Comparing the news from two markets
In a tweak to the overused “tale of two cities” lead sentence, we had an example last week of a tale of two markets and how a big one and a small one utilize the news of commitments the best they can.
Players joining a tournament field is a big deal, and the right kind of big names can give a market the competitive edge it needs for a successful event, so getting the word out the minute a commitment is made is key PR.
We start with the major market. Much was made last week about the players who hadn’t committed to the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. Among those not coming from the top 25 in the world are No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson, Russell Knox, and Jimmy Walker. Just 14 of the top 25 are playing. But still in the field from the top 10 are defender Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, Henrik Stenson, and Rickie Fowler.
A big market like Orlando doesn’t have to be 25 for 25 to succeed; the support for Arnie’s event can withstand a group of big names passing, but it still has a decent list of marquee players.
On the other hand, The Travelers Championship near Hartford, a tournament venue since the 1950s, doesn’t have the population base of Orlando to withstand a mediocre field. Yet the community supports the event incredibly well and the hometown feel is palpable. When you walk the fairways at TPC River Highlands during tournament week, the feeling is one of gratitude for the event and steadfastness that the event has a presence on tour. But key names are always welcome, and last Friday it was announced defender Russell Knox and two-time winner Bubba Watson will join previous commitment and first-timer Rory McIlroy in the June tournament. Nathan Grube, in getting to make a tournament director’s favorite comment, said, “We’re thrilled that fans throughout the region will have the opportunity to see one of golf’s brightest stars. It’s always our goal to bring the best players in the world, like Rory, to Connecticut. He has accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time, and we are all looking forward to seeing Rory in June.”
Two markets: One dealing with missing stars who are “dissing” Arnold Palmer, and the other extolling the key players who are coming. Each in their own way will do just fine.
List of Masters favorites: It is less than four weeks from the end of the Masters on April 9, but Sunday’s conclusion of the Valspar Championship didn’t really do much to shake up my list of top contenders from last week. I like this lineup, in no particular order yet: Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker, Jimmy Walker, Daniel Berger, with Phil Mickelson as the oldest contender and Jon Rahm and Thomas Pieters as the likely best rookie contenders. Henrik Stenson is looking better to be on his game, and Sunday winner Adam Hadwin and fellow Canadian Graham DeLaet are likely to fill the role of “surprise, outside contenders."