TIGER Woods recently turned down a jaw-dropping US$800 million (RM3.74 billion) offer from LIV Golf. The golf world is abuzz with praise for his loyalty to the PGA Tour, the same PGA some claim “made Tiger great”.

But let’s get real: the PGA didn’t make Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods made Tiger Woods. His greatness was forged in the fires of relentless practice, unparalleled skill, and sheer willpower. 

The PGA Tour isn’t some benevolent institution handing out opportunities on a silver platter. It’s a cutthroat, commission-only gig where you earn every dime based on your performance that day.

Make the cut, you play. Place high, you get paid. No cushy contracts, no guaranteed salaries – just you, your clubs, and the merciless grind of professional golf.

So, where’s all this talk of loyalty coming from? If anything, the PGA should be reflecting on its own loyalty when going head-to-head with LIV’s lucrative offers.

Sure, Tiger might have missed out on that $800 million, but let’s not kid ourselves – his $100 million equity stake in the PGA likely plays a big part in his decision. Tiger’s days of racking up wins for the PGA are behind him, and his value to both the PGA and LIV is dwindling fast.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy needs to think long and hard about jumping ship to LIV before his own window closes. If LIV was willing to throw $800 million at Tiger and $400 million at Jon Rahm, it’s not a stretch to think they’d offer Rory, the PGA’s golden boy, something close to a billion.

These players don’t owe anything to anyone. Yes, they’ve been given a platform, but it’s a platform they’ve earned through a lifetime of sweat and sacrifice. Their success is dictated by their scores, not some misplaced sense of loyalty to the PGA.

The whole “loyalty” argument? Pure nonsense. – July 19, 2024.