The PGA Tour’s purses are increasing, but its ratings are not. It’s a difficult conundrum for the Tour and commissioner Jay Monahan, who addressed the issue (vaguely) during his year-end press conference at the Tour Championship last month.
“I think when you look at 2024, it’s important to note, and I will note, that the total utilization of all our platforms has been consolidated,” Monahan said. “That’s a good sign for the PGA Tour and the connection we have with our fans.” (As our own James Colgan points out, however, there are layers to that answer.)
Sports purses and missing TV ratings were the main topics on the latest episode of “Kostis & McCord: Off Their Rockers,” a GOLF production — and golf’s current rift has something to do with both.
Peter Kostis pointed out the fact that the World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler earned more than $62 million in 2024, which (adjusted for inflation) was double Jack Nicklaus’ career earnings. And today’s purse growth is largely due to the Tour needing to compete with LIV Golf’s big money. Kostis wondered if everything was going well.
“Everything has been ignored and I think it’s one of the things that caused people to lose interest in watching the game,” said Kostis. “It’s lost a little bit of its professionalism.”
Kostis added that different categories of sports are also a problem.
“We have the Tour and the ‘A’ league and the ‘B’ league,” he said. “We have the top 50 playing in the Signature Events and then the B league riding everything. It’s a real mess right now; we have to find our way out of this.” and we have to do it soon. I think Rory was right there saying we need a solution to this soon because I don’t think the public is going to put up with it for much longer. In my opinion, it’s going to happen or not, I think [a merger with LIV] it won’t happen right now. I think we are still looking at two leagues. I think we’re moving toward a league that’s more globally focused and obviously with the PGA Tour, which is more domestically focused. Maybe they will find a way to play the majors and a few other events. I don’t see this being resolved anytime soon.”
McCord added: “I wish someone would come and ring the bell and say, ‘Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. In six months we’ll meet, we’ll do this, or we won’t meet,’ whatever. But this fading that is happening now in this game overshadowed the year of Scottie Scheffler; it was one of the greatest years in golf history.”
For more on the topic, or to watch the entire episode, click on the video below.
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