What We Heard in Augusta: Tiger Effect, State of LIV Talks

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Masters Tournament is not only the first and most popular major championship of the men’s golf season. It’s also the place where the most business in the sport gets done in one week.

While the world’s top golfers compete at Augusta National Golf Club, the top power brokers in golf gather in town to hash out current affairs and plan for the future.

After spending the week in Augusta, Front Office Sports has three big takeaways from the scene about the state of professional golf, and what might lie ahead.

1. The Masters wants the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to figure it out.

“I think we all agree that four times a year is not enough to have the great players of the game together,” Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said Wednesday at his annual pre-Masters press conference.

That may seem like a no-brainer comment. But the Masters doesn’t need any single player, tour, or league. It’s the biggest tournament in golf, and will almost assuredly thrive no matter the state of professional golf.

It would be easy for Augusta National to stay out of the merger talks, and continue to capitalize on being the first time each year when PGA Tour and LIV players meet. But having the support of the most powerful entity in golf can only be a good thing for efforts to unite the two tours. 

While Ridley wouldn’t say what he thinks a reunion should look like, one sentiment I heard from multiple insiders is that if there isn’t a full-blown merger in the next 12 months, there could at least be momentum for a co-sanctioned event between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

2. LIV’s new leader doesn’t sound concerned about his tour’s existence.

I caught up with Scott O’Neil, who took over LIV’s CEO position from Greg Norman in January, on Thursday afternoon at the 18th green. 

O’Neil was invited by Augusta National, unlike Norman the previous two years. “We’re pleased to have him as our guest,” Ridley said Wednesday. “Although I don’t have any specific plans to meet with him, I know that we will have some discussions with him, and we’re happy that he’s here.”

As we watched LIV’s Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters winner, conclude his first round with an impressive up-and-down par from more than 100 yards out, it was clear that O’Neil—most recently the CEO of theme park operator Merlin Entertainments after a stint running the 76ers and Devils—is relishing his return to sports.

O’Neil happily shared some stories about coaxing extra media hits out of LIV’s top players and his recent interactions with President Donald Trump, who owns the course LIV played at in Miami earlier this month. O’Neil was obviously hopeful a LIV player might take the Green Jacket, and Bryson DeChambeau nearly did it before a tough finish to his final round.

My biggest takeaway after talking to O’Neil? He sounds more than content with where LIV Golf stands right now—deal or no deal with the PGA Tour. 

3. The Tiger Woods effect persists.

The five-time Masters champion was supposed to be in Augusta last week to play in the Masters and for the announcement about him designing a nine-hole short course in town. But his Achilles injury kept Woods out of the tournament. His absence contributed to a drop in early-round TV ratings, compared to last year, when he did play.

While the crowd following Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau was huge on Sunday, the fandom for those two—and all the other top players—still pales in comparison to that of Woods. Still, I was surprised (maybe I shouldn’t have been) at how many Sun Day Red logos I saw around Augusta National at the Masters. Less than a year after Woods launched his apparel brand, it looks like his post-Nike business plan is coming together nicely, even if the new tiger logo is dealing with a few trademark disputes.