Bubba Watson makes a large number of trips to appear in competitions outside of the PGA Tour, this gives him the freedom to command large sums of money just for showing up.
The American might have finished 8th the last time he was in China, but you can bet your bottom dollar he walked away with more money than the eventual winner, Lee Soomin. In fact the young Korean will earn $450,000 for his efforts in China, a sum that will pale in comparison to what Bubba will be packing in his luggage.
Bubba’s appearance fee this week isn’t bad, just the $1.5m!! ???????? #STP
Both the the PGA and LPGA Tours prohibit payments to players, this is not the case overseas. There is no doubt this distinction keeps the European Tour relevant, they are allowed to pay players to appear which helps bolster the profile of various tournaments.
The traffic this creates is nothing new. Since the dawn of professionalism players have been collecting brown envelops – now suitcases – in exchange for showing up. Tiger paved the way for top players to use the international tournaments as a lucrative top-up to their PGA Tour incomes. In 2013 CBS Sports estimated that Tiger took home $8 million for playing in the Turkish Airlines Open ($3 million), the Abu Dhabi Championship ($3 million) and a one-on-one match with Rory McIlroy ($2 million).
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Brian Clough
Oh, what a legend. How we all wish we were around when Clough was managing. Maverick. If you haven't, please watch Damned United. And, during this game, the manager even turned on his own supporters by clipping them round the ear - that's probably kind to him - as his own fans raided the pitch after victory against QPR. Image Source: You Tube
Gerard Pique
Slightly different angle here. Pique has been famously vocal over his support for Catalan Independence from central Spain. The Barcelona man has regularly been booed when playing for the Spanish team, and recently stated how he will retire after the 2018 World Cup due to the pressure from the fans. Shame Gerard didn't opt for a Wazza-Roo response, 'nice to see your home fans booing, ya'. Image Source: Getty Images
Chelsea
Chelsea were an absolute laughing stock last season. And, to be fair to their fans, they stood behind their 'Special One'. Following Jose's sacking, Chelsea then decided to turn up, and beat Sunderland 3-0. Unprofessional, and just wrong. Who do the players think they are, picking and choosing when to show-up?! It led to heavy jeers from the home fans, in particular at the famous three rats; Costa, Hazard and Fabregas. Image Source: Daily Mail
Brad Guzan
You've got to feel for Aston Villa supporters. From being a really respected Premier League club under Martin O'Neil, to petering out like a pathetic erection after a big night out. Still, the way they turned on Brad Guzan during that 4-0 loss to Chelsea was too far last season. It led to the Chelsea players saying they'd never heard of such abuse to host players from the home fans. Poor old, Brad. Image Source: The Sun
Riyad Mahrez
After leading Leicester City to a Premier League title, Riyad Mahrez signed a new deal with the defending champs. With the Leicester magic sent to end after they get eliminated in the knockout round of the Champions League, Mahrez will be looking for greener pastures. Real Madrid with far too much money will look to buy the Algeria international for far too much money and he'll end up rotting on the bench. Source: Twitter
Charles Kelley
Lady Antebellum member finds time to rock all white while playing golf. (Pintrest)
Sergio Romero
Picture the scenario - you're the number one keeper for your nation who reached both the World Cup and Copa America finals in the last few years, and yet you're stuck sitting on the bench having to endure the miserable Manchester weather. How can Romero possibly be happy in his current position? The Argentine needs to be playing regular football, period. Source: ibtimes
Morgan Schneiderlin
The former Southampton midfielder simply isn't getting the respect he deserves under Jose Mourinho, and for such a quality player that is unacceptable. The abilities this lad possesses would see him walk into most teams around Europe, but for some reason the Frenchman can't hold down a regular place at Old Trafford which is a great shame. Source: Man United
Dan Felder
Long time Eagles guitarist is also a long time golfer. (Pintrest)
Luke Shaw
Some people may be shocked and outraged by this decision, but hear me out. The youngster has only just come back from a debilitating injury, but rumours are already circulating that Mourinho isn't a big fan of the youngster and it appears as if he's behind Daley Blind in the pecking order. Maybe a move away from Manchester wouldn't be the worst thing.
Ashley Young
Things have been looking pretty pear shaped for Young for a few years now, and to be honest if he has any hope of salvaging his career he needs to find the exit door at Old Trafford pretty quickly. It doesn't look like things are going to get any better any time soon, and he could still do a job for a second tier side. Source: Huffington Post
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Arda Turan
To be captain of your country, and then be booed like Turan was during Euro 2016, shows how ruthless the Turks can be. On the chopping board for not putting enough effort in during Turkey's 3-0 loss to Spain. The Spanish even started chanting Turan in support for the Barcelona man. Image Source: Squawka
Snoop Dogg
Snoop sure knows a lot about grass, plus is one hell of a golfer. (Listal)
Volkan Demirel
The Turks are back at it. Demirel genuinely refused to play for the national side in 2014, after receiving copious amounts of abuse from Galatasaray fans, playing for Fenerbahce. Saying that, really don't blame the 'keeper, those fans are terrifying. Image Source: kralspor
Mick Jagger will cost you $1 million for a private showing, so I guess Tiger really was deserving of his rock star status. Jordan Spieth is catching up, he reportedly pocketed $1.2 million for showing up at the Singapore Open, still some way to go before reaching Tiger’s dizzy heights. That’s why you might be surprised to hear Bubba was payed $1.5 million just for getting on a flight to China according to the Secret Tour Pro. It looks like his agent is a very wily negotiator indeed.
This sort of skullduggery isn’t absent from the PGA TOUR, in fact there are several loopholes a player can use to avoid the pesky intervention of professional standards policy.
Loophole #1 – Skins game
A player can turn up on the Monday of a tournament to play in a skins game or pro-am. This probably represents the largest grey area for these sorts of arrangements. The exchange will have to look like the player is receiving a payment separate from the tournament, making it difficult to prove.
Loophole #2 – “personal services contract”
This will see a player appear in a corporate outing as they fulfill a contractural obligation. If the pro just so happens to also play in the same sponsor’s tournament then I guess that’s just a massive coincidence if you know what I mean.
Loophole #3 – Charitable donation
This is probably the most wholesome way of receiving a payment for appearing. The tournament organisers make a large donation to the player’s charity which has the altruistic benefit of actually helping people down the line. I won’t go into the financial incentives that golfers have for setting up a charity because that’s another story altogether. Plus it’s Monday – an unhealthy time to be cynical.
Does it become a problem when the top tournaments are deprived of the best players?
(Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
The STP also noted that Rory McIlroy missed the WGC Bridgestone Invitational to play at the French Open, a tournament Bubba once played in for a fee. I would argue that appearance fees are a necessary evil when it comes to growing the game abroad. They provide a crucial lifeline to less significant tournaments, but do they go to far when they deprive the top tournaments of the world’s best players?
So McIlroy is giving ???????????????? to The WGC Bridgestone, and is playing the Open De France instead… I wonder why?? ???????????? #STP
