Reading Between the Lines

Another look at the AP story on Ernie Els and his “misunderstanding” with the PGA Tour reads more like the result of lengthy negotiations hammered out just in time for everyone to spin it at the Tour Championship.

Note how Els already knows his schedule for 2005 and the reasons why he is skipping certain events (yet still breaking the release rules with the Tour’s blessing). AP writes: “Els said he would play 19 times on the PGA Tour next year. In the 10 years Els has been a PGA Tour, he has played at least 18 times for all but three of those seasons. If anything, he is cutting back on his international schedule.

“He is skipping the European Masters in Switzerland and the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open in Germany, instead playing the Deutsche Bank Championship outside Boston. He will continue to play in Australia, and he is adding two tournaments in China that will be played in late April. Els also said he would skip the Accenture Match Play Championship at La Costa, which would require him to travel from South Africa to San Diego for perhaps only one match, then to Dubai.

“Els said he would return to Doral when it no longer is held the same week as Dubai.”

That last line seems to be the giveaway. Els has already committed to Doral/Ford if the Tour juggles the Florida rotation starting in 2007, as has been rumored.

Nice spin by all involved. Admirable that they resolved this before it became another black eye for golf. But a misunderstanding? Come on.