Despite one of the biggest tournaments in golf teeing off at Brookline today, much of the conversation in the sport is still being dominated by happenings away from the traditional calendar.
The controversial LIV Golf tour finally got underway last weekend, with a number of familiar names on show at its debut event in England. Former Masters champion Charls Scwartzl would emerge victorious on that occasion, claiming a $4.75million payday in the process. It was the largest winner's cheque in the history of the sport.
The Saudi backed venture has certainly upset the status quo in golf, offering players a huge amount of guaranteed money to attach their names to the project. Dustin Johnson is rumoured to have been paid $150million before ever teeing up a ball, while Phil Mickelson's signing on bonus was apparently around $200million.
Further players are likely to join the new tour in the weeks and months ahead, although many of the biggest names on the PGA Tour remain completely against LIV Golf.
Rory McIlroy has been outspoken in his criticism of the event, while Shane Lowry has now also added his name to the list of sceptics.
Shane Lowry has no interest in LIV Golf
Speaking ahead of this week's US Open, Shane Lowry admitted that he is already getting sick of talking about LIV Golf. The Offaly man said that he certainly will not be jumping ship, adding that the money and prestige he has earned on the PGA and European tours is more than enough for him and his family.
🗣️ "Every player that's not signed up to it has absolutely had it up to here with talking about it."
Shane Lowry says he and his fellow professional golfers are fed up of speaking about the ongoing LIV Golf Series controversy. pic.twitter.com/r4K0OGtQyf— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) June 15, 2022
I think every player that is not there and not signed up to it has had it up to here with talking about it.
It's all everyone talks about, no matter where you go or on the off course. It's nice to go back to your hotel or house in the evening and just get away from it, but even at that if you have a few people with you you end up talking about it again.
It's not that it's a worrying time for golf, but I don't know what way it's going to go.
For me, I play on the PGA Tour and European Tour and that's what I'm going to do. I've been lucky enough to give my family a life that I never thought was possible from playing a game of golf. I'm happy with what I've got there.
Who knows who the next player is that's going to sign up, but I just know it's not going to be me. That's where I am with the whole thing.
You just have to look at it with what Charl [Schwartzl] won at the weekend ($4.75million), fair play to him he won that tournament, but with what Rory [McIlroy] won, I would rather win that tournament (Canadian Open).
That's the way I look at it. I would rather win this week than win anything. If you win this tournament this week, you don't look at your winner's cheque at the end of the day. You're standing there with that trophy with all those names on it and that's what golf is about.
Well said.
Shane Lowry has earned over $14million in prize money over the course of his career, and while he could easily eclipse that number by spending a couple of years on the LIV Golf tour, he seems more than grateful for the sport has given him up to this point.
Here's hoping he can put together yet another excellent performance at one of the majors over the coming days.
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