A number of famous golfers have had the opportunity to play in LIV Golf. With the advent of this controversial tournament, huge amounts of money were offered to some of the most important golf figures to attract them to participate. Many golfers decided to go that route.
However, there were players who emphasized tradition and prestige, believing that playing in major tournaments was much more important than playing in LIV Golf tournaments.
Although it is sometimes difficult to resist big money, no matter how tempting it may be, there are things that are more important than money.
Justin Rose is one of the golfers who had the opportunity to join this project.
However, the experienced golfer turned down such an option, believing that the PGA Tour still provides the best foundation for the future, given that his main focus was on winning major tournaments.
Guesting on the No Laying Up podcast, Justin Rose spoke about this offer. He made an interesting comparison between himself as a 12-year-old and himself as a 45-year-old.
Looking at himself as a kid, Rose did not want to disappoint that young Justin who even then dreamed of one day being among the greats of golf.
“I had the opportunity and a lot of my friends have gone over there,” Rose said, as quoted by Independent.
“I harbour no ill feeling for guys who have made that decision at certain times in their career.
I just felt like I had more to give myself. I felt like I needed to believe in the 12-year-old me that wanted to win major championships and chase my dreams. LIV didn’t offer me that at all.
It didn’t offer me the opportunity to play in majors. I’m still not really guaranteed to be in majors for ever more – you have got to earn your way in this game. That’s what I like about it. There is nothing given out here, you have got to earn everything, and I felt like I needed that challenge and that environment to keep pushing me.
I didn’t really have any business believing I could win a major again but I truly do believe I can have that Indian summer to my career. To me, that is way more valuable than, let’s just say, putting a financial reward to it. It’s my golfing dreams, it’s the 12-year-old me. It’s like having a rhetorical conversation with the 12-year-old me and trying to justify why I would make that move – he wouldn’t have been too happy with it.
With where I am trending, I am pretty happy with where I’m at and I think the dream is still alive.”
Prestige before money
Many famous faces of the golf world have decided to go this route, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and many other golfers. Justin Rose, however, is an old school player who believes that the PGA Tour is where you have the best foundation for success and the future. Sometimes even big money can't seem to change the minds of those who play golf for the love of the sport, not just for the money.
There is a lot of talk about the possible merger of LIV Golf and the PGA Tour in the coming period, considering the framework agreement that was reached almost two years ago. Will there still be unification? It's hard to say.
