WACO, Texas — Lee Trevino gained 29 PGA Tour titles in his legendary profession, together with a half-dozen majors. His whole on-course earnings: $3,478,328.
My, how occasions have modified — with the rise of LIV Golf, sure, but additionally with the PGA Tour’s personal hefty purse and bonus boosts.
It’s a superb time to be an elite skilled golfer, and don’t suppose Trevino hasn’t observed.
“I could not know a lot, however I do know that LIV Golf has made folks a heck of some huge cash,” he stated Wednesday at a Lone Star Legends luncheon on the Texas Sports activities Corridor of Fame, the place he’s enshrined.
“I have a look at my pal Pat Perez who made $8 million this 12 months and I believe, I got here alongside too early [in my career]. Not solely the individuals who made cash from LIV golf, however the $20 million {dollars} they are going to be enjoying for on the PGA Tour — all people has made extra money.”
‘The sails are going to interrupt on that ship:’ Lee Trevino opens up on LIV
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Perez has turn into the posterchild for LIV’s largesse: With no single top-15 end in solely eight begins this season on the upstart tour, Perez nonetheless banked a cool $8 million.
Trevino stated it’s gratifying to see LIV gamers like Harold Varner, who got here from a humble upbringing like Trevino did, cashing in on lifetimes of laborious work. “I believe that’s great. I do,” Trevino stated. “I can’t reply what would have occurred if I had that. I don’t know.
“I devoted my whole life to the sport, day and night time. I nonetheless hit balls each day or follow 1,000 putts on my carpet at dwelling, nonetheless play some. I had nothing else to fall again on.”
Earlier this 12 months, on golf teacher Michael Breed’s SiriusXM present, Trevino forged doubt on the long-term prospects of LIV Golf and the gamers it could or wouldn’t entice. “I don’t suppose it’ll final,” he informed Breed. “Finally the sails, I believe, are going to interrupt on that ship.” However with LIV’s debut season now within the books, Trevino is extra bullish on its viability.
“This LIV factor is identical factor that we did after we broke from the PGA [of America] in 1969,” Trevino stated, referring to the motion by a small group of prime gamers — Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer chief amongst them — to type the Event Gamers Division, which finally turned the PGA Tour. “I didn’t [go]. I stayed with the PGA, however different gamers broke away. I don’t suppose it would have an effect on something. So long as Europe is [politically and financially] steady and the Saudis [are stable], then this might be high-quality.”
Lee Trevino says this was his ‘secret’ to accuracy off the tee
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Not like Rory McIlroy and others who’ve stated that LIV Golf is pulling aside skilled golf, Trevino believes the 2 excursions can coexist.
“I don’t suppose we’ve misplaced a lot,” he stated of the PGA Tour’s viewers. “I don’t know what the rankings are, however I believe we’re high-quality.”
Much less clear is whether or not there’s a significact fanbase for LIV. The brand new tour nonetheless has no tv associate. This season it drew a meager variety of eyeballs streaming all of its occasions on YouTube and its personal web site. Trevino was not amongst these tuning in.
“Are you kidding me?” he stated. “I’ve nonetheless acquired a flip cellular phone. I need assistance turning on a pc. I don’t know the right way to do these issues. I didn’t watch something. I’m not going to try this.”
