PGA CEO On May Date: "We're in the process of that analysis"
Not surprisingly PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua gave no indication to ESPN.com's Jason Sobel of where things stand on a May-move for the PGA Championship.
From the story:
"We're in the process of that analysis. The good news for us is that we can stay where we are -- we love that August date -- or we can move it occasionally, or we can move it permanently. It's all part of a process we're going through."
It's a process! So is this answer:
"We have had a series of very good discussions with Jay and the tour about how that schedule could be optimized," Bevacqua continued. "Solely looking at it thru the prism of the PGA of America, we need to do what's in the best interests of the PGA Championship, but we absolutely have to consider what's in the overall best interest of the golf schedule. There are pros and cons to keeping it where it is and moving it."
John Feinstein and I debated the move this week on Golf Central in light of PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan's more cautious comments on the topic. Feinstein says it's a done deal, I still struggle to see the PGA of America saying goodbye to some longtime and successful venues for a Mother's Day final round date instead of August.
Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 01:46 PM
Reader Comments (3)
Don't change your date. If you do, it will lessen the importance of your tournament.
Your tournament has a history of playing many of the finest courses in the country. A May date will take a bunch of those out of consideration.
But, more importantly, the PGA Championship has historically been the last of the majors. It fits into the month that is either the end of the golf season, or the month before the end. Keep your tournament date in August - it has a good chance of remaining the culmination major. If you switch to May, the Players has a chance of becoming the 4th major, because of the depth of the field.
One more thing - if you make the PGA Championship a fortnight match play event, you can really change the landscape of championship golf. Yes, the final day might not be a draw, unless the stars work out conveniently. But the nightly coverage in the days leading up to the final could be a big deal... and people will be talking.