The proposed Major Tour has a major problem: getting players to commit.
A group of organizers hopes to put together a tour of players 37 to 55 who have won a major. Beginning next year, they would play a schedule of seven to 12 tournaments with minimum purses of $2 million.
Among the 35 players who would be eligible are Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Curtis Strange, Mark O’Meara and Steve Elkington. The idea is to find another outlet for players in their 40s who aren’t as competitive on the PGA Tour, and also for the top stars on the Senior PGA Tour, such as Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw.
Fred Couples has been outspoken about being in favor of such a tour. The 42-year-old has slipped to 92nd in the world rankings. “I would play it tomorrow if it were available,” Couples told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Fox Sports, which fervently wants to get into golf, is said to be listening, but only if the players commit. However, to do that, they would have to give up their PGA Tour status. The Tour won’t allow its players to compete in tournaments that conflict with its events.
“I’m not sure the players are going to leave the PGA Tour and the Senior Tour to go out and start something new,” said Fuzzy Zoeller, 50. “I think they have too much respect for what they have helped build over the years.”
Jack Nicklaus was more blunt: “I think it has absolutely zero chance.”
Tap-ins: The TV power of Tiger Woods was apparent again last weekend at the Genuity tournament. The ratings were up 54 percent on NBC for Sunday’s final round in which Ernie Els held off Woods. . . . Augusta National wrote former Masters winners such as Billy Casper, Gay Brewer and Doug Ford, asking them not to participate in this year’s tournament because of the lengthening of the course. But the request was not made of 72-year-old Arnold Palmer.
