Much has been made in this country, especially after the stunning runner up display by Nick Taylor worth $2,180,000 at last week's WM Phoenix Open of the state of Canadian professional golf, and what a wonderful time it is to be playing for professionals not just here, but around the world.
It has not gone unnoticed of course that the driving force behind the 13 designated PGA Tour events and the 5 Rolex Series on the DP World is the much despised LIV series funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund conservatively estimated to be worth $620,000,000,000 (billion).
There were 8 regional 100 man fields in and around Phoenix just to qualify for the Monday qualifier's 3 spots for the actual WM Phoenix Open. Players all coughed up $250 to play, just in the hope of doing exactly what Nick Taylor did.
Earlier this year in Dubai, Frenchman Victor Perez won $1.56m for winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with its Rolex Series purse of $9,000,000. The following week Rory McIlroy teed up his 2023 season with another $1.56m winning the 2nd Rolex Series event, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
That's just the beginning.
Prior to this years Masters April 6-9 and beginning on Thursday at the Genesis Invitational there are 4 more designated events with their life changing prize money.
Feb 6-9 The Genesis Invitational $20,000,000
Mar 2-5 Arnold Palmer Invitational $20,000,000
Mar 9-12 Players Championship $25,000,000
Mar 22-26 WGC Dell Technologies Match Play $20,000,000
These numbers actually surpass the prize money at the majors. The Masters for example paid $15,000,000 in 2022 and will announce the 2023 fund prior to the event this year.
Canadians:
There are 5 Canadians in the OWGR top 100 for the first time
Corey Connors 37 Mac Hughes 53, Adam Hadwin 63, Adam Svensson 69, Nick Taylor 73 and remember Nick just made the top 125 this year to keep his card at #122.
All 5 are in the field this week at Riviera
Stephen Ames with his 3rd career PGA Tour Champions win in Morocco recently leads season long Schwab Cup money list $340,500
There are 2 players in the top 15 on the Korn Ferry Tour where the top 30 get their PGA Tour cards, Ben Silverman 4th, Wil Bateman 13th.
In the Women's OWGR the Brooke Henderson 6 is the only Canadian in the top 100. (she is 3rd in the Race to CME Globe money list) Maude Aimee Leblanc, Maddie Szeryk will join her with Alena Sharp moving between Tours.
There are 6 Canadians on the 2023 Epson Tour this year.
Bryan Angus
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