The biggest issue in professional golf has grown recently with the ban of Greg Norman from playing in the Open at St. Andrews and with his disinvitation to the Open’s champions dinner.

That was done by the R&A, which governs St. Andrews, the site of this year’s 150th Open championship.

An argument can be made by folks who think that the creation of the LIV Golf Series, headed by Norman, is valid. They think that Norman is attempting to bury the PGA Tour, which pays handsome prize money to its players. And they say, who is Norman to challenge the PGA Tour, from which he made a lot of money and gained enormous fame? They also claim that Norman would be a distraction at The Open and/or its champions dinner.

The PGA Tour is extremely unhappy about facing financial competition, because as solvent as it is, the PGA Tour has nowhere near the financial backing of the LIV Golf Series. The PGA Tour’s money is chump change by comparison to the LIV Golf Series.

Norman says his ban from the British Open is “petty.” That pretty much is the case, because the Open/R&A is not banning Phil Mickelson, the first and leading player to join the LIV Golf Series.

The PGA Tour told Mickelson he was not allowed to play in the 2022 PGA after he won that event in 2021. Was that a sign of courage? Or was it an act of revenge? These same questions could be asked of the R&A about banning Norman.

All of this adds up to one thing about professional golf. It shows that players are human and that if enough money is thrown at them, they are going to take it.

Sure, you could say that many of the players who have signed up for the LIV Golf Series are past their time in terms of skills. But ask yourself this: If you were offered millions of dollars by a group from an Arabic nation to do what you do for a living in the United States, would you turn it down because of how people are treated in that Arabic nation?

Would you not agree that most people would take the money and run? That is human nature.

*****

In the Maine Amateur held July 12-14 at Webhannet in Kennebunk, six area players made the cut.

Will Kannnegieser of Martindale (73-69-72—214) and Jace Pearson, also of Martindale (71-72-71—214), tied for fifth place. James Frost of Fox Ridge (72-77-69—218) was 11th and Brian Bilodeau, also of Martindale (74-71-76—221), tied for 21st, Andrew Slattery of Portland, who played much of his career at Martindale (70-73-79—222) was in 25th place. Jordan Jones of Fox Ridge (71-77-81—227) tied for 32nd.

Caleb Manuel of Brunswick (72-63-72—207) won the Amateur title for the second consecutive year.

*****

Upcoming tournaments are: The Women’s Amateur, July 19-21 at Portland, and the B&C Championships, July 19-20 at Val Halla. Both are sponsored by the Maine State Golf Association aka Maine Golf.

Bill Kennedy, a retired New Jersey golf writer and editor now residing on Thompson Lake in Otisfield, is in his 10th season as Sun Journal golf columnist.

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