Padraig Harrington played in last week’s PGA Championship, the one that starred Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, and came away with one realization.
“God, we miss Bryson,” Harrington said.
During a live interview on the Golf Channel at the Kitchenaid PGA Championship, Harrington expressed his belief that the division within golf has had a negative impact on the sport. He emphasized that major events, such as last week’s championship, demonstrate the true potential of the sport when all individuals come together. This was evident in the increased Sunday ratings on CBS, which saw a 10 percent rise compared to the previous year.
Nowadays, that occurrence is infrequent.
Harrington expressed, “Bryson’s performance at the tournament last week was truly remarkable and greatly contributed to its success. It was truly thrilling and captivating to watch. We definitely feel the absence of such talented players. As I’ve mentioned previously, it’s difficult to imagine not having Patrick Reed around; however, that’s the reality we face.”
“What I realized last week? We miss Bryson… Bryson was box office last week.” – Padraig Harrington reflects on the state of golf, including PGA TOUR and LIV.
DeChambeau had a strong performance, finishing second and gaining support from a significant portion of the Sunday crowd. On the other hand, Reed didn’t have as much success, ending up tied for 53rd place. However, Harrington’s remarks about missing both DeChambeau and Reed highlight a broader issue that has been frequently discussed in recent years. The presence of players like DeChambeau, Reed, and Koepka in LIV Golf has taken away some of the PGA Tour’s most controversial, interesting, and entertaining figures. For DeChambeau, he embodies all three qualities.
Whether you are a fan of them or not, such players attract attention to the game and contribute to the narratives.
Next month marks the one-year milestone since the PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund announced their merger, but as of now, the progress remains undisclosed, apart from the resignation of PGA Tour Policy Board members.
Jordan Spieth, a board member, expressed his thoughts on the current state of affairs at Colonial Country Club while getting ready for the Charles Schwab Challenge on Wednesday. He debunked the notion that things are in a negative state and progressing slowly. In fact, he confidently stated that the claims made about him are untrue. According to Spieth, things are actually moving in a positive direction from both sides.
So, what’s Paddy’s solution?
Harrington expressed his belief that in order to find the perfect solution, it would be necessary to have at least two tours with some crossover, similar to what was done in the past. He acknowledged that rivalries can be beneficial in sports, but emphasized the need for a solution. Harrington has been actively voicing his opinion on this matter for the past two years, but has observed that the landscape keeps evolving and changing. He concluded by stating that everyone in the golf community desires a solution.
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