Page 15 - aruba-today-20230712

A15
SPORTS Wednesday 12 July 2023
How far golf has come in a year, how far it still has to go

By DOUG FERGUSON bridge. Tiger Woods flew to
AP Golf Writer Delaware to join Rory McIl-
GULLANE, Scotland (AP) roy and a small, elite group
— So much consternation of players with the intent of
about the fracture in the reshaping the PGA Tour.
professional world of golf. Monahan introduced a
So much speculation about new model for the PGA
where it will all lead. Tour that created $20 mil-
That wasn’t just Tuesday at lion tournaments and a
a Senate hearing on how plan for the best to com-
the about-face agree- pete against each other
ment between the PGA upward of 17 times a year.
Tour and the Saudis came That was described as a
together. That was last year “bridge year,” though the
during a British fortnight of concept for 2024 was the
golf, when what passed as same with some wrinkles.
scandal now seems rather And to think the biggest ar-
small. gument was whether these
Consider the Scottish Open $20 million tournaments
a year ago. with limited fields would
All the rage was Ian Poul- have a cut (a topic that re-
ter among three players mains under discussion).
who had defected to LIV PGA Tour board member Jimmy Dunne, right, testifies alongside PGA Tour chief operating officer What to make of that Del-
Golf, won a preliminary in- Ron Price during a Senate Subcommittee on Investigations hearing on the proposed PGA Tour- aware meeting now? A
junction in a U.K. court and LIV Golf partnership, Tuesday, July 11, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. blueprint for the future or a
were allowed to play The Associated Press waste of time?
Renaissance Club along- And where does golf go
side European tour and U.S. president in his sec- range. Others were on eight months until the final from here?
PGA Tour players who felt ond term.Greg Norman the course for a late after- ruling went against them, a Still to come is whether the
he was double dipping. was mocked for his slogan noon practice round, none decision handed down the PGA Tour policy board ap-
Names were being whis- of golf being a “force for seemingly interested in week of the Masters. proves whatever final deal
pered about who was next good” and still being bullish the Senate subcommittee Eleven players filed an an- gets hammered out by the
to join the rival league. A on bringing free agency to hearing. None had a say titrust lawsuit against the end of the year, if that even
whisper became a ques- golf, even though the LIV in the first place as the last PGA Tour, and four of them happens.
tion to Cameron Smith, Golf schedule was more re- five weeks has shown. tried to play in the FedEx According to the frame-
whose Aussie chill vibe strictive than anything the Smith won the LIV Golf- Cup playoffs until a Califor- work agreement, the sides
gave way to irritation when PGA Tour and European London event last week nia judge refused to grant have to get the deal done
he was asked if he was join- tour required. and said about going to a temporary restraining or- by Dec. 31 unless they
ing LIV as he sat next to the What did it all mean? Hoylake for his title defense der. LIV Golf joined the law- agree to extend it.
silver claret jug he had just Where will it all lead? in the British Open, “It feels suit, a countersuit was filed Documents obtained
won. At least the questions like forever.” and the PGA Tour legal ahead of the Senate
PGA Tour Commissioner haven’t changed. Consider all that has trans- fees topped more than the subcommittee hearing
Jay Monahan, two years Across the ocean on Tues- pired in the last year. $36 million Dustin Johnson painted a bleak future for
into this battle against the day, eight players were on Poulter and others under won last year in LIV. Norman if the deal goes
group with whom he now the range at The Renais- the U.K. sports resolution rul- And what was described through.
wants to partner, was de- sance Club while a half- ing kept playing European as a watershed moment in He has been less visible in
scribed by more than one dozen others went through tour events from London to PGA Tour history now seems recent weeks as CEO and
observer as looking like a their drills on the putting the Middle East for the next more like water under the commissioner of LIV Golf. q

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred praises
computer challenge system over full robots

By RONALD BLUM The challenge system was ABS.”
AP Baseball Writer used at T-Mobile Park for MLB launched several inno-
SEATTLE (AP) — A challenge Saturday’s All-Star Futures vations this season, includ-
system allowing appeals to Game. The human umpire ing a pitch clock, limits on
a computer appears to be was upheld on three of four defensive shifts and pickoff
Major League Baseball’s calls. throws and larger bases.
preference over a sole ro- “The people’s reaction to Manfred said last month
bot umpire. it was really positive, really the computer was not likely
MLB is testing the Auto- positive,” Commissioner to be ready for the major
mated Ball-Strike System Rob Manfred told the Base- leagues in 2024. The shape
at Triple-A this year. The ball Writers’ Association of of a computer strike zone is A radar device is mounted on the roof behind home plate at
computer makes determi- America on Tuesday. “The still a subject of debate. PeoplesBank Park during the third inning of the Atlantic League
nations for half the games challenge system in terms A decision would be up All-Star minor league baseball game in York, Pa., July 10, 2019.
Associated Press
and in the other half, bat- of the reaction in the minor to an 11-man competition
ters, pitchers and catchers leagues, people are more committee that includes six
can challenge human calls comfortable with the chal- management representa- umpire. in the minor leagues,” Man-
to the robot. lenge system than the full tives, four players and one “Pleased that it’s gone well fred said. q