Legacy is a powerful thing in sports. It defines a person’s contribution not just as a purveyor of the sport but as a flagbearer to the very ethos of it. Michael Jordan was a player who defined the legacy of the NBA. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for soccer. The Big Three—Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic—for tennis. Even Golf has several legacy members in their ranks. Jack Nicklaus’s legacy stands out for his immense dedication to success and pursuit of it. But on and off the field, there is one name that stands tall—Tiger Woods.
Dan Rapaport, in his podcast Dan on Golf, approached legacy differently, especially when it was concerning one of the greats of the game, Tiger Woods. “Why is nothing in golf named Tiger?” The podcast host asked inquisitively. It is a legitimate question that was put forward by Rapaport, which prompted many such instances in golf from co-conspirator Alan Shipnuck. He referred to Jack Nicklaus’s iconic water fountain at Augusta as an example. Dan Rapaport had a more global idea, though.
“They should change the PGA Tour logo to Tiger with the fist bump. That would be iconic, for what Tiger has done for the Tour and also for him continuing to be involved moving into the future.” The host professed. He used the example from another American sporting organization, the National Basketball Association, as an example to make his case. “I think Jerry West is the logo of the NBA. I think it would be pretty cool if Tiger were the logo for the PGA.” Rapaport further added.
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The legacy the Big Cat leaves behind is not even up for debate. Woods has won 15 major championship titles and 82 PGA Tour titles, the latter of which is tied with Sam Snead for the highest ever. He came in as a young teenager and dominated the field till he was well into his 40s, winning his last title on the Tour when he was 43 years old. More than that, he brought more and more eyes to the sport of golf, as people tuned in to catch a glimpse of the magic he wove with his clubs.
He has also been actively involved behind the scenes of the organization as a policy board member, working hard to ensure the players have nothing to worry about. And to top it all off, Woods is spearheading the next generation of golf through his technology-based simulator league, the TGL. Despite nearing retirement, he is omnipresent in the field of golf, extending the sport’s arm beyond the golf course. It is this legacy that is making golf journalist Alan Shipnuck turn from naysayer to believer, agreeing with Dan Rapaport on his thought process regarding Tiger Woods.
This is a surprising move from Shipnuck, who had previously ridiculed Tiger Woods and another PGA Tour pro, Patrick Cantlay, for their lackadaisical approach to LIV-PGA Tour negotiations.
Shipnuck chastises Tiger Woods for LIV Golf stance
“I don’t care how petty, vindictive, and greedy Tiger & Cantlay are…they can’t be this dumb, can they?” Shipnuck exclaimed. This was in response to the news that came out last year that, as part of the merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, the LIV pros are expected to shell out the massive sums of money they received from the Public Investment Fund to change loyalties and move to the LIV Circuit. Players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, and many others received north of $100 million as part of their contract. Shipnuck felt that the move from the PGA Tour and decision-makers like Woods and Cantlay was done in poor taste and did not contribute much to the cause at all.
“No LIV golfer is going to refund money they received (and spent!) 2 years ago. No wonder Dunne, Stephenson & Flaherty were ejected—vengeance is not a productive negotiating strategy.” Shipnuck further added vehemently. While no deal materialized in the end, the thought process behind these decisions has given several stakeholders points for concern.
Despite these misgivings, Shipnuck still feels that the PGA Tour should honor the legacy of the Big Cat. What do you think?
