Professional golf’s cash issues may use an NFL-sized dose of perspective, Xander Schauffele says.
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Who knew that professional golf would show the outdated saying true?
You actually can’t purchase happiness.
Three years and lots of billions later, cash has principally introduced the golf world a heightened sense of disillusionment. Its followers are annoyed and its stakeholders are holding on for expensive life — even whereas its gamers are richer than ever.
Few folks have seen extra of golf’s cash in 2024 than Xander Schauffele. Schauffele, the winner of two majors and a few $17.6 million in on-course earnings this season, enters this week’s BMW Championship second on the PGA Tour’s cash listing — and he’s threatening so as to add to his complete.
For the uninitiated, the BMW is the second of three PGA Tour playoff occasions that may pay out a complete of $100 million to gamers in August. As the most effective golfer alive not named Scottie Scheffler, Schauffele arrives in Colorado as one of many betting favorites to win not simply this week’s match but in addition subsequent week’s PGA Tour’s crown jewel, the FedEx Cup, whose $25 million first prize would greater than double his season-long earnings.
By most goal measures, incomes over $40 million in a calendar 12 months qualifies as a fairly good factor, and Schauffele actually isn’t arguing that time. In truth, by the PGA Tour’s requirements, it might qualify as essentially the most cash earned in a single season ever. That’s similar to a mid-tier beginning quarterback within the NFL — fairly good for a sport with one-tenth of the NFL’s annual TV income.
However throughout an unusually expansive press availability on Wednesday on the BMW, Schauffele appeared confused by all of it. Golf’s cash has exploded, he argued, nevertheless it’s nonetheless nowhere close to its professional sports activities counterparts.
“You have a look at the top-10 quarterbacks,” Schauffele mentioned. “Scottie [Scheffler] has gained seven instances, I feel that’s together with Olympic gold. And he’s made considerably greater than everybody else.”
“In case you have a look at how a lot Tenth has made, the Tenth-best participant on this planet has made, it’s not going to smell how a lot Scottie has made. That simply reveals you ways nicely Scottie has performed in these massive tournaments.”
(Schauffele is appropriate. With two begins to go, Scheffler has made $29 million in 2024. Tenth place on the Tour’s single-season cash listing is Shane Lowry at a shade greater than $5.5 million.)
“You have a look at the No. 1 quarterback, he’s getting $60 million after which the No. 10 quarterback is getting 52, after which No. 15 is getting 39 or 40.”
Schauffele’s level rings true, however he appeared to be hinting at a much bigger hypocrisy. Why is chasing money in golf thought of grasping when the NFL fingers out significantly extra?
“Once I have a look at different sports activities, when somebody will get a $300 million contract, there’s all these constructive feedback about how somebody received their bag or they’ve labored so laborious to get this they usually deserve it, issues like that,” Schauffele mentioned. “It’s fascinating to me. I feel possibly golf is a gentleman’s recreation and also you’re not supposed to speak about cash, however all of the media needs to do is discuss cash.”
Certainly, cash is the third rail of the golf tradition wars. New battles sprout up every single day, however the overarching sentiment to emerge from all of it is negativity. Chasing cash on LIV is unhealthy. The PGA Tour countering with more cash is unhealthy. Golf obsessing over cash is unhealthy. Those that take the cash are unhealthy. Those that thought themselves virtuous are unhealthy. Every part is unhealthy. And it’s all getting worse.
The irony of this sentiment, significantly for these like Schauffele, is that he hasn’t taken a dime from what’s thought of a questionable supply of earnings. (But.) The PGA Tour and PIF stay aside of their talks for a merger, and whereas the 2 sides have brokered an uneasy peace, that peace doesn’t embody Saudi cash funneled into Schauffele’s checking account. (Once more: But.)
Nonetheless, there are causes for the bitter style. The PIF is professional golf’s loudest financier, however the principle objective of its funding seems to be purging an objectionable previous from the general public document and rehabilitating the Saudi picture amongst rich Westerners. That’s not precisely “advancing golf’s noble trigger.” And the PGA Tour claimed to be above the fray — solely to go behind the general public’s again to the Saudis and reduce a deal of their very own.
Human rights issues apart, there are different issues with the billions the Saudis and PGA Tour have pumped into the sport. In a sport that’s presupposed to be outlined by its spirit of integrity and sportsmanship, stakeholders have used cash to reveal the depths of their self-interest and greed. And for individuals who haven’t given in to the siren name, cash has upended the general public’s sense of a rational market. It’s one factor if Pat Mahomes makes $60 million throughout a historic season — he earned it — however Scottie Scheffler? He performed the appropriate season on the proper time.
The excellent news is that the checks hold cashing both approach, however maybe that’s not the purpose.
“I feel the gamers that take advantage of cash don’t take into consideration cash as a result of it’s simply not a very powerful factor,” Schauffele mentioned Wednesday.
“Successful $25 million can be actually cool and very nice, however I don’t assume it’s going to alter my life, and I can inform you if I lose and play unhealthy, I’m going to be fairly upset about enjoying unhealthy and never having the ability to peak on the proper time.”
Ultimately, the factor that issues most to Schauffele is sort of refreshingly easy: Successful. Attempt as they may, you’ll be able to’t put a worth on that.
