LIV Golf have joined the antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, despite four of its players removing their names from the complaint. The lawsuit was filed against the Tour after it suspended golfers who had joined LIV from competing on their circuit.
The likes of Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau were included in the filed complaint, and the defectors now also have the backing and inclusion of their LIV bosses. Despite this not every Saudi rebel has decided to keep their name on the lawsuit.
Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz Pat Perez and Jason Kokrak have all decided to withdraw their names from the complaint, as golf's civil war rolls on.
Initially the antitrust lawsuit contained 11 names and was filed on August 3, but on Friday the complaint was amended. The lawsuit alleges the PGA Tour have been accused of unfairly suspending playing members from competition, as well as looking to squash out any rival tour.
In the amended complaint, LIV Golf have alleged that the PGA Tour's restraints have forced their Saudi-backed circuit to pay more in bringing players in, and warned off others from joining due to the threats of being punished. Three LIV defectors in Matt Jones, Talor Gooch and Hudson Swafford filed for a temporary restraining order in order to compete in the recent FedEx Cup play-offs but this was denied.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan revealed a whole host of new plans for the 2023 season, to keep players onside in their battle with the Saudi-funded series. This included bringing in 12 elevated events which will contain an average purse of £17 million at each event.
The Tour have also doubled their Player Impact Programme (PIP) from 10 players to 20, raising the total payout from £42 million to £84 million. There was also benefits for those players outside of the usual elite group, with the circuit bringing in a new insurance initiative which will see all players receive £425,000 across the campaign.
When asked if there would be any way LIV golfers could make a return to reap the new rewards, Monahan categorically ruled it out. He said: "No. They've joined the LIV Golf Series, and they've made that commitment. For most of them, they've made multiyear commitments.
“As I've been clear throughout, every player has a choice, and I respect their choice, but they've made it. We've made ours. We're going to continue to focus on the things that we control and get stronger and stronger. I think they understand that.”
