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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Charlie Wilson

LIV Golf rebel Martin Kaymer tells PGA loyalists to 'move to Japan' after merge

LIV Golf rebel Martin Kaymer has told Rory McIlroy and those loyal to the PGA Tour to go and play in Japan if they have a problem with the merger.

The two golfing entities shocked the sporting world when they announced a merge between the two in a huge deal - which seemingly caught everyone by surprise.

LIV and the PGA signed an agreement in principle to a new, unnamed and unconfirmed for-profit company. The deal effectively ended the feud between the two circuits which had been ongoing for more than 12 months, with LIV having an antitrust lawsuit with the PGA.

PGA players were infuriated by the announcement, which they had not known about - as a frustrated McIlroy openly declared he still 'hates' LIV Golf. But Kaymer has responded to those who have criticised LIV and the merger and not minced his words.

He told The Telegraph : "I'm really looking forward now to the reaction of all the people who said "we don't want to play for blood money… we don't want to sell our soul.

"Well now they need to move to Japan [and play on the Japan Tour], in order to stay true to their word.

"I think you just need to follow your intuition and what you believe,' he said. 'I stood up to my values and stood up to the feeling in my heart. I was brave enough and stood up for myself to a lot of people, also here in Germany who criticized me and gave me s**t. Funny enough, they have sent me nice messages since the announcement.

"It's such a hypocritical world that we live in, so it's even more important to make your own decisions. Don't judge too much because when all is said and done, you might do the same thing."

Kaymer will be one of the LIV Golfers playing in next week's US Open, and does not expect any hostility. He believes the players hold no grudges and get on just fine but did confess he feels 'a little sorry' for some of the PGA Tour players.

LIV golfers had been roundly criticised for leaving the PGA tour and joining the Saudi-backed entity - after they were given huge contracts. Golfers such as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau were just a few of the big stars to join the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund entity.

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