Shane Lowry confirmed he won't be joining the LIV GOLF ranks after insisting tradition trumps money in golf.
Lowry, 34, came under fire for playing in the Saudi International in February, stressing at the time that he was "a golfer, not a politician", and that he was "happy to earn my living going there" for the controversial tournament.
However the Clara man sees the emergence of the Saudi-backed LIV GOLF, which staged its first event in England last week with Charl Schwartzel taking away the €4.6m first prize, as a red line he won't cross.
"Every player who is not there and hasn't signed up to it has absolutely had it up to here with it," said Lowry, gearing up for the US Open at Brookline that starts on Thursday.
He is playing the opening two rounds in Boston alongside Phil Mickelson and Louis Oosthuizen, who are two of the biggest names to sign up to LIV GOLF to date.
Lowry told Sky Sports: "And it's all anyone talks about, no matter where you go, no matter where you are at the golf course, and it's nice to get back to your hotel or your house in the evening and just get away from it.
"But even at that you've a few people with you and you end up talking about it again because not that it's a worrying time for golf but I don't know what way it's going to go.
"For me, I play the PGA Tour and the European Tour (now the DP World Tour) and that's what I'm going to do.
"I've been lucky enough to give my family a life that I never thought was possible from playing a game of golf, so I'm happy with what I've got there.
"Who knows who is going to be the next player to sign up, we just don't know. But I know it's not going to be me.
"So that's where I am with the whole thing."
Lowry elaborated on his reasoning by stating that this week was not about the money that players can earn, but the prestige of winning one of golf's top four prizes.
"I just think you have to look at it going, what Charl won at the weekend, fair play to him, he won that tournament but what Rory (McIlroy) won, I would rather win Rory's tournament," said Lowry, referring to his friend's successful Canadian Open defence at the weekend.
"So that's the way I look at it and I'd rather win this week than win anything.
"It doesn't matter, you win this tournament this week and you don't look at your winners cheque at the end of the day.
"You're standing there with that trophy with all those names on it and that's what golf is about, I think."
