Peter Kostis: Golf Should Be More Transparent About Injuries, Equipment
Posted on: June 8, 2025, 12:02h.
Last updated on: June 8, 2025, 12:02h.
- Peter Kostis thinks more information on golf should be made public
- With golf betting embraced, Kostis says player injuries and equipment statuses should be released
- Much player information remains private
The sport of golf should be more transparent regarding player injuries and equipment testing. That’s according to Peter Kostis, among the game’s most respected broadcasters who helped call the Masters from 1990 through 2020 and worked with CBS Sports and the USA Network during his prolific career.
Following the recent scandal surrounding Rory McIlroy’s driver failing an equipment test at last month’s PGA Championship at Quail Hallow — just a little more than a month removed from the Northern Irishman winning the Masters to complete the career grand slam — Kostis says the PGA Tour, Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), USGA, the R&A, and other governing bodies that sanction events and tournaments that are commonly bet on should provide more information that is currently kept private.
The bodies currently keep the outcomes of players’ equipment and drug testing, as well as injuries, confidential, although there have been instances of such results being leaked to the media, as was the case with McIlroy’s nonconforming driver.
Kostis says with golf’s embrace of legal sports betting, more transparency is needed.
Kostis Confidential
Kostis, who worked alongside such golf commentary greats as Jim Nantz, Vern Lundquist, Gary McCord, and David Feherty, thinks bettors risking money on golf outcomes deserve to have the same information a football or basketball bettor is afforded.
“I have been consistent with my objections to the lack of transparency from the PGA Tour on all things from drug testing, driver testing, Player of the Year voting, injuries, suspensions, fines, and slow play….you name it. This lack of transparency is even more important in today’s world where the Tour embraces gambling,” Kostis wrote on X.
Would knowing someone was fighting an injury or playing with a ‘backup’ driver head affect any bets you might place?” Kostis asked his almost 100,000 followers. “If the Tour deems testing to be important to the integrity of its competitions, then publicly releasing the results is important to the integrity and reputations of their players.”
McIlroy went silent at the PGA Championship after the news of his driving not passing a compliance test went public. It was later revealed that Scottie Scheffler’s driver had also failed.
At this week’s Canadian Open, McIlroy addressed the situation.
I was a little pissed off because I knew that Scottie’s driver had failed … but my name was the one leaked. It was supposed to stay confidential,” said McIlroy.
US Open Odds
McIlroy had a disastrous two days at TPC Toronto ahead of this week’s US Open at Oakmont. The pre-tournament betting favorite, McIlroy shot rounds of 71-78 to finish ahead of just four players.
McIlroy later admitted to lacking some motivation after completing the career grand slam. McIlroy has struggled with his new driver put in the bag after his previous TaylorMade clubhead failed testing.
Oakmont will require precision from tee to green, but errant drives will set players up for long weeks, as deep, thick rough and penalizing bunkers will undoubtedly add shots before a player gets on the famously fast greens.
Sportsbooks slightly lengthened McIlroy’s US Open odds after his Canadian Open showing. At BetMGM, McIlroy is now at +1100, though that’s still third-shortest behind only Scheffler (+275) and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau (+800).
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