Nick Faldo has warned LIV Golf won’t survive the recent merger between the sport’s power brokers.
After lengthy fissures at the head of golf, the PGA Tour and DP World Tour agreed a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV.
But six-time Major winner Faldo warned that LIV would be the victim amid the uneasy peace.
Asked if LIV would survive, he said: “I don’t think so because nobody’s really interested. They’re not going to get the sponsorship that they want. They call it a team event and it’s not because it’s stroke play.
“You see your mates on the putting green and say ‘play well’ and you see them in the scorer’s tent and say ‘what did you shoot?’ That’s it. A team is out there helping, shoulder to shoulder, that’s a true team.
“You have the ultimate team event, the Ryder Cup, you know the passion and atmosphere of that. They’re not playing with the same passion and atmosphere as a Ryder Cup.
“It’s only half a dozen [players] that are really current, half of the field I don’t really know and half the field are there for the very nice last-placed money that you still get if you shoot 20 over.”
Faldo was speaking as host of this week’s British Masters, which got under way today at the Belfry, with former US Open winner Justin Rose among those in action.
Among the high-profile absentees are Rory McIlroy, who Faldo said would benefit from the newly brokered peace in the game.
“I’m pretty sure Rory’s suffered from being constantly asked, being a spokesman,” said Faldo. “You want a clear head when you go and play golf, you want to be able to concentrate.
“He’s playing beautifully. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s seriously inspired by Hoylake. That’s where he won last time. I’m sure he would just love to be able to bowl up, go and practise and play with minimal off-course work and interference.”
