The leaderboard described Matt Fitzpatrick and Tom Lewis as having zero career wins
Social Media Criticises CBS Sports WGC Leaderboard
For the second week running, CBS Sports’ leaderboard has come under fire as “nonsense” and “absurd” for referring to players’ PGA Tour wins as ‘career wins’.
The World Golf Championships are sanctioned by all major tours across the world but the wins column was only showing PGA Tour victories, hence why both Tom Lewis and Matt Fitzpatrick were listed as having ‘0’ career wins.
Golf fans know that Matt Fitzpatrick has won five times on the European Tour and Tom Lewis has won twice on the European Tour, once on the Korn Ferry Tour and once on the Challenge Tour, however somebody who does not have much golf knowledge would instantly think that these players had never won before.
It’s a similar theme with Brooks Koepka who was listed as having seven career wins, when he has actually won 14 times around the world as a professional.
Ian Poulter called it “pathetic.”
As a World Golf Championship event that consists of players who are exempt from around the World. Someone please explain how wins have been discredited because not in US. What would it have said if Seve was still playing ? 9 instead of 90 he actually won. This is pathetic pic.twitter.com/IFLHl0jjQo
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 4, 2020
Sorry Matthew and Tom, despite this being a ‘WORLD’ Golf Championship event, your five and four career wins respectively are hereby cancelled. They did not occur on the PGA Tour, therefore do not exist. Please also erase from your memories. pic.twitter.com/14qpfHmKRu
— Barry Havenga (@LooseImpediment) August 3, 2020
“It’s a WGC event – created by the International Federation of PGA Tours (PGA, European, Asian, Japan, Australasia & Sunshine) – so yes, if a player has won on those tours, it should say so. That graphic is absurd,” Barry Havenga wrote in the comments of the photo he posted on Twitter.
Matt Fitzpatrick joked that is was a “bit harsh.”
Bit harsh 😂😂😂 https://t.co/vbdmdSLDLe
— Matt Fitzpatrick (@MattFitz94) August 3, 2020
WHAT A PATHETIC DISGRACE @GOLFonCBS @CBSSports
The golf world does not revolve solely around @PGATOUR
Poor excuse for a 2nd-class TV network delivering pictures around the 🌏
* Tom Lewis – 4 🥇(Including 2 @EuropeanTour )
* Matthew Fitzpatrick – 5 🥇 @EuropeanTour Bernie 😡 pic.twitter.com/tBxqF1aEqc— 💥Turning Knowledge Into Solution”💥-Fatiha (@TOURMISS) August 3, 2020
“Saw this last night as well. Such nonsense. Apparently the DP World season ending tournaments doesn’t exist..,” one user wrote.
“This was outrageous, tbh. Such a slap in the face,” another said.
This was outrageous, tbh. Such a slap in the face. https://t.co/mrKFaMHeb9
— Tom Wilson (@tomwilson88) August 3, 2020
In the previous week’s 3M Open, the leaderboard was also criticised on social media with Alex Noren, a 10-time European Tour winner, listed as having ‘0’ career wins.
Charl Schwartzel was listed as having two career wins despite 15 victories around the world including 11 European Tour triumphs.
Let’s hope the graphic changes to either ‘Pro wins’ or ‘PGA Tour wins’ in the future to make things a little clearer.
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