Has LIV Golf helped PGA Tour events sell tickets? That’s what one tournament director said

DETROIT — Less than 30 days from the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic, the tournament’s executive director, Jason Langwell, is approaching the event’s fourth year like it’s actually the second.

The RMC excitedly debuted in 2019, but momentum was thwarted by COVID-19 at a fanless 2020 event. This time last year, Langwell wasn’t certain about attendance arrangements as coronavirus lingered over Michigan. Though fans were allowed, their experience was still modified compared to 2019.

Following “three Year 1s,” Langwell hopes to produce a strong “Year 2,” from July 28-31 at the Detroit Golf Club, bolstered by a new date chosen to lure more big-name players. He referred to previous challenges as “disguised opportunities” that taught tournament officials what they needed to make this year’s event their best.

The Rocket Mortgage Classic released its initial nine-player field Wednesday, with some past notables missing: Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson have all left the PGA Tour for Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf. So has Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 RMC champion and former Rocket Mortgage ambassador who was dropped after committing to LIV.

In a Q&A with the Free Press, Langwell discussed the commitments of Will Zalatoris, Tony Finau and Rickie Fowler, the impacts of the tournament date change and LIV Golf.

Q: You moved the Rocket Mortgage Classic from the July 4 weekend to the end of the month to hit the window between the British Open and the FedEx Cup. How has that specifically affected commitments?

A: “The players tend to look at their world and the decisions they make for schedule as kind of windows between majors. And with ours being in a different block, if you will, we definitely picked up some players that we wouldn’t have otherwise.

“(Matt Kuchar’s) someone who plays a lot early, tends to try and take as much time in the summer off to be with his family. … (Justin Rose) is a good example of a guy who similarly plays a lot early. But during the windows we’ve been in historically, he heads across the pond to play a lot of golf overseas and get ready for the Open Championship. So we haven’t had that window, but now on the heels of this, where he’s at, kind of looking where he’s at from a FedEx Cup points standpoint, the window works better for him.

“But then we have those that are returning back that I would say play a little more steadily. And really, it’s more about picking the places they feel like they can go out and win. Kevin Kisner is a good example of someone who … look, he’s defending champ at Wyndham. It’d be really easy for a guy like Kevin to say, ‘Hey, I love RMC, I love Detroit, but I gotta go back and defend.’

“And for Kevin, I called him thinking I’d hear the ‘Hey, yeah guys, I love it, but…’ And he couldn’t have been more like, ‘Look, I don’t know if I’ve finished outside the top 20 there. I feel like I’m due to win and I’m gonna play places that I enjoy, cities I love and places I think I can win, and that’s Detroit.’

“So it’s a little bit different for everyone, right? But I think we’ve seen, I think the thing that we’re most excited about as a community, of the new date, is it does allow us to keep a lot of the regulars who love the city and love the golf course, while opening up windows for those who it’s going to fit their schedule better for the first time.”

Q: How does Will Zalatoris’ recent success elevate the profile of the field?

A: “Will, in spite of not playing well on the weekend, really enjoyed the experience last year. And not just here, but the entire downtown Detroit experience, and is looking forward to coming back for that. And having a guy like him, there’s no one that’s had more success in the majors this year without a win than him.

“And so having him come in is fantastic. And not only is a great player, but just a wonderful, wonderful human being, and someone too, who spent some time early last week playing some golf in the greater Detroit area, met some people, just really formed some great friendships.

“A factor in his decision was coming back and reuniting with people he met last year that he stayed close with and who have followed him and supported him. And that’s one thing about the Detroit community that has been great for us; we’ve got a lot of fans here that will stay in touch with and interact, and whether it be their social channels or grabbing a chance to have direct contact, that plays a factor.”

Q: What does Tony Finau bring to the field as a first-timer who is also making a name for himself?

A: “Tony’s a guy who came in and we were able to expose to the event actually through our Rocket Mortgage Fall Classic that we ran in 2020, which is a special that we did in the fall. … A guy like him, I feel like he’s in similar shoes as Will. He’s right there, won a couple times on Tour, (ranked) No. 17 in the world. … So he’s another guy that’s well-liked and him being here, it’s not only helpful to have a well-liked guy, but someone who brings some strong Official World Golf Ranking points to what is already a formidable field.”

Q: What does Rickie Fowler’s continued commitment as an ambassador mean to Rocket Mortgage?

A: “He’s someone that’s just been steady, just to have a steady supporter and voice in the market. And he’s someone to help spread the good word in the locker room with the players. It’s important to have his support in that fashion as well. And, he’s also been someone who does a ton of stuff off the golf course during the week as we look to help end the digital divide and change the course here in Detroit.

“I was with him this week in Travelers, spent some time in player dining just chatting a little bit and talking about the golf course and some of the changes that we’re making in and around it, and he’s great about offering feedback about that. Just having a seasoned fan favorite back in the field that can provide good input and also be a listener, have his ears open in the locker room to hear what players are saying as they come here or leave here to get us feedback on tweaks we can make, whether it be in player dining, or on the golf course. He’s been a massive asset that way and continues to be.”

Q: How has Bryson DeChambeau’s departure and LIV Golf affected the field?

A: “There’s obviously a lot of talk about what’s happening with them, and honestly, it’s really been, on one hand, positive in the sense that we’ve got a lot of people talking about golf. … It’s kind of brought the casual and fringe fan of golf into the conversation or curiosity just because of what’s being written and said. And we’ve seen some benefit to our traffic on our digital channels and our ticket sales as a result of that.

“Every year we’ve had a different field and we’ve had a great field. And we’re gonna have a different field this year, a great field. And there’ll be players that decide to play it and don’t, whether it be to just take a week off or go play somewhere else around the world. That’s always been the case. And now there’s another place to potentially play.

“So we roll with that. We stay focused and committed to what we’re doing in Detroit. And we’ve got one of the hottest golfers on the planet coming, a number of guys that are in the top 50 in the world, major championship winners, former world No. 1s, players who’ve made a great career for themselves and they’ve been regular winners in the tour.

“They’re just amazing people who are coming here to not only play golf and advance in the FedEx Cup standings, but because they appreciate what we’re doing, and the digital divide here in Detroit. And so we’re excited about who’s coming and focused on who wants to be here, and we couldn’t be happier for who’s made those choices.”

Patrick Cantlay reacts after making birdie on the 11th green during the final round of the RBC Heritage at Harbor Town Golf Links on April 17, 2022 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Q: Are you still talking to Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas, and do you expect any more major commitments?

A: “We’ve announced our initial field, and much like we have in the past, events happen and players play. Inevitably, especially given the window that we’re in here closer to the playoffs, I think we’ll expect some more players to commit. And so those conversations with Patrick, with Justin, with all the top players in the world, continue. They continued this week, and Travelers had lots of great conversations. And we’re hopeful and excited to make some announcements about new additions to the field here as we move into the coming weeks.”

Contact Mason Young: MEYoung@freepress.com Follow him on Twitter: @Mason_Young_0