Is there a future for match play on the PGA Tour?

Each week we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.

The final WGC Dell Technologies Match Play tournament is now in the books and it doesn’t seem likely that the PGA Tour is going to have any match play events on their schedule for the foreseeable future. While the format was a bit quirky with round robin play before actual knockout rounds, the Pete Dye designed Austin Country Club seemed ideal for match play with plenty of risk-reward holes and lots of drama and the tournament was very popular with golf fans. Apparently, the PGA Tour and Austin Country Club couldn’t come to terms on a contract extension but there are plenty of other courses that could host the event. What’s your view on any future match play event and its possible format and location?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): I will miss the Dell Match Play, but for the PGA Tour it’s such a risky event.  Imagine if the finish yesterday featured Burns vs. Young in the championship final, and Justin Suh vs. Seamus Power in the consolation round.  Total viewers: 22.  I’m sure 95% of the eyeballs watching yesterday were focused on Scheffler vs. McIlroy because, well, they’re the big stars.  My point being, the PGA Tour isn’t interested in running big events unless big stars are pretty much guaranteed in the mix on Sunday.  Also, no matter who’s in it, the Match Play has only four golfers playing on the final day, which can make for a pretty tedious broadcast, fewer players to cut to, more and more mindless blather from the announcers, etc.  Still, I wish they’d continue to have (at least) one match play event each season, because it IS a different game requiring strategic skills and patience that medal play doesn’t.  But I don’t see it happening any time soon.  Maybe they should take the tired old AT&T (Bing Crosby) tournament and give it a new lease on life as a match play.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): They really need to have one. If the PGA Tour truly is about growing the game, then they need to showcase all forms of play to the public, Match Play, Team Play (they have) one event, but also team play with the President’s Cup (Foursome, Four-Ball matches). Its one week a year, they should have it. I totally get it though, lots of logistical challenges for players, Tour needing more officials to run it, and their Tour Rules Officials aren’t accustomed to refereeing matches (different rules in quite a few cases). I hope it finds its way to a new home.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: I like the format of the round-robin and then match play. Of course, some of the matches played after the R/R outcome was determined were useless. I printed out to $$$ breakdown and the FedEx points for each position to see how much each player was playing for on any given match. It sure tightens things up. Rory sunk a putt on #18 that had a turn-around factor of close to $2M. Maybe they could play at Kiawah or the National in Woodbridge. One disgusting part of the coverage is the PXG ad featuring Bob Parson’s military record to sell clubs. It’s bad enough having to hear his arrogant voice.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): I love match play tournaments and I do hope they find a way to resurrect this tournament.  The only issue I have with it is that it’s not great television.  It’s hard to watch a whole afternoon of golf with only 4 guys hitting shots.  I find PVR’ing the action is the only way to watch it and power through the endless commercials.  I’m not sure how to better format the event however, at least it’s better with the pool play so you have a chance to watch the best players play more than one match potentially.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: The Tour dance card for 2023 and a bit beyond is full, and despite the bitter-sweet finale at the Match play, there aren’t many options. This last fandango was fabulous but the format offers no promises that the star power will make the TV Sunday ratings. Noticed that one commentator — didn’t catch the name, might have been me — noted that if it is to go forward into the new golf reality, it might be better as one of the Tiger-Rory-like shows. Getting a gallery like the fabulous gatherings in Austin is a hard nut given that any opening in the new Tour schedule…. has no openings. So, a sole option may be staging a Match play TV event at a venue the players like (on a Tour multi-million-dollar rare off week) and not worry about ticket sales and parking and nearby golf fans like in Austin. That opens up the Match Play for so many great course around the world — even in Canada. A streaming match-play at Banff Springs — love it.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): I love the Match Play event but also recognize the limitations it poses for broadcasters and sponsors. Nobody wants another Kevin Sutherland – Scott McCarron final. My suggestion would be to replace the dreadful FedEx Cup final with straight knock-out match play for the top 32. The top players still have to win to advance but nobody’s getting a 10-shot handicap.

The Champions dinner on Tuesday of Masters week will feature a number of LIV Golf defectors and a few past champions have indicated their displeasure at their former Tour colleagues. Do you expect any fireworks or confrontations?

Deeks: No, I don’t, although there may be a few frosty hellos and awkward silences.  But I bet by the end of the evening everyone will be all palsy-walsy, recognizing that they’re all champions and this is the Masters, for heaven’s sake.  In the words of Rodney King, “can’t we all just get along?”

Loughry: I don’t think we’ll see any fireworks at Augusta, definitely not at the dinner table. It is Augusta, and there is an unspoken DEMAND of respect there. There might be a few snide comments here and there, but I don’t think any of those comments will be within earshot of the media (behind closed doors). I am interested to see how much the media pushes the LIV stuff at Augusta though. They should if they’re true objective journalists, but I don’t need to hear it.

Schurman: I expect them to act with dignity and respect for their host.

Rule: No, because Augusta National won’t allow it!  I don’t think anything will come of it, I think that things have settled down a bit and although they may not be best friends, they won’t ruffle any feathers that week.  The other majors on the other hand?  Who knows!

Quinn: In the olden days, way back, there may have been some Bourbon flowing and really fun exchanges. This time, in these times with every player under 50 with a pre-tee gym time, not so much. The guys might talk before and after Scheffler’s drive-through menu but can’t imagine any debates in the room.

Mumford: Too much is being made of this. For the most part all of these players are good friends. There may be a bit of good-natured ribbing off-camera, but nobody wants to steal the show from the Masters. Out of respect for the tournament and Augusta National, I expect it will be all quite dignified.

Speaking of LIV golfers, 18 of them will tee it up at Augusta next week. For the most part, they have been out of sight since last year’s Open Championship, won by eventual LIV Golf defector Cam Smith. Not playing regularly against PGA Tour players makes it difficult to judge their current level of play. How do you think they will fare in this year’s Masters?

Deeks: My guess is only two of the LIV guys will make the top ten, and nine of them will miss the cut.  I hope it’ll be more than that.

Loughry: I believe most LIV players will play well, and some will stink. Being MAJOR Tournament tough is another level. This is why they are called MAJORS. No disrespect to the events on LIV, or limited access their players have on various Tours. Fewer starts can mean you’re fresh, but it can also lead to you being cold.

Schurman: I hope they take the top 18 placements on the scoreboard except #1; that one is for Rory. I’m tired of all the hypocritical blabbering.  The two-faced imitation of the LIV tour by the PGA Tour is nothing more than plagiarism. I wonder how many of the LIV players would have ‘jumped’ if the TOUR had improved their product beforehand.

Rule: I’m sure they will do fine, these guys don’t all need reps to play well on a given week.  I would guess that they on average play worse than they maybe should but one or two will be in the mix on the weekend.  I can see DJ and Cam Smith being in contention on Sunday.

Quinn: They may be pumped and working the past few weeks on Augusta-specific shot shapes just to make the point that they didn’t accept House of Saud millions just for their smiles. One can only hope that all LIV players miss the cut.

Mumford: Not that they have anything to prove, but I think the LIV golfers will be doing their best to prove that they still have some fight left in them and didn’t just ride off into the sunset for a bag of cash. A handful are recent major winners, and some are perennial contenders at Augusta. I expect the LIV guys will do quite well next week.