Paul Azinger criticizes the PGA Tour during their competition against LIV, stating that it is a regrettable moment for golf.
There is nothing to rewrite as it already appears to be a name.
Despite no longer receiving compensation for sharing his thoughts on the PGA Tour, Paul Azinger didn’t hesitate to express a rather bleak perspective regarding the present condition of professional golf. This statement comes from the former announcer and major champion.
Over the weekend, Azinger discussed various topics in an interview with Golfweek’s Adam Schupak. He was unabashed when it came to talking about the ongoing rivalry between LIV Golf and PGA Tour.
His ex-captain won’t even dare to address the sensitive subject of Phil Mickelson’s future in Ryder Cup.
“PGA Tour tournaments no longer exclusively feature the top players,” Azinger remarked. “The LIV Tour has taken over, essentially making the PGA a mere stepping stone to qualify for LIV events – it’s an unfortunate day for golf.”
There are many others who share Azinger’s concern about the division within professional golf. Undeniably, the PGA Tour has suffered some setbacks as several top players have shifted their focus to LIV. However, referring to it as a “qualifier for LIV” is an especially harsh portrayal of its decline.
Azinger commented that he has viewed a few PGA Tour broadcasts in 2024 and is not feeling its absence significantly. In fact, he stated that the lack of it doesn’t affect him at all.
Azinger spoke out about NBC’s decision to drop him from their golf coverage at the end of last year, revealing that the network had no concrete strategy for moving forward except to cut costs. Although NBC has experimented with various commentators this year – such as Paul McGinley and Kevin Kisner – they have yet to appoint a permanent replacement alongside play-by-play anchor Dan Hicks in the booth.
Azinger suggests that Charles Barkley, a participant in Capital One’s The Match tournament, deserves to be hired. Sadly, Azinger believes NBC could not offer enough money for it to happen. Although 64-year-old Azinger is currently content with his employment status and salary, he admits the possibility of working for LIV if approached by Greg Norman.
Nonetheless, he stated that he will no longer be making calls for PGA Tour events as long as Jay Monahan remains in charge.
Azinger admitted to Schupak that he would prefer contacting the Senior Tour instead of the PGA Tour. He went on to criticize the tour, which had granted him victory 12 times during his playing days, declaring himself done with it. Azinger emphasized how senior players are undoubtedly among the world’s finest and thus more deserving of being contacted than their younger counterparts in professional golfing tournaments.
