We’re starting to see pro golfers embrace new formats beyond traditional stroke-play events.
Could a LIV-PGA Tour Ryder Cup-style match be next?
At at time when golf’s TV ratings are struggling and fan apathy is climbing, the pro golf world is desperately searching for answers to re-engage its audience.
Tonight. we are getting a PGA Tour versus LIV match called The Showdown as Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy take on Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka. You can watch that at 6 p.m. ET on TNT.
In a few weeks, TGL will embark on its inaugural season as a simulator league. Next year, a reimagined version of the old Thanksgiving “Skins Game” is going to be produced by Full Swing producer Chad Mumm.
And, earlier this year, we saw the Creator Classic leading into the Tour Championship, signaling a willingness by the Tour to experiment with YouTube golf.
This is progress—golf has been dying for buzz-worthy formats as the Tour and LIV toil in watered-down 72-hole tournaments struggling to drum up interest.
I am cautiously optimistic that TGL could be a hit, although there are certainly reasons for skepticism (understandably, we’re all a little scarred by golf’s decision-makers). As for silly season one-offs like The Showdown and the Skins Game, I am fully in support of those. They can’t hurt—as long as we aren’t scraping the bottom of the barrel with ideas.
Now a new (but also kind of old) idea is apparently on the table: LIV versus the Tour in a Ryder Cup-style match.
Would this match still hold weight?
The concept of LIV’s 12 best players going up against the Tour’s 12 best has been floated for more than two years.
At the beginning, the idea was more tongue-in-cheek than serious. The two sides were at war so coming together for an event against each other wasn’t exactly on the table. This is back in the period where McIlroy was claiming he “still hates LIV” and public opinion of LIV players like DeChambeau remained sour.
It was a “good guys versus bad guys” vibe. Real animosity. Of course, we would watch that!
As we are about to head into 2025, that animosity has cooled off into numbness. It looks like a deal between the Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is imminent but we’ve been saying that for about 18 months. LIV, which appeared to be on life support after the June 6 framework agreement, now appears to be staying long-term.
But as golf tries to branch out into new formats, it appears there could finally be enough support for a big match between the two leagues. Koepka and DeChambeau signaled as much prior to their match against Scheffler and McIlroy.
“Let’s be real, wouldn’t you want to see a LIV versus PGA Tour Ryder Cup-style thing? That is what it is,” Koepka told reporters on a conference call for The Showdown. “This is growing into a big thing. That’s what will draw the fans.”
However, I’m wondering whether a LIV versus Tour match still holds enough weight for people to care.
I’m feeling conflicted on this one
On one hand, I applaud the desire for these guys to get together against each other in a fun format. You could argue something like this would easily surpass the Presidents Cup, a one-sided affair that struggles to draw an audience.
At least there is a top tier of a dozen LIV guys who could compete against the Tour. The Tour has a way deeper talent pool but LIV has enough world-class dudes to make it competitive. DeChambeau’s involvement would also be a huge boost given how he’s now the most popular active player on the planet.
On the other hand, who is rooting for either of these teams?
In the actual Ryder Cup, it’s the U.S. against the Europeans. It’s pretty obvious why you would root for either side. Think about the Europeans winning at Bethpage next year, spraying champagne all over angry New Yorkers. The thought of that makes my blood boil in a “sports hate” kind of way. I don’t want to see those guys win on American turf.
I don’t get the sense that there are a lot of diehard LIV fans out in the world. Are there people who enjoy going to LIV events like I did this past summer? Absolutely. Are there fans of specific players like DeChambeau? Definitely. But are people going to war for the league? (Other than the bots.) I don’t think so.
And while the Tour had some passionate support back in 2022—the place where “real golf” is played—I don’t think that same support is alive today.
The vast majority of reasonable people are just mad that golf has been spilt. We’re angry at both of these leagues. We’re angry at pro golf as whole.
LIV took some of the Tour’s villains but it doesn’t feel like some of these guys are villains anymore. DeChambeau has worked his way out of that category. I have no memory of Patrick Reed hitting a golf shot in the past 18 months. Dustin Johnson is more worried about spending time on his boat with Paulina. Phil Mickelson is too old and more invested in YouTube golf at this point. Cameron Smith is not even a top 50 player in the world anymore.
And the Tour is brimming with vanilla personalities. I am very impressed watching Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay play golf but I’m not emotionally invested in them as people.
If you asked me who I would want to win the LIV-Tour match, I’m not sure I have a response.
I enjoy watching world-class golfers compete against each other in a match-play format. I would watch. It’s better than not having a match.
But two years ago, I would have been wanting to see the LIV guys get crushed. It would be the “serious golfers” against the “exhibition golfers”—and seeing the serious golfers win would be satisfying.
Now, I’m too numb to genuinely care about the result. I would trade this match for one cohesive global tour in a nanosecond.
I think the ratings for this match would be solid but not spectacular. I’m interested in different formats and this could be a gateway to more creative ideas.
I’m not against it but I’m caught in the middle.
How excited would you be for this match?
You’ve heard enough from me.
What do you think?
Would a LIV versus Tour Ryder Cup draw massive ratings? Would you watch it?
If the match does happen, what kind of format would you like to see? Should it be exactly like the Ryder Cup or would you like to see a reimagined version of it?
Let me know below in the comments.
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