Westwood, McIlroy Missing the Essence of the PLAYERS Championship

The reality is that the 2011 PLAYERS Championship will go on as scheduled beginning on Thursday, May 12^th with or without World No. 1 Lee Westwood or No. 8 Rory McIlroy. Sadly Westwood and McIlroy will be the ones to miss out. It really isn't about the golf tournament. It is about the game of golf and something called respect. Yes it might be staged in the backyard of the headquarters of the PGA TOUR on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. 

The PGA TOUR, like the European Tour, is a nonprofit business with the primary focus of benefiting its player members. Westwood and McIlroy were eligible to join the PGA TOUR this year but chose the European Tour citing a preference to play more often closer to home and country on the European Tour.No problem with that—an offer extended, an offer politely declined. 

What did cross the line in the opinion of this golf writer are the recent comments of their manager Chubby Chandler. Saying it ranks 10^th and "does not have a place," speaks more to business logistics and profit maximization than to the traditions of the game and what has transpired in the last 150 years of competitive professional golf.

The move to May gave the "so-called fifth major" its rightful spot on the major calendar to complement the Masters in April, U.S. Open in June, the Open in July and the PGA Championship in August. One a month for five months straight seems like good sport and good business from a fan interest level.

Each major has its own spotlight. THE PLAYERS now has better weather and a more major-like "firm and fast" course setup with its May date. Ironically the move seems to favor international players with Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Tim Clark being the most recent champions. "I'd go over for the Players if I could play in the tournament the week before, but I don't want to pitch up at the Players cold, having not played for four weeks since Augusta," Westwood said. “So I'll play a couple of tournaments on the European Tour instead.”

Which, of course, is B.S. when you consider all the American and European players that played at East Lake at the Tour Championship and then flew over for the Ryder Cup in Wales the following week. Sounds a tad like a cry baby not getting what he wants and threatening to hold his breath. The PGA TOUR even amended their policy for Westwood and McIlroy so that playing in THE PLAYERS would not count as one of the limited number of events for nonmembers.

Ernie Els, an international player the stature of Gary Player and Greg Norman, is coming to The PLAYERS to compete but also to receive the highest honor for a golfer. On Monday evening of The PLAYERS week, not far from Ponte Vedra Beach and down the road in St. Augustine, Els will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame, like the PGA TOUR, in reality is more of an international organization more so than an American entity.

Last year there were 77 international members of the PGA TOUR from 21 different countries. The World Golf Foundation which oversees the Hall of Fame is supported by many international organizations including the European Tour itself.

What better reason to make an extra effort to play in the 2011 PLAYERS is needed other than being there in person with well wishes for one of the European Tour's own Ernie Els? The "so-called fifth major" deserves some respect. If you are eligible to compete and the tournament does not fit in your schedule, make your schedule fit this year's PLAYERS and the extra special Hall of Fame inductions.

After all there are four Majors and four World Golf Championships… but only one PLAYERS. The statement on the wall of the tunnel leading the players to the Stadium Course says it all. "Through this tunnel pass the greatest golfers of the world competing for the right to be called the PLAYERS champion." Maybe two of the greatest golfers in the world should ponder a bit what those words really mean.

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer covering all four major American golf tours- the PGA TOUR, Champions, Nationwide and LPGA Tours.

Reistetter resides in Pont Vedra Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

A lifetime golfer, Andy enjoys volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida and pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it.

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