PGA Tour before turning 21, matches Woods’ early career success. Kisner, a four-time PGA Tour winner, brings broadcasting experience that “should add to the team’s entertainment value.”
PGA Tour’s TV Viewership Challenges Amid Changing Golf Landscape
The PGA Tour’s linear TV numbers have seen a significant drop year-to-date, with all three of the tour’s main TV partners experiencing viewership declines from 2023 (Josh Carpenter, SBJ).
Factors contributing to the drop in TV viewership include a lack of star players at the top of leaderboards and the move by several notable names to LIV Golf.
Despite drops on linear, the PGA Tour has seen positive growth on its digital platforms, with increases in weekly YouTube video views, average weekly digital visits to the tour’s website, and traffic to the tour’s social channels.
The PGA Tour is exploring other ways to measure data as the landscape shifts to more streaming, including through iSpot TV, which puts a greater emphasis on accounting for streaming data.
Nielsen, the predominant measurement service for viewership and consumption, is expected to tweak how it measures viewers later this year, using ACR data and set-top box data from cable providers to pull numbers from around 25 million households.
Despite the decline in viewership, the PGA Tour continues to draw audiences, with anomalies in Nielsen’s Masters Sunday numbers suggesting that some households may have left their televisions on during the event (SportsMediaWatch.com).
The consistent audience departure seen in the 2024 decline of 20% suggests that a portion of last year’s TV viewers may have found other ways to spend their time (James Colgan, Golf.com).
More info: Sunday (4/14) sports ratings: Masters, MLB, NBA, UFL and more
People to Watch
🧿Golf+ Expands Course Roster Ahead of Wells Fargo Championship. The PGA Tour’s official VR game, has welcomed Quail Hollow Club to its course lineup, just in time for the upcoming Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C. This addition marks the eighth PGA Tour course added this season, bringing the game’s total to 20 courses. James Wright, the president of Golf+, shared future plans to include Valhalla Golf Club and Muirfield Village Golf Club, hosts for the PGA Championship and The Memorial respectively. He also revealed an enhancement to the game’s ambiance with the addition of a blimp in the background scenery. Last month, Golf+'s won the Best in Extended Reality category at the Sports Business Awards: Tech.
GOLF+ available now for $29.99 on Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro VR
🧿Golf It! Joins ScottishPower’s Electric Tourist Trail. Scotland’s greenest golf course, has become the first to join ScottishPower’s electric vehicle (EV) tourist trail. The community-based golf and entertainment facility, which opened last August, installed six EV chargers on site, allowing 12 vehicles to charge simultaneously. In just six months, these chargers have powered nearly 40,000 electric miles. The chargers, powered by 100% renewable energy, support visitors, local residents, and motorists needing a charging point. Golf It! joins other local attractions on ScottishPower’s electric vehicle tourist trail, all supporting Glasgow’s aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2030.
🧿Skyscanner: Enhancing Golf Tourism as Solheim Cup’s Travel Technology Partner. Global travel leader has been announced as the new Travel Technology Partner of the Solheim Cup for the 2024 and 2026 editions. This partnership marks Skyscanner’s first major sponsorship in women’s sports and aims to increase its brand awareness among travelers. Sonja Balcer, Director of Affiliate and Performance Partnerships at Skyscanner, commented, “The Solheim Cup is an incredible, world-renowned sporting event and we’re looking forward to playing our part in what will no doubt be an amazing contest."
🧿#miniDunes: Arizona’s New Nighttime Golf Experience. Building on the success of Arizona’s first lighted public golf course, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes has opened its 6-hole short course, #miniDunes, for nighttime play. The course, designed to appeal to a younger player base, features new greens and bunker complexes. To extend daily golfing hours and beat the Arizona heat, the course is illuminated with 88 LED light fixtures installed on 15 poles, providing “up-lighting” to help golfers track ball flight. Open five days a week, the course offers unlimited play for a green fee of $35 on weekdays and $39 on weekends.
🧿ALD Golf: Aime Leon Dore’s Stylish Entry to the Golf Course. New York fashion designer is bringing style to the golf course with a new collection called ALD Golf. Combining high-performance golf wear with luxurious materials like merino wool, ALD Golf offers a “timeless classic” appeal. The collection includes polo shirts, sweater vests, pants, shorts, headwear, and accessories, including a fedora called the “Chi Chi Hat.” Available on the Aime Leon Dore website and in flagship boutiques in New York and London, the range is selling out fast, so golfers are advised to move quickly.
🧿Callaway Golf has appointed Ben Sharpe as the new managing director and president for the EMEA region, effective May 1, succeeding Neil Howie.
🧿PGA Professional Championship’s Player Lineup. It will begin on Sunday, with 312 players from all 41 PGA of America sections participating.
🧿Launch of Official PGA Championships App. It is now live in the Apple App or Google Play stores, offering a range of features for the 2024 PGA Championship.
Reads
📝 Tom Doak: A Unique Golf-Course Designer. In a piece by Michael Bamberger on Golf.com, Tom Doak is presented as a golf-course designer who stands out from the rest. Bamberger’s article, “Ask Tom Doak,” delves into Doak’s unique approach to golf course design and his impact on the industry.
⭐ Comparing Streaks of Brilliance: Nelly Korda and Scottie Scheffler. Tom D’Angelo (Golfweek) delves into the recent five-event streaks of brilliance exhibited by Nelly Korda and Scottie Scheffler. He provides a comparative analysis of their performances, shedding light on their strategies and successes.
📺 The Need for Better LPGA Tour Television Coverage. James Colgan (Golf.com) discusses Nelly Korda’s criticism of LPGA Tour television coverage following her fifth consecutive win. Colgan explores the reasons behind Korda’s call-out and the implications for the future of LPGA Tour broadcasts.
⏳Addressing Slow Play Debacles in Golf. Joseph LaMagna, from The Fried Egg, highlights the recent slow play issues in golf and emphasizes the urgent need for solutions. He provides insights into the impact of these debacles on the game and suggests potential measures to address the problem.
🔥St Andrews Residents’ Views on Links Trust Operation. Allan Crow (from Fife Today, a small hiperlocal news site from the Scottish city) reports on a new organization surveying residents about the Links Trust operation’s treatment of locals. He presents the findings of the survey and discusses their significance for the local community and the golf industry.
Catch you next week, golfers!
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Swing on! 😊