The LIV-PGA Saga Continues…

08/04/2022

By: Jeff Yoder

11 Players on Saudi-Backed LIV Golf Series File Antitrust Lawsuit Against PGA Tour

The LIV vs. PGA saga just got another twist. On Wednesday, 11 golfers on the LIV Golf Series filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour. The lawsuit challenges the suspensions handed down by the PGA that prevent those golfers from playing in the FedEx Cup Playoffs that start next week.

 

How’d We Get Here?

The LIV Golf Series has been poaching the PGA Tour’s top players since the league’s arrival in the spring. The PGA then added bans to those players and revoked their PGA membership cards in June. As more and more players keep making the switch, the PGA ramped up its prize money for the upcoming season, but this year’s players who would’ve been eligible for the FedEx Cup Playoffs still want their shot.

 

The most notable players identified in the lawsuit were Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Abraham Ancer, Ian Poulter and Jason Kokrak. PGA Tour president Jay Monahan responded to the lawsuit by saying: “To allow reentry into our events compromises the Tour and the competition, to the detriment of our organization, our players, our partners and our fans.”

 

Another development in the golf arms race…

 

Additional Storylines

Insider: LIV Players’ Lawsuit Could Come Down to ‘Predatory Behavior’

ESPN: The Biggest Takeaways From the LIV Golfers’ Eye-Opening Lawsuit Against the PGA Tour

 

Photo: Chris Trotman / Getty Images