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PGA Tour, European Tour announce formation of a strategic alliance

European Tour chief Keith Pelley and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced a strategic alliance between the two tours on Friday.

Faced with the test early in 2020 on how to make professional golf work amid a global pandemic, the game’s biggest stakeholders worked together on a plan that salvaged a good deal of the overall schedule. During that process, the potential for a long-term partnership emerged between the PGA Tour and European Tour, one that was formally revealed on Friday.

Officials at the two tours announced that after months of conversations, and an intense 72 hours of discussions this week, they are forming a “strategic alliance” that will involve, among other things, working together on commercial opportunities, including the sharing of global media rights. Specifics of the arrangement are still to come, according to both tours, but the partnership will include cooperation on global scheduling, prize funds and playing opportunities for each tour’s respective memberships.

“We are thrilled to announce this further strengthening of our partnership with the European Tour,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, “and we look forward to working together for the benefit of the men’s professional game and for golf fans around the world.”

“Today’s announcement is the formalization of a closer working relationship between the tours in recent years,” said Keith Pelley, European Tour chief executive. “It was one which was crystalized earlier this year when both Jay and I were part of the working group containing representatives of the four majors and the LPGA, a group which helped shape the remainder of the golfing calendar for 2020 during unprecedented times.

“We shared the challenges of working through a year neither of us could have ever imagined, and we found definite synergies in many areas of our respective tours. That gave us the impetus to move forward together and arrive at this momentous announcement we are making today.”

RELATED: How the PGA Tour resumed its season, played through a pandemic and made its way to East Lake

Of importance to both tours, the agreement appears to eliminate the possiblity that the European Tour would align with those attempting to crate a separate pro golf entity in the Premier Golf League. There has been much speculation this year that the PGL could lure top-level players from the European and PGA tours.

In a virtual press conference on Friday, Pelley confirmed that he had talks with Raine Group, one of the partners in working to make PGL a reality.

"Raine Capital presented a very compelling offer to take the European Tour to another level, but in a different direction," Pelley said. "Ultimately, we felt partnering with the PGA Tour was the best option for our members and for global golf, a decision that was made unanimously by the board of directors."

Pelley also strongly disputed conjecture that the deal with the PGA Tour was struck because the European Tour was under serious financial stress.

"If this was a financial situation, we would have done far more than a strategic alliance with a minority investment," Pelley said. "I can tell you, we are categorically not in financial difficulties. That is simply wrong. We are in robust financial health with a very strong balance sheet, strongest ever, and a strong support of networks of partners. We have played 23 events since July in Q3 and Q4, creating 15 from scratch, showing incredible resilience and flexibility; and also at the same time funding a health strategy and COVID testing of another 3 million, and I don't think this that is a business or that it simply would have been possible for a business which did not have robust finances."

One part of the agreement revealed on Friday was that the PGA Tour would acquire a minority investment stake in European Tour Productions, which produces and distributes content internationally for the tour. Additionally, Pelley said that Monahan would be a member of the European Tour board of directors moving forward.

After halting play for several months at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, both the PGA Tour and European Tour resumed their seasons in the summer, holding tournaments without spectators. Each tour created specific health and safety plans, creating “bubbles” to try and limit the exposure of players, volunteers and officials conducting the events. Both tours have had a limited number of players test positive for COVID since their restarts.

RELATED: How the European Tour restart has been (mostly) a success so far

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McIlroy’s proposed return to boardroom ‘incredibly positive’ for PGA Tour

• New chief executive of European Tour group welcomes move
• McIlroy motivated by desire to end split in elite men’s golf

The newly installed chief executive of the European Tour group, Guy Kinnings, has urged the PGA Tour to seize the opportunity provided by Rory McIlroy’s willingness to return to the boardroom to help heal divisions in the game.

The Guardian revealed on Monday that McIlroy will assume roles on the PGA Tour’s policy board and the PGA Tour Enterprises board, subject to a vote on Wednesday. McIlroy is motivated by a strong desire to end the current split in elite men’s golf, where the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Tour are essentially operating independently of each other.

“I would welcome it wholeheartedly,” said Kinnings, who succeeded Keith Pelley this month, of a McIlroy return to a position of power. “It would be an incredibly positive move for the PGA Tour to take but it would be great for everyone.”

Golf’s key constituent parts now involve various tours and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV. McIlroy enjoys positive relations with Yasir al-Rumayyan, the head of the PIF.

“He takes an interest in so many aspects of the sport,” Kinnings added. “I have known him for a very long time and he is so thoughtful. You think you know what is going on in the game and then you listen to Rory and say: ‘Wow, he has put that so well.’

“You want to have people who are ready to apply that kind of knowledge, experience and thinking. He is very well connected with people at the PGA Tour , the DP World Tour – we rely on him hugely – and also the PIF. He is the right person with those connections [and] would be a huge asset.”

Kinnings is adamant that a “united, global” route is necessary for the sport. “I see this as an amazing opportunity,” he added. “We truly have that, with the right people and voices to help shape it. Tiger [Woods] is involved, I am delighted Rory is looking at this. These are the people who should be helping to shape the game they have given so much to.

“I think it needs to be addressed and it needs to be addressed quickly. You need the right people round the table, giving it thought because this is complicated.”

McIlroy would become the only European voice on these PGA Tour committees, which itself is notable. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have a strategic alliance but there has been general concern about European golf being left behind, with focus on the US. “I was always delighted to have European representation,” said Kinnings. “I think it is far better to have a global view and Rory truly has that.

“It is such an important time and he is passionate about reaching this solution that we all agree is in the best interests of the sport globally. So I think he would be so valuable, so constructive. Personally and on behalf of this tour, I would be delighted if he was back playing a very significant role in the important discussions that are ongoing.”

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2024 Zurich Classic odds, field: Surprising PGA picks, predictions by model that's nailed 11 majors

Sportsline's proven model simulated the zurich classic of new orleans 2024 10,000 times and revealed its pga golf picks.

The only team tournament of the season will begin in New Orleans on Thursday with the 2024 Zurich Classic. Former champions Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele headline a 2024 Zurich Classic field that includes five of the top 15 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Cantlay and Schauffele won this event in 2022 and they're the 5-1 favorites according to the latest 2024 Zurich Classic odds.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry (8-1) are also among the favorites set to tee off at TPC Louisiana on Thursday. Defending champions Nick Hardy and Davis Riley are among the notable longshots at 80-1. Before making any 2024 Zurich Classic picks, be sure t o see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine .

Our proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up more than $9,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure's model correctly predicted Scottie Scheffler would finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2024 Masters, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players Championship, and the RBC Heritage this season. McClure also included Hideki Matsuyama in his best bets to win the 2024 Genesis Invitational. That bet hit at +9000, and for the entire tournament, McClure's best bets returned nearly $1,000.

The model also predicted Jon Rahm would be victorious at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. At the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm's second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scheffler winning in 2022.

In addition, McClure's best bets included Nick Taylor (70-1) winning the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, Jason Day (17-1) winning outright at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson, and Rickie Fowler (14-1) finishing on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

This same model has also nailed a whopping 11 majors entering the weekend and hit the Masters three straight years. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.

Now that the Zurich Classic 2024 field is finalized, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard .

Top 2024 Zurich Classic predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the Zurich Classic 2024: McIlroy and Lowry, who've combined for 26 wins on the PGA Tour, barely crack the top five. McIlroy is set to play in his fourth consecutive event when he tees off at TPC Louisiana. He's failed to crack the top-10 in seven of his eight starts on the PGA Tour this season, while Lowry has finished T-19 or worse in six of his past eight events. 

Both players have struggled mightily on the green this season. McIlroy enters the 2024 Zurich Classic ranked 78th in strokes gained: putting (0.119) and 72nd in putting average (1.758), a big reason why he ranks 98th in scoring average (70.44). Lowry, meanwhile, ranks 99th in strokes gained: putting (-0.012) and 143rd in putts per round (29.38), which doesn't bode well for their chances to finish on top of the leaderboard this week. 

Another surprise: Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, 40-1 longshots, make a strong run at the title. They have a much better chance to win it all than their odds imply, so they're a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. While neither of them are among the top players on the PGA Tour, they are both solid professionals who make a dangerous pairing in this team event.

Taylor has won four tournaments on the PGA Tour and is currently ranked 21st in strokes gained: approach to green (0.528). Meanwhile, Hadwin ranks 26th in driving accuracy (69.21%) and 12th in birdie average (4.49). They are both excellent putters, which will certainly come in handy this week at TPC Louisiana. Hadwin is ranked 23rd in putting average (1.723), while Taylor is ranked 19th in strokes gained: putting (0.522) and seventh in one-putt percentage (44.74%).  See who else to pick here . 

How to make 2024 Zurich Classic picks

The model is also targeting three other teams with odds of 35-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model's picks here .

Who will win the 2024 Zurich Classic, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the Zurich Classic 2024 odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected Zurich Classic leaderboard , all from the model that's nailed 11 golf majors, including the last three Masters.

2024 Zurich Classic odds, field

Get full 2024 Zurich Classic picks, best bets, and predictions here .

Patrick Cantlay / Xander Schauffele +500 Rory McIlroy / Shane Lowry +800 Will Zalatoris / Sahith Theegala +1100 Collin Morikawa / Kurt Kitayama +1600 Tom Hoge / Maverick McNealy +2500 Matt Fitzpatrick / Alex Fitzpatrick +2500 Taylor Pendrith / Corey Conners +3500 Rasmus Højgaard / Nicolai Højgaard +3500 Taylor Montgomery / Ben Griffin +4000 Sepp Straka / Brice Garnett +4000 Nick Taylor / Adam Hadwin +4000 Keith Mitchell / Joel Dahmen +4000 Brice Garnett / Sepp Straka +4000 Thomas Detry / Robert MacIntyre +4500 Doug Ghim / Chan Kim +4500 Davis Thompson / Andrew Novak +4500 Daniel Berger / Victor Perez +4500 Kevin Yu / C.T. Pan +5000 Billy Horschel / Tyson Alexander +5000 Beau Hossler / Sam Ryder +5000 Andrew Putnam / Joe Highsmith +5000 Aaron Rai / David Lipsky +5000 Thorbjorn Olesen / Matt Wallace +6500 Taylor Moore / Matt NeSmith +6500 K.H. Lee / Michael Kim +6500 Greyson Sigg / Chesson Hadley +6500 Gary Woodland / Lee Hodges +6500 Garrick Higgo / Ryan Fox +6500 Austin Eckroat / Chris Gotterup +6500 Steve Stricker / Matt Kuchar +8000 Nate Lashley / Rafael Campos +8000 Luke List / Henrik Norlander +8000 Kevin Streelman / Martin Laird +8000 Dylan Wu / Justin Lower +8000 Davis Riley / Nick Hardy +8000 Chandler Phillips / Jacob Bridgeman +8000 Carson Young / Ben Martin +8000 Ben Silverman / Kevin Dougherty +8000 Zach Johnson / Ryan Palmer +10000 Vincent Norrman / Jorge Campillo +10000 Nico Echavarria / Max Greyserman +10000 Alex Smalley / Matti Schmid +10000 Thriston Lawrence / Aldrich Potgieter +13000 Ryan Brehm / Mark Hubbard +13000 Justin Suh / Rico Hoey +13000 Jhonattan Vegas / Bronson Burgoon +13000 J.J. Spaun / Hayden Buckley +13000 Erik Barnes / Harrison Endycott +13000 Chad Ramey / Martin Trainer +13000 Carl Yuan / Zecheng Dou +13000 Sam Stevens / Paul Barjon +15000 Peter Malnati / Russell Knox +15000

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Rory McIlroy interested in return to PGA Tour policy board: ‘I think I can be helpful’

NEW ORLEANS, La. — While Rory McIlroy couldn’t confirm a return to the PGA Tour policy board until a vote takes place, McIlroy did confirm reports of current board member Webb Simpson potentially stepping away and requesting that McIlroy take his place.

And, yes, McIlroy is interested in the return.

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“I think I can be helpful,” McIlroy said. “I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months, and I was hopeful that there would be. I think I could be helpful to the process.”

McIlroy said he’d only do it if people want him involved.

“When Webb and I talked and he talked about potentially coming off the board, I said, ‘Look, if it was something that other people wanted, I would gladly take that seat,’” McIlroy continued.

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The PGA Tour policy board is a collection of six active tour players with voting power for both the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Enterprises, its new for-profit venture with outside investors. Unlike most sports in which teams have owners who vote on issues, PGA Tour players are essentially owners, and the six-player policy board wields massive power. The current board includes Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Peter Malnati and Simpson.

For so long, McIlroy, the world No. 2, was the most public face of the PGA Tour in its war with LIV Golf, the league funded by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. It’s why McIlroy surprised many by leaving the policy board in November, citing the need to focus on golf as his obligations with the board took up so much time.

He told reporters that month in Dubai: “It just got to the point where I couldn’t fit it all in. I’m thinking as we go into the next year, as I try to get ramped up for Augusta and all those tournaments, I just can’t see me putting the time and the energy into it. If I feel like I’m not prepared going into those meetings then it is better off if someone else takes my place, who is able to put the time and the energy into it.”

But it was clear McIlroy was scaling back his strong, public position on golf matters as far back as the June 6 announcement of a framework agreement between the PGA Tour and PIF. He said he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” when called to speak at the Canadian Open that week, and he noticeably did less press and gave less opinions from June 6 on.

He took a slightly different public approach to begin 2024. He still did less press, but he returned to speaking publicly about golf’s divide , often going against PGA Tour policy board members. McIlroy has repeatedly stated his desire for the game to unify, saying wins at signature events would feel cheapened without all the best players there. He called for more of a global golf structure in line with European soccer’s Champions League structure. And when Spieth — who replaced McIlroy on the board — said in February a deal with Strategic Sports Group investing $1.5 billion meant the tour didn’t “need” a deal with PIF, McIroy came out two days later saying he had a “frank” hourlong discussion about it.

“My thing was if I’m the original (potential) investor that thought that they were going to get this deal done back in July, and I’m hearing a board member say that, you know, we don’t really need them now, how are they going to think about that? What are they gonna feel about that?” McIlroy told Sports Illustrated .

Meanwhile, McIlroy’s game has struggled. Coming off two of the best seasons of his career, he has just one top-15 finish in eight starts.

Now, reports claim McIlroy’s return would be a boon for the PGA Tour, SSG and even PIF, as McIlroy has developed a friendly relationship with PIF governor Yasir Al-Ramayyan.

“I feel like I can be helpful,” McIlroy said Wednesday. “I feel like I care a lot, and I have some pretty good experience and good connections within the game and sort of around the wider sort of ecosystem and everything that’s going on.

“But at the end of the day, it’s not quite up to me to just come back on the board. There’s a process that has to be followed. But I’m willing to do it if that’s what people want, I guess.”

(Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)

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Brody Miller covers golf and the LSU Tigers for The Athletic. He came to The Athletic from the New Orleans Times-Picayune. A South Jersey native, Miller graduated from Indiana University before going on to stops at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Indianapolis Star, the Clarion Ledger and NOLA.com. Follow Brody on Twitter @ BrodyAMiller

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Webb Simpson offers to resign from PGA Tour board. But only if McIlroy replaces him, AP source says

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, watches his tee shot on the sixth hole during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts after missing a putt on the first hole during the third round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Jordan Spieth lines up a putt on the second hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Patrick Cantlay waves after making a putt on the fifth hole during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hilton Head Island, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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A plan is in place for Rory McIlroy to rejoin the PGA Tour board, a move that would require the board’s approval and could be viewed as a chance to help to improve stalled negotiations with the Saudi financial backers of LIV Golf.

McIlroy resigned from the board in November , saying he felt he could no longer commit the time and energy required with the PGA Tour trying to finalize an agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

The deal with PIF was not finalized, and the PGA Tour instead took on Strategic Sports Group as a minority investor in a deal that could be worth as much as $3 billion.

Webb Simpson, one of the six player directors on the PGA Tour board and PGA Tour Enterprises board, has submitted a letter saying that he wants to resign as a player director but only if McIlroy replaces him, according to a person who has seen the letter.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the letter was not made public. The board is expected to discuss Simpson’s request as early as Wednesday.

PGA Tour Enterprises is the new commercial entity, though six players serve on both boards.

McIlroy’s resignation in November required the other five player directors — Simpson, Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott and Peter Malnati — to elect a player to serve out the term through 2024. They chose Jordan Spieth.

Some of those players have been at odds with McIlroy over the last few months because the four-time major champion has changed his tune about LIV Golf and has suggested LIV players be allowed to return to the PGA Tour without penalty.

Spieth and McIlroy disagreed in February over Spieth’s comments that a deal with PIF was not needed because of the SSG investment, although it would help with unification.

The Simpson case, however, is different. He has not resigned from the board. The person said Simpson’s letter said he would resign if McIlroy could replace him; otherwise, he would stay on the boards.

The person said Simpson indicated the board currently does not have a European player — five are Americans and Scott is Australian.

SSG in a consortium of American sports owners, led by the Fenway Group, and McIlroy has an affiliation with Fenway through the new TGL team league due to start play in January.

The Guardian, which first reported McIlroy’s potential move back to the board , also noted McIlroy has a good relationship with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor.

Al-Rumayyan met with the player directors — he even played nine holes with Woods — in the Bahamas a week after The Players Championship last month. Spieth described that meeting as a chance to talk while figuring out the next step.

There have been no reports of progress since then.

A London financial newspaper, City A.M., reported last week that LIV had offered McIlroy $850 million to join, based on sources it did not identify. McIlroy quickly shot down those rumors and said he would play the PGA Tour “for the rest of my career.” But he also reiterated his hopes that golf could be unified again outside the four majors.

“The game is better when we’re all together,” he said last week at the RBC Heritage.

The hurdle for any kind of a deal has been how to unify the game. Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson are among players who signed bonuses said to be worth upward of $100 million that led to the divide.

McIlroy said last month at The Players Championship that Al-Rumayyan “wants to do the right thing” for all of golf and that LIV Commissioner Greg Norman and others have done the PIF leader a disservice.

“So the closer that we can get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalize that investment, I think that will be a really good thing,” McIlroy said.

SSG’s initial investment of $1.5 billion is for a first-of-its-kind equity ownership program. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a February memo that $750 million in aggregate equity would be granted to 36 players based on career performance, last five-year performance and Player Impact Program results.

Those players are to learn details of how much they receive this week.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

RBC Heritage

Harbour Town Golf Links

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina • USA

Apr 18 - 21, 2024

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