Tiger Should Play Events That Matter?

[RonTheSavage]

Funny this coming from a HSBC Executive [QUOTE]Bank Honcho: Woods Should Pass on ‘Meaningless’ Paydays and Play Events That Matter News, Tiger By Josh Sens Tiger Woods is the highest-paid golfer in the world, but not all his cash was created equal. Take it from Giles Morgan, global head of sponsorship for HSBC, who says that Woods should seek his paydays in tournaments that matter instead of playing in “meaningless … money-making opportunities.” One of the events that matters most to Morgan is the $8.5 million WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, which Woods has skipped the last two years, opting instead for hefty appearance fees elsewhere in China and beyond. Speaking in advance of this week’s HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore, Morgan said that HSBC honchos have “had words” with the major tours, urging them to help get golf’s biggest names to appear in golf’s biggest events. “I do think the tours — and I think the tours are working on this — should make sure that there is respect to the tournaments,” Morgan said. “As opposted to playing in meaningless money-making opportunities around the World Golf Championships.” He went on: “It’s up to the tours to enforce the criteria to their membership. And we’ve expressed our position to the tours, which is that we know they can’t enforce their players to play and that’s fine, we understand that. But we do think that players need to be respectful of these major events (which) are really at the top and the pinnacle and the lifeblood of the sport. If you’ve got sponsors investing that level of money, the players should respect the calendar.” The WGC-HSBC Champions is held in November, but the last two times around, Woods has chosen to be somewhere else, carrying out what he referred to as “corporate stuff.” In 2013, during the same week as the Shanghai event, Woods competed in an exhibition match against Rory McIIroy on China’s Hainan Island before jetting off to play in the Turkish Airlines Open, an event that netted him a reported $3 million appearance fee. Fat appearance fees have become one of golf’s hot-button issues, with some critics suggesting that the lure of big money in otherwise low-prestige events threatens the health of the game as a whole. HSBC’s Morgan has been vocal on the subject before. Last year, when Woods snubbed the Shanghai event in favor of his match with McIlroy, Morgan made his displeasure clear. He even tossed that same “m” word around. “For a meaningless game in China to take place on a few days before (the WGC) is disappointing,” he said. “This tournament has to be bigger than the individual.” For more news that golfers everywhere are talking about, follow @si_golf on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube video channel.[/QUOTE]

[jamo]

"Business Leader Who Would Benefit From Tiger Woods Playing in His Event: Tiger Should Play in My Event" ;-)

[imsys0042]

I wouldn't say that this is the event that matters the most, but with the current setup there is effectively a two-tier tour.   It's laughable that the PGA takes a stance on "no appearance fees" in the US, when players are bribed left and right with anything else on every tour stop.

The simple fact is that people are going to do whatever they can to get top players to their event, so if enough people think it's a problem then the PGA should pass a rule that players have to show up to XYZ events in a certain amount of time.   Or try to get them to spread things around.   If enough people don't care, then it stays like it is now.

Personally I think that better players should give back to the tour that has helped make them so big.   But it's no mark against them if they do what is best for themselves, and if that means playing less, focusing on the majors and padding out your bank account elsewhere, so be it.   I don't think any rule is going to be more than a net negative to force people to play where they weren't anyway.

[Abu3baid]

The only thing I could think of reading the above article is.  Cry Baby much?

[imsys0042]

The only thing I could think of reading the above article is.  Cry Baby much?

Yeah - he does come off as a crybaby because he expects others to bend to his wishes. I think it is a legit problem, top pros avoiding a whole range of tourneys, but someone with a better attitude could have made the case better.

[Harmonious]

As has been discussed in other threads, holding a WGC event outside the US or Europe is asking for a limited field.  How many of the top golfers are willing to travel that far for no guarantees? Obviously, not enough to please the HSBC sponsors. In Woods' case, comparing a potential 20th place finish at the WGC event with a guaranteed $3 million paycheck is no contest. He has proven time and again that he loves the guaranteed paydays, and who wouldn't? Giving an exhibition instead of trying to beat 100 other top golfers over a week's time is a piece of cake.

The downside could be that HSBC will drop their sponsorship when the time comes to renew. I could see that happening if the strength of field continues to decline.

[k-troop]

He has proven time and again that he loves the guaranteed paydays, and who wouldn't? Giving an exhibition instead of trying to beat 100 other top golfers over a week's time is a piece of cake.

I get what you're saying, but that doesn't sound like Tiger to me at all.  I think Tiger would rather compete against and beat the best in the world.  He wouldn't skip the US Open even if the purse was only six bucks and he was being offered $10 million to play in a corporate outing.

We know Tiger places a huge premium on WGCs, and he has totally dominated them.  I'm guessing it has more to do with being at the end of the PGA Tour season.  After the FedEx Cup Tour Championship event, he pretty much only "competes" in his World Challenge event.

This is pure speculation, but I'm guessing that due to all of the demands on his time, he intentionally limits his season to February through Playoffs (about 8 months?).  That way he can dedicate all of his time during his four "off" months to practice, changes, rest, and his business/foundation interests.  He won't "compete" without being prepared, and he doesn't have to prepare for an appearance-fee event that doesn't really matter to anyone.

[mvmac]

I think Tiger does play in the events that matter, they're called the Masters, US Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship

[Spitfisher]

The only thing I could think of reading the above article is.  Cry Baby much?

or out right greed, eff the fans! I am going to china,

[PuttsLefty]

The fans in China don't count?

It's purely sour grapes. He apparently thinks Tiger is never going to show up so he's torching the bridge with a flame thrower.

[Righty to Lefty]

If any of us could get 3 million bucks to play glorified practice rounds I guarantee we all would. Can you imagine that....he got 3 mil for Dubai, 3 for India, and 3 for China in successive weeks I believe and only one of which was a real tournament. Any parent would be proud to see their child have opportunities like that.

[3putter]

or out right greed, eff the fans! I am going to china,

Lmao! The saltiness is real out here

[Mulligan Jeff]

Tiger has to keep L.V. draped in diamonds! More power to him.

[ChrisP]

I think Tiger should have played the Match Play. Other than that, I don't see anything much different in his schedule than past years. He starts ramping it up in Florida every year playing the Honda, Doral and Bay Hill 3 out of 4 weeks and that preps him for Augusta. Usually he wins in San Diego so no one talks about his schedule. He's just off to a slower start than normal this year, that's why people are saying what they're saying.