Whilst Greg Norman and the Saudi-backed Super League continue to dominate headlines of late, the Premier Golf League has made a resurgence after a letter to Rory McIlroy was leaked online. The letter details a fascinating, and lucrative, financial business model which is purportedly being considered by key PGA Tour stakeholders.
Whilst that is underway, it's important to understand what the Premier Golf League actually is.
The Premier Golf League (PGL) is a byproduct of the London based company, World Golf Group. They are headed up by former corporate finance lawyer, Andrew Gardiner (pictured). The vision of Gardiner and the PGL is to revolutionise professional golf through a change in playing format and subsequently, increase fan enjoyment.
The proposed format of the PGL is dramatically different to what we currently see on the PGA Tour. The PGL are proposing individual and team golf that run parallel to one another with 18 events throughout the calendar year. It will consist of 12 four-man teams in 54-hole, no cut, stroke play tournaments. The PGL plan to reserve a 13th team which is picked solely by fans.
In the individual format, which the PGL refer as 'The Players Championship' individuals will be playing for a weekly purse of $20m, plus seasonal bonuses and the glory of becoming the Players’ Champion. The individual winner each week will receive a cheque for $4m with at least $150k to last place. It is the PGL's aim to distribute more of the event purse to the players through a more condensed field size.
The League format consists of 12 teams of four with two scores to count, per team, per day. The PGL will award a $1m team bonus each week throughout the season and will hold a season finale and Play-Offs. Like any competitive league, teams will be seeded and promotion/relegation is to be expected. The inspiration, Gardiner said, was the Ryder Cup: "If you can bring any of the brilliance of the Ryder Cup into a more regular format, then it’s got to be a good thing. It’s easier for a fan to have allegiance to a team than it is to an individual."
In each of the first three seasons, the PGL will pay a whopping $392m in prize money which, whilst cumulatively less than the PGA Tour, proves to be an enormous amount of money given the number of events there are. Players will consistently play for elevated purses and without a cut; meaning guaranteed income. The PGA Tour recently introduced an overall purse increase from $367 million to $427 million for the 2022 season, with further riches expected in future.
The PGL are committed to not disrupting the most prestigious events in the calendar, such as the Majors and the Ryder Cup and will accommodate its season around them so they may operate as usual. It also hopes to run in conjunction with the PGA Tour, so players may take part in the PGL and PGA Tour events as they wish.
Speaking on the No Laying Up Podcast earlier this year, Gardiner said: “The original notion was always to work with the PGA Tour, believe it or not. Some might still call that incredibly naive, but it remains our strong desire.”
The PGL will take place predominantly in America, namely the east and west coasts, but will hold "mini-swings" in Asian and Europe. It is hoping to kickstart in January 2023.
With the rumoured Saudi-backed Super League causing controversy as to the origin of the funds, the wealth of the PGL is said to be funded through private equity and high net worth individuals in the United States and not Saudi Arabia or other sovereign wealth funds.
It remains to be seen as to what happens with the PGL but... Watch this space!
-
Why The 16th Pin Has Been Moved From Its Traditional Spot For The Masters Final RoundThe 16th pin at Augusta National is in an different position that normal for the final round of The Masters, but why is that?
-
Seve Ballesteros And Brooks Koepka Among The Big Names That Rory McIlroy Would Join As A Five-Time Major Winner With A Masters VictoryRory McIlroy leads The Masters going in to the final round and, if he were to win, he would join an illustrious list of five-time Major winners
-
Rory McIlroy Explains His Extraordinary Pre-Round Routine (And It's The Complete Opposite Of Most Amateurs)McIlroy shares what goes into his usual pre-round routine at tournaments and what his timetable looks like before arriving at the first tee
-
‘You Kinda Did It To Yourself’ – When Bryson DeChambeau Needled Rory McIlroy Over US Open BattleMonths after Bryson DeChambeau’s defeat of Rory McIlroy in the US Open, the two met in Las Vegas, where the LIV Golfer had a lightning-quick response to a humorous comment from his rival
-
The Masters Crystal Rory McIlroy Has Already Won At Augusta National This WeekMcIlroy leads going in to the final round at Augusta National, with the four-time Major winner already bagging some silverware before he looks to claim the Green Jacket
-
Rory McIlroy Has Referenced Scottie Scheffler So Often In Recent Months… Is He Now Finally Ready To Surpass Him?For several months, Rory McIlroy revealed how he was aiming to be more like Scottie Scheffler in 2024 - and it now appears as though the World No.2 is doing it
-
Rory McIlroy Fires Back-To-Back 370-Yard Monster Drives In Birdie-Eagle-Birdie Start To Lead The MastersIt's safe to say that the four-time Major winner was full of adrenaline at the start of his third round, with McIlroy pounding two drives that measured a total of 740-yards
-
Who Is On Rory McIlroy’s Team? Coaches, Caddie, Wife And MoreRory McIlroy is one of the game’s biggest stars, but who are the key figures behind the scenes helping his career soar while he keeps his feet on the ground?
-
Why Rory McIlroy Is The Man To Beat At The MastersWe look at three reasons why Rory McIlroy is in the driver's seat for the Green Jacket this weekend
-
'When The Ball Was In The Air, I Was Like 'You Idiot, What Did You Do?'' - Rory McIlroy Happy To Ride Luck In Impressive Masters FightbackThe four-time Major winner posted a slightly fortunate bogey-free six-under 66 on Friday to fire himself up into the top-10 at The Masters
