According to a report by Jeff Smith (here), the LPGA, starting in 2023, will begin co-sanctioning the QBE Shootout. Exicting news to be sure, as team events appear to be the future of golf, thanks partly to LIV.
The buried lead in Smith’s report, though, was the potential for a future Ryder cup style mixed-team event, possibly even replacing the Presidents Cup.
“With LIV existing, the Presidents Cup was clearly watered down in 2022,” said Smith’s source. “This reset would allow the International team to include Europe since its different format than Ryder Cup.
“Think a USA team comprised of Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Danielle Kang, Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson against an International team led by Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm, Minjee Lee, Brooke Henderson and Lydia Ko.”
Why it makes too much sense
1. Presidents Cup is irrelevant: The Presidents Cup has always been a copycat of the Ryder Cup and an event that not a single golf fan truly looks forward to. Thus, you are not tweaking an iconic event that’s going to create a backlash. In fact, if you were to poll hardcore fans, I’m betting a vast majority would welcome some kind of change.
2. It would bulk up the star factor: With the introduction of LIV Golf, the Presidents Cup talent pool was watered down immensely in 2022. While superstars like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau were missing from Team USA, they were replaced with next-level stars. The Internationals, however, were decimated, missing top-20 ranked stalwarts such as Cam Smith, Louis Oosthuizen, Joaquin Niemann and Abraham Ancer. They were replaced by relative no-names. By mixing in say four (4) LPGA players on each team, the men would be limited to eight (8) players per squad.
3. New format could allow the addition of European superstars: The purpose of the Presidents Cup is twofold: a.) allowing players outside of Europe to compete in a match play team event, while b.) giving the PGA Tour ownership (and revenue) of a team format event (the PGA of America owns the Ryder Cup). Yet, because it’s a completely new format, the rules could be changed to include European players – maybe split the team: 4 European, 4 International, allowing superstars Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland to join the likes of Tom Kim and Hideki Matsuyama.
4. Advertising gold mine: Sure, the QBE Shootout will include mixed teams, but it’s a silly season gimmick that only diehard golf fans watch. Having a Ryder Cup style event, comprised of men and women, for the entire country to root for, would be serious stuff. The advertising revenue potential from a woke corporate America would be a gold mine.
– Jeff Smith