What role has Augusta National and chairman Fred Ridley had in the current brouhaha between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf Invitational Series? More than you might think if a 105-page complaint filed by Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and nine other players asking for a temporary restraining order so that LIV defectors can compete in the upcoming FedEx Cup Playoffs is to be believed.
“Augusta National, the promoter of The Masters, has taken multiple actions to indicate its alignment with the PGA Tour, thus seeding doubt among top professional golfers whether they would be banned from future Masters Tournaments,” according to an antitrust lawsuit filed by 11 LIV golfers on Wednesday against the Tour. “As an initial matter, the links between the PGA Tour and Augusta National run deep. The actions by Augusta National indicate that the PGA Tour has used these channels to pressure Augusta National to do its bidding. For example, in February, 2022 Augusta National representatives threatened to disinvite players from The Masters if they joined LIV Golf.”
