LIV Golf lawsuit shatters friendly facade among PGA Tour players. Now it's personal Opinion
If evidence is required of just how fraught emotions have become in the battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf or, more accurately, between Tour players and LIV's patsy plaintiffs then consider the example of Davis Love III. Throughout his almost 40-year career, Love has been the epitome of a genteel professional golfer, unfailingly polite toward colleagues and so buttoned-down that his idea of a revolutionary act is wearing pants of an off-khaki hue.
Suddenly, the establishment's ideal of a company man has morphed into Davis le rouge, an Ocasio-Cortez in Ralph Lauren pinstripes, encouraging boycotts from a constituency that usually only cares about slow play and high taxes, while insisting that no LIV player will darken the door of his Presidents Cup team room, even if declared eligible by fait of the court.
And he's not even the angriest guy out there.
Finally, we've reached the inevitable point at which the PGA Tour's carefully-constructed tapestry of collegiality comes apart at the seams. That image was always less organic than enforced, with disciplinary actions against players who spoke ill publicly of a fellow member. The intent was to create a commercially attractive impression of golf as being free of jerks, cheats, cokeheads, wife-beaters and other blackguards.
That façade held through the early defections to LIV, as Tour loyalists insisted they'd remain friends with the departed. But in the wake of Wednesday's legal filings by LIV players one an injunction request that would force three of them into the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoffs, the other an antitrust claim that challenges the Tour's supposed monopoly the fissures are expanding rapidly.
"Their vision is cherry-picking what events they want to play on the PGA Tour. Obviously, that would be the higher world ranking events and bigger purses," said a visibly irked Billy Horschel. "It's frustrating. They made a decision to leave and they should go follow their employer. I know there are guys a lot more angry and frustrated about it than me."
"What they're doing by going over there is detrimental to our Tour. You can't have it both ways," said Will Zalatoris. "A lot of guys will be pretty frustrated if they're allowed to do both."
"Please stay away in your fantasy land," Joel Dahmen tweeted.
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2022/08/06/liv-golf-lawsuit-now-personal-among-pga-tour-players/50571311/
A very sad time for Golf in America. I still can't believe a bunch of golfers sold out to a tyrannical govt with an atrocious record on human rights.
blm
(113,755 posts)Phoenix61
(17,426 posts)courses that refused African-American membership. That they are self serving jerks shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone.
SouthernDem4ever
(6,618 posts)I won't be watching.
Sneederbunk
(14,935 posts)SouthernDem4ever
(6,618 posts)Sneederbunk
(14,935 posts)PIF has stakes in Starbucks, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway, Qualcomm and Uber. Feel free to boycott.
SouthernDem4ever
(6,618 posts)Great country this is where a citizen can be dismembered for no reason but money always wins.
PJMcK
(22,660 posts)Bonesaw Phil got $200M.
Dustin the wind got $150M.
Tiger was offered something north of $700M. Impressively, he turned it down.
SergeStorms
(19,269 posts)was lured with big bucks as well, but I haven't heard any figures bounced around.
I used to like watching Mickelson and Johnson play, but they're off my radar screen completely now.
I actually hope the PGA prevails here. These guys made their choices, so live with them.
ZonkerHarris
(25,113 posts)So why should you get to pick and choose which golf league you play in on a week to week basis
SergeStorms
(19,269 posts)Great analogy. 👍
ZonkerHarris
(25,113 posts)Thats almost enough to afford to be able to wash the blood off the money
Almost
PJMcK
(22,660 posts)The players who accepted it are greedy and unsportsmanlike-like. They're also unethical, in my opinion, for going into business with such odious people.
twodogsbarking
(11,996 posts)SergeStorms
(19,269 posts)Even when he was at the height of his popularity something about him irked me. Maybe it was the way he treated the people around him.
I appreciated his skill as a player and the time he sacrificed to be the best at his sport, but that skill is most often born of privilege and exclusivity. These guys never had to work as teenagers. Their wealthy parents took care of their every need, the best instructors and equipment.
There are very few in that sport who had it tough when they were young. Lee Trevino comes to mind. Lee was a hoot,, and I loved watching him interacting with all the rich white boys. Natural ability only goes so far in golf. Sooner or later it takes money to propel you to the top, and it isn't their money.