The LIV series has continued to cause chaos in the golfing world as three stars who joined the Saudi backed series will not be able to participate in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. LIV also look set to welcome a new member in the form of The Open champion, Cameron Smith.
He has failed to deny that he was signing for the LIV Golf when asked directly at a press conference, adding to the mounting speculation he has. "My goal is to win the FedExCup play-offs, that's what I'm here for" the Aussie said. "If there's something I need to say regarding the PGA Tour of LIV it will come from Cameron Smith not Cameron Percy.
“I'm a man of my word and whenever you guys (the press) need to know anything it will be said by me." Smith was then asked directly about reports that he has already signed for the LIV Golf series. He replied: "I have no comment to that. I'm here to play the FedExCup Playoffs, that has been my focus the last week and a half."
The PGA’s initial request to ban the three LIV stars from the FedExCup read: "Despite knowing full well that they would breach Tour Regulations and be suspended for doing so, plaintiffs have joined competing golf league, LIV Golf, which has paid them tens and hundreds of millions of dollars in guaranteed money supplied by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund to procure their breaches.
"Plaintiffs now run into court seeking a mandatory injunction to force their way into the Tour's season-ending FedExCup Playoffs, an action that would harm all Tour members that follow the rules. The antitrust laws do not allow plaintiffs to have their cake and eat it, too.” Now US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman ruled in favour of the PGA Tour who wanted Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford barred from playing in the PGA Tour's season-ending event.
An important issue proved to be that the judge did not consider that the trio faced irreparable harm because of the big sums of money they were guaranteed by joining LIV. "There simply is no irreparable harm in this case," PGA Tour attorney Elliot Peters said. The aggrieved suspended golfers claimed they should be able to play where they wish, each saying in letters last month to the PGA Tour, "I am a free agent and independent contractor.”
This was echoed by LIV founder and CEO Greg Norman, who thinks players should not be prohibited to play on just one tour. "I believe players have the right to play when and where they choose so their talents can take them as far and high as possible," he said.
"I believe all players - whether they choose to play with LIV or the PGA Tour - understand and appreciate the purpose and importance of the players' legal actions, across the globe. The PGA Tour is trying to cast this as 'us' against 'them.' The players know better." Eight other LIV players, including Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour last week.
"The punishment that would accrue to these players from not being able to play in the FedEx Cup Playoffs is substantial and irreparable," the golfers' attorneys wrote in the lawsuit. “A temporary restraining order is needed to prevent the irreparable harm that would ensue were they not to be able to participate."
In the aftermath of the ruling, Rory McIlroy, a staunch defender of the PGA Tour, said it was the correct call. "From my vantage point common sense prevailed and I thought it was the right decision," he said. "It lets us focus on the important stuff, which is the golf. We can all move forward and not have that sideshow going on for the next few weeks, which is nice."
