The LIV Golf Series has threatened to rock the foundations of the sport, creating two factions within the game. The breakaway competition has managed to lure a number of top talents away from the PGA Tour and the DW World Tour, although the headline names have come more from the United States rather than Europe. Henrik Stenson has perhaps created the biggest stir from a European perspective by turning his back on the Ryder Cup captaincy to join LIV Golf.
The move has raised interesting questions about the future of the Ryder Cup and the other major competitions. Without Stenson, Europe installed Luke Donald as his replacement who will lead his team to Italy in their bid to regain the crown, being backed at 15/8 in the golf betting odds to triumph.
The LIV Golf Series has not only threatened the Ryder Cup, but also the Presidents Cup. Cameron Smith was scheduled to be the top player for the International team, but his move to LIV Golf has resulted in his ineligibility from the competition. The Internationals are now backed at 6/1 in the 2022 Presidents Cup odds to win against the United States, highlighting how they’ve been weakened without the world number two and the British Open winner.
International tournaments are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the future of golf, but it should still be a major concern. The Ryder Cup is perhaps the most enjoyable event to watch from a casual fan’s perspective as it focuses on the element rather than individuals.
There have been great moments of sporting brilliance from both sides in the history of the competition as the Ryder Cup has passed between European and American hands on a regular basis, especially in recent history. The balance of the competition has made it intriguing as star names have struggled whereas unheralded players have been Ryder Cup heroes.
If that were to be lost it would a massive disappointment for the game as a whole. The United States are poised to lose Dustin Johnson from their side for the 2023 tournament after he opted to join the LIV Golf Series. He was outstanding in the 2021 competition, winning five points out of five. Captain Zach Johnson would be left without a key man as he seeks to become the first American captain to win overseas since 1993. The US are also scheduled to be without Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed, all of whom have performed well in the tournament in the past.
Europe have been more or less unscathed from their major stars outside of losing their skipper. The best European players to join the LIV Golf Series Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell are past their best and certainly out of contention for 2023.
The top European players have been steadfast in their defence of the PGA and DW Tours, but it only takes one to fall for a domino effect to occur. Losing a Jon Rahm or Rory McIlroy would be unthinkable, and if other players from the United States were to follow suit, the integrity of the Ryder Cup could be tarnished.
Although the situation appears to be manageable for now, the traditional governing bodies of golf will have to have a long hard think about their approach to ensuring that the best players are available for all tournaments, especially the Ryder Cup.