Welcome to Breakfast Balls: The Scramble Issue
PGA - "THIS IS FINE"
You can go a million ways with this metaphor but whether it's the entire room on fire, a canoe with a dozen leaks, or my personal favorite Home Alone "We Slept In" scramble, it's clear that the LIV has seriously rattled the PGA.
Beyond another pair of high profile defections in Abraham Ancer and Brooks Koepka, the PGA dropped a massive update to their tournament structure starting next year.
Change 1 - Raising the purse for 8 different 2023 Tournaments including The Memorial, Genesis and The Players Championship.
Change 2 - Reducing the FedEx Cup Playoffs from 125 players to 70.
Change 3 - And for the cherry on top, a special no-cut, three event series in the fall for the Top 50 players with juiced prize pots. (Sound familiar?)
I get it, ok. The PGA needs to hold onto their stars as priority one and this will go a long way to showing the best that they can earn great money while staying on the PGA Tour.
HOWEVER, by chopping off the middle of the pack they risk losing the meat of the Tour to LIV and perhaps most importantly, losing the young crop of future stars who typically grind it out in their first few years of the Tour before rising to contention once they get their feet wet.
When the LIV sits there dangling massive paydays for no real proof of prior success, why wouldn't someone like Keita Nakajima or Cole Hammer just take the cash and run?
It's disappointing to see that the PGA responds to their first real challenge by copycatting and fighting fire with a more poorly financed fire. If you really want to prove you're better and you know you'll never win the money battle, then why not fight with true innovation?
Who knows, I'm just a dude writing a newsletter.
New BB section alert!
SCOTT'S SCRAMBLE THOUGHTS
Whoops! Sorry haven't had breakfast yet—and Google knew it as I searched for a good scramble pic.
Much better. Stock photography always hits.
In the spirit of the PGA Tour scrambling to answer the LIV—I thought I'd introduce a new section where I give you four quick hit thoughts I had this week as I perused the world of golf news.
A scramble team of content, if you will.
1) Is Matthew Fitzpatrick just a bizarro version of Rory McIlroy?
2) Meet Rachel Dickson. An insanely talented artist who creates custom paintings of iconic golf holes. ...in case anyone wants to get me a treat. Something from Augusta National could be nice.
3) Cam Smith: "Mowing the lawn gets me away from the world. I don't even listen to music, just the sound of the motor and grass getting cut." Cam's got to be an absolute Hall of Fame level hang.
4) Max Homa will be the breakout star of the Netflix documentary series.
Weekly Wildlife Spotlight
THE GATOR GIMME
I love you people. Had about five different people send me this clip. Ya know, after 97 issues, I feel like we've really gotten to know one another here... it's heartwarming, frankly. Keep 'em coming—just reply to the email or hit up the link below.
Favorite part of this clip was the camera man taking the absolute lowest hanging fruit in his commentary: "How do we get him to turn around and drop the ball in the hole?" This dude's name has to be, like, Peter. Not Pete. Peter. Classic wildlife commentary.
Florida never disappoints.
"Meet" Our Models
BAD BIRDIE BACKSTORIES: PART 2
MEET JORDAN
Always down to clown, Jordan rolls up to the first tee with one Transfusion in hand and a second on deck in the cup holder for his cart-ner. As a self-appointed scramble specialist, Jordan is hitting the group chat on the Monday before the tourney to lock in the matching 'fits.
Jordan's favorite on-course phrases include:
"You're good from there."
"Damn, the calve game is strong outta you today."
"Where is the cart girl? We need a round of rally shots, STAT."
In short, Jordan = all time vibes guy. Be like Jordan
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