Tigers Tourney good or bad?

[flap]

Does Tiger have the right to make his tourney an invitational?It is replacing an "open' which is about 50 more players involved.Some players are allready bitching about this.Tiger boosters site Jack and Arnie's tourney's as invite's and so Tiger should have one also.If he is paying the frieght then he should have the call if not then it should be an "open".What's your opinion?

[Shindig]

Does Tiger have the right to make his tourney an invitational?It is replacing an "open' which is about 50 more players involved.Some players are allready bitching about this.Tiger boosters site Jack and Arnie's tourney's as invite's and so Tiger should have one also.If he is paying the frieght then he should have the call if not then it should be an "open".What's your opinion?

The way I see it, if Tiger didn't make this event, there would be a big gap in the schedule. Good luck getting someone else to start an event. The way I see it, he saved this part of the schedule for the PGA Tour, TV, general TOUR sponsors, and the X-1 players other than TW that will be playing. I have no problem with him making it an invitational.

And I'm sure Tiger isn't going to sit around deciding who he wants to fill the field. There'll be a criteria for most of the spots, so he can't just exclude someone who might beat him.

[Xt1ncT]

It's also worth pointing out to Tiger-knockers that without him these last few years, where would purse money be, and how much would the "journeymen" actually earn?

It's well known that purses have increased dramatically since Tiger came on tour - now some may argue that it's not just down to him - but I don't buy that/ Look at the ratings when he is playing to them when he's not.

As for the tournament, as alluded to already, without him there would be no tournament that weekend - invitational or otherwise. And to the guys not invited - practise harder, get better, move up the rankings and maybe next year you will be. Again, as already stated, there will no doubt be certain criteria - ie Top 50 automatically invited etc.

Good Work Tiger I say, and don't forget, any money made will go to a damn good cause - and all of Tiger's winnings I presume. How many other players donate that kind of money??

[MGP]

It's also worth pointing out to Tiger-knockers that without him these last few years, where would purse money be, and how much would the "journeymen" actually earn?

Exactly. I just saw the stats today and the total tour purse money has gone from a little over $80 million the first year Tiger was on tour to over $260 million this year. I think the bottom 50% that are bitching ought to take a look at their bank accounts and thank Tiger!

[Shindig]

Exactly. I just saw the stats today and the total tour purse money has gone from a little over $80 million the first year Tiger was on tour to over $260 million this year. I think the bottom 50% that are bitching ought to take a look at their bank accounts and thank Tiger!

Yeah. I read in Golf Digest this month that Tiger made (IIRC - I'm at the office, so my magazine isn't with me) less than $300,000 for his first major win in 1997 at Augusta.

A year or so ago, Jim Thrope was the interview for "My shot" and spoke about a conversation with Vijay, who said that the money that Thorpe won in his first win is what Vijay gets practically for showing up. I'm curious what purses were like a while back. I'm sure that Tiger has been the biggest influence on the surge in purses, but did Daly have any effect when he became popular?

[iacas]

Yeah. I read in Golf Digest this month that Tiger made (IIRC - I'm at the office, so my magazine isn't with me) less than $300,000 for his first major win in 1997 at Augusta.

Daly had no real effect.

If you're curious, you can find purses and winnings all over. Just look at the money list from 1980. http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/1980/109.html

[Shindig]

Daly had no real effect.

Wow, I had no idea just how pronounced the difference was. This money wouldn't have made the top-125 last year.

[Thrash13]

Like someone else above said, it's either no tournament or Tiger's invitational event. I'll definitely take a "Tiger field" over a regular field any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

And yes, Tiger can pretty much do what he wants. He has earned that right in the world of golf.

[mybloodinvt]

and with the tournament being around his wife's due date, he may not even play in his tournament this year. the folks who don't get the invites this time around should spend that weekend on the range and around the putting and chipping greens and maybe they will be there next year.

[flap]

Did you ever hear theold saying "what if we had a party and no one came"? The name of the tour is the PGA not TIGER.You are cutting out one week of golfers potential earning's and I don't think it is right.As far as how much the prize money went up cause of Tiger remember what Palmer did for the tour and he did not get a tourney for 25 years.Now tell me Tiger is footing the whole prize money and I will change my mind,but it seems to me all heis doing is lending his name and his charity to it and another Corp. is footing the bill.

[flap]

Just another thought this stinks of Pay for Play.If you want Tiger you give all the chairty money to his foundation IE the Boston Duetch bank tourney.I realize that the TW foundation does a lot of good no doubt but it is still Play for Pay and he should not be above the PGA rules.

[iacas]

Just another thought this stinks of Pay for Play.If you want Tiger you give all the chairty money to his foundation IE the Boston Duetch bank tourney.I realize that the TW foundation does a lot of good no doubt but it is still Play for Pay and he should not be above the PGA rules.

He's not. He's not getting the money. A foundation that helps kids gets it.

Arnie played in the Bay Hill tournament for years, and Jack in the Memorial. This isn't any different, and those two guys weren't violating the spirit OR the letter of the rules.