Fred Couples is angry and the LIV tries again

GM (aka, good morning). This is Easy Pars. The golf newsletter that never tells you your drives are too long (or short).

Here’s what we’ve got today:

• Fred Couples throws shade at LIV (+ other LIV shenanigans)

• Does golf ball time travel?

• Tournaments this week

• A BIG fat THANK YOU!!

Phil Mickelson = likable nutbag

Fred Couples is, without a doubt, a golf legend.

And when asked about his thoughts on LIV Golf during a PGA Tour champion's breakfast, well, he obliged shredded.

Here are some of his best nuggets from the conversation:

• “If you’re giving Phil Mickelson $200 million at age 52 to shoot 74 and 75, God bless you,” (Our reaction = 🤣)

• He also called Mickelson a nutbag but admitted he still liked him.

• “I don’t know anything about the LIV Tour, except they overpay all of them,” this was his reply on what he thought about the overall level of golfers hired by LIV.

• “Just go to the LIV Tour, but stop blasting something I’ve been a part of for 42 years,” was what he said about players that decided to move to LIV.

I guess you can tell that Couples isn’t LIV’s biggest fan. But not so much about the fact that there’s another league, mostly what annoys him is the amount of complaining by the players.

Live look at Couples shredding LIV from the PGA breakfast:

This was totally unexpected

The folks at LIV were well aware that they may be involved in some sort of legal action at some point.

I mean, they poached attracted players from their competition with money. So they probably saw a lawsuit or two heading their way.

It makes sense.

This new lawsuit, not so much.

In case you weren’t aware, there is another business that is also called LIV.

It’s a nightclub in Miami.

LIV nightclub filed a court action to prevent LIV Golf from registering its trademark. They claimed that it would dilute the brand value of the nightclub.

The fact that they think there would be some overlap between the people interested in LIV Golf and LIV the nightclub is a bit of a headscratcher.

Nonetheless, LIV Golf managed to rack up yet another lawsuit seemingly out of nowhere.

How do the people who write the checks feel?

The PGA seems to be under pressure — shifting more than a criminal during a polygraph.

In the last few weeks, the PGA sent shockwaves in the golf world by announcing new no-cut “designated” events.

NOW…Big Golf is floating a rule change to effectively walk back golf ball technology.

Will it affect you? Unless you’re a PGA pro, or your local golf club changes the rule — no.

This is a change. Before, the rules were effectively the same for the pros and us (except maybe a few strokes difference on our handicap, amiright?)

It’s called “bifurcation,” which you don’t want to hear from us, but it means — pros and amateurs have different rules now…if the ball rule happens.

It’s not official, but some allege it’ll take driving distances back to the 1990s, which is interesting.

What do these changes mean? Potentially upset sponsors.

Sponsors are a big deal for the PGA Tour.

Without them, there’s no juicy prize money, without juicy prize money, you get fewer of the top-level pros. So keeping them happy is critical to make sure they keep on signing the checks that fuel The PGA Tour’s golf engine.

But after the PGA Tour announced all these changes for next year’s seasons, has anyone asked the sponsors how do they feel about it?

Golfweek did, and they have a mixed bag of answers.

TL:DR — The ones in the first group are very happy. The other guys are very nervous because they don’t know what will happen.

This week at a glance

• Today starts the Valspar Championship. As this email goes out, Wesley Bryan (of Bryan Bros Golf) is currently in the #1 spot.

• Friday starts the second televised LIV tournament, this time in Tuscon. (Sure we’ll have more on that Monday!)

The biggest “Thank YOU”…to you

When we began putting out Easy Pars weeks ago, there was one goal — deliver golf news that’s not boring.

We take on the stories, make jokes about Big Golf and the LIV alike. All to give you something to look forward to, a few times per week, about the sport we all love.

“Yeah, yeah, what’s the point?” This week, we broke more than 1,000 subscribers!!!

Truly, thank you for subscribing.

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Meme of the day

😂😂

That’s it for today, golf fans. We’ll be back Monday to recap the tournaments, bring you the latest, and (hopefully) bring a smile to your face. Remember to get your friends in the club!

Later gator,

E.