Publisher's Pitch

LIV or let die, the ‘Block Party’ and frustration from inside/outside the ropes of a pro golf fan

I’ve loyally followed pro golf ever since I can remember — I thank my parents Siv and Gary Stephens for that. They were part of the mobilization of ‘Arnie’s Army’ back in the heyday.

We lived in Chicago in the late 60s and early 70s and my folks took me to the Western Open each year to see Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Billy Casper and of course Palmer. My memory is faint, but I can tune in a few memories of being there when I was five.

My mother Siv tells the story well of what may have anointed me as a golf fanatic — being touched by ‘The King’ himself. It was the opening round in 1974 at Butler National and Palmer’s fans were wooing him close to the gallery ropes, hoping he would notice.

Perhaps it was the warm June day and my 25-yearold mom’s penchant for brightly colored sundresses, but Arnie walked to the rope where we stood. He came right up to her, signed an autograph, smiled at my dad, looked me right in the eye and patted me on the head.

It was at that moment that I kept an eye on the sport and saw pro golfers as gods and goddesses.

I’m waxing retrospective because the PGA and LPGA Tours are sacred to me, and I have felt their standard tarnished with the LIV Golf showdown. It’s bumming me out and making my head spin.

The clash and possible merger of the two Tours is both imminent and perhaps impossible. In fact, Congress is now involved in the review of the merger. Politicians — really?

It worries me that the national interest of the PGA Tour is in jeopardy. Until LIV emerged, I always saw the PGA Tour as a pillar of strength. But the truth is LIV and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, have the billions and brawn to morph the sport.

I follow golf daily and from my seat, I don’t think we really understand where the merger and future of the pro game is headed. What’s obvious is LIV’s freak wealth is making powerful people weak, leaders into lemmings and dividing up our heroes as they choose teams.

I am not here to call out the character or character flaws of the players and leadership embroiled in this. What I’m stating is this crack in the sport has now become a crevasse and the only things that will salve the gaping wound is compromise and a new foundation to be poured. This foundation will support what pro golf will likely sit on in years to come — whatever that looks like.

We saw this to some degree in the sports world when Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) went head-to-head and formed Indy Racing League (IRL). CART had all the talent, but IMS and IRL had the money and power. The 1990s and 2000s saw the slow death of CART and the best open wheel drivers and teams died on the vine.

The fanbase was divided and made loyalists choose sides. I’m an IndyCar fan (which is what the merger is now called) — it took 20 years for the sport to heal and grow again. Pro golf is much larger than IndyCar, but the LIV/PGA Tour battle seems similar.

I admire Rory McIlroy for his stand and some LIV players for speaking their piece. But, for me, the brightest boy in pro golf sparkled in May when Michael Block, the club pro from California, took center stage with his top 15 finish at the PGA Championship — ‘acing’ his way into our hearts. He went from absolute nobody to the biggest thing in sports in one weekend — and didn’t win the tourney.

It had NOTHING to do with LIV or the PGA Tour. It was done with class, magic and a fundamental belief that anything can happen. I got to see and feel the ‘Block Party’ at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial in Fort Worth the week after the Major miracle. It was pure and identifiable. He’s the closest thing to Roy ‘Tin Cup’ McAvoy we’ve ever seen, and he brought the sport together — golf can do that!

We’d love to hear your opinion on all this. Email us or post on our Facebook page and lean in. Harness the last couple of months of summer and, AS ALWAYS, TAKE IT EASY.

Block was the story at the PGA and Colonial.

Cascade Golfer is published and owned by Varsity Communications, Inc. It’s mailed via USPS to 50,000 homes and e-mailed to 100,000 golfers in Puget Sound. VARSITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. varsitycommunications.com

Cascade Golfer is published and owned by Varsity Communications, Inc. It’s mailed via USPS to 50,000 homes and e-mailed to 100,000 golfers in Puget Sound. VARSITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. varsitycommunications.com

let die, the ‘Block