One of the original 11 LIV players to file a lawsuit against the PGA has now decided to drop out, according to Sports Illustrated. Pat Perez, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, opted for a lucrative LIV deal back in June.
According to sources the 46-year-old penned a four-year deal with approximately $10million (£8.45m) guaranteed. He expressed his desire to join the lawsuit in support of his colleagues who joined Greg Norman and co, but now thinks it was ill-advised. “I didn’t really think it through,’’ Perez told SI. “I did it to back our guys.
“I have no ill feelings toward the PGA Tour or any of the players. I’m a LIV guy 100 percent. I’m going to play for them. But I don’t feel any need to go after the PGA Tour. They gave me a wonderful opportunity for 21 years. I’ve got nothing against them, no hard feelings toward anybody. I earned everything I got out there, don’t get me wrong.
“I chose to leave and I’m not looking to come back. I’d like to maybe play the Champions Tour one day if that can work out and that’s why I have not given up my membership. But there is no benefit to doing this. I have an unbelievable deal with LIV and I’m behind them 100 percent.’’
In the two LIV tournaments Perez has played, he has earned just over $1.8m (£1.5m), with $1.5m (£1.2m) of that coming via twice being on the winning team. Perez is the second player to have pulled out of the lawsuit this week, with Carlos Ortiz also opting to withdraw.
Some of the biggest LIV names, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, are still part of the lawsuit, which has a trial date of January 2024. Perez lamented the situation that has evolved in golf in recent months and claimed it is hurting the sport. “The whole thing is unfortunate,’’ Perez said. “I think it’s bad for the game.’’
When asked if there was a possibility for PGA and the LIV to work out a plan to co-exist, Perez said: “It’s too deep; it’s too ugly now. I don’t see it happening anymore. There’s just too much on both sides and it’s gotten ugly. I just don’t see a resolution, unfortunately. There was a time I did.’’
The LIV series has continued to have an impact, three stars who joined the Saudi backed series were deemed unable to participate in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. 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.”
