Chambers Bay has not hosted a major men’s golf event since the 2015 US Open.
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Ever since Chambers Bay hosted the competitive (and arguably compelling) US Open in 2015, the golf world has asked itself one question.
When will the pro golf tournament return?
On Friday afternoon, the story on Tacoma News Tribune has given us our first direct clues to the answer – and (spoiler!) it involves LIV Golf.
I TNT The story cites an interview with Pierce County Attorney Don Anderson, who works under County Executive Bruce Dammeier. Pierce County is the municipality surrounding Chambers Bay and the owner of the golf course, which serves as one of the best municipal tracks in the United States.
In the years since hosting the ’15 US Open, Pierce County has overseen several renovations and changes to the golf course in hopes of hosting another US Open or major golf tournament (mainly updating the greens from fescue to poa annua afterward. -US Open). But, in the years since it was held in ’15, the USGA has indicated that another US Open in Pierce County is unlikely. The USGA has announced every US Open host until 2042, and Chambers Bay was not listed.
Many of the issues with hosting a national championship-level event at Chambers Bay are related to the facilities: The course is built on a steep slope, and the experience from the reception area and the fans’ view seems to be below the gallery and construction of the USGA (normal) without standards. The USGA has had no problem bringing smaller events to Chambers, including the US Women’s Amateur and Four-Ball, but has been reluctant to bring its two biggest moneymakers (the US Open and the US Women’s Open) back to the Pacific Northwest.
Still, that didn’t stop Chambers Bay from trying. According to Anderson, representatives of Performance 54, LIV Golf’s shadow advertising agency, reached out to Pierce County to begin discussions about hosting the LIV event – and the county is all ears.
“LIV has its problems though, golf politics, global politics. You have to be careful there,” Anderson said TNT data Jon Manley. “They throw a good party, though. 54 golfers, 54 holes, shotgun start. Generates $5 million or more in franchise and merchandise sales. From that aspect, they are very attractive. If they follow their indirect questions, we will listen.”
Of course, there is no shortage of concerns about hosting a LIV event for a community-owned venue like Chambers Bay. The unit is funded almost entirely by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which would make hosting the LIV event tantamount to accepting money from the Saudis – a brutal regime with a record on human rights. Similar decisions have turned many LIV players into boys in recent years, although public opinion appears to be changing in the league as the PGA Tour enters backroom negotiations to accept Saudi sponsorship.
For LIV, Chambers Bay represents many things that the league has yet to find in a tournament host: (1) a unique virtual golf course in the United States (3) already in public view and (4) playable. on prime time television. The course’s proximity to a major metropolitan area (Seattle/Tacoma) and its cult following of only die-hard golf fans make it very attractive from a business perspective.
As Anderson said, the upside to hosting a men’s golf event in Chambers Bay is cold hard cash. In a municipality like Pierce County, a golf pro weekend could bring in millions of dollars for taxpayers, turning it into an attractive option for publicly owned courses, politics be damned.
Anderson said the county has tried hard to protect its relationship with the USGA since 2015, fending off offers from other potential golf partners in hopes of a US Open. But with the future looking calm, the course has begun exploring options for other pro golf events. LIV is one of those options – and probably most active option – but the PGA Championship and PGA Tour are also considered.
“As for the US Open, I think our best shot is to be an attractive cousin with a backup date when your pro date can’t go,” Anderson said. “That’s what happened the first time. The 2015 US Open was awarded to Winged Foot. It came to Chambers after they said they had to put this down.”
For Pierce County, a big part of hosting an event at the Chambers is high revenue, which helps subsidize all kinds of taxpayer expenses, but there are benefits below, too. As with many other high-profile munis, the county makes far more money from out-of-district green fees than it does from local residents. Hosting big-time events helps Chambers Bay raise its profile in the golfing community, which only helps increase interest from outsiders.
The course is still doing well financially, Anderson said, but there is more to running the golf course than the main goal. In one of America’s most unique golf experiences, tournament golf is as much a business opportunity as a reputation.
“You don’t run a championship golf course every 25 years,” Anderson said. “We will continue to have regular USGA tournaments. Anything on TV is good. With any business, you have to adapt to the market. There may be other factors involved.”
(Read the full story in the News Tribune here.)
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