Tiger Woods has warned players joining the LIV Golf Series are giving up the chance to create a 'legacy' like the great Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan. A number of the sport's biggest names have made the controversial decision to join the Saudi-backed series.
Woods himself has been an open critic of LIV Golf, and once again hit out at the breakaway circuit ahead of this week's Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. The 15-time major champion knows better than most what it takes to cement a legacy in golf, having announced himself as one of the sport's greatest ever players.
And if others want to follow in the 82-time PGA Tour winner's footsteps, Woods has warned this is only possible by remaining and competing on the PGA Tour.
He said: "They want to be a validated tour with world ranking points and they're buying up tours around the world and I don't know what their end game is. It might be just being an official member of the golf ecosystem and being recognised with world ranking points.
"I think that's what their intended goal is. You know, they've spent probably close to $2billion (£1.7bn) this year. Who's to say they can't spend $4bn (£3.4bn) or $5bn (£4.2bn) next year? We just don't know. It's an endless pit of money.
"But that doesn't necessarily create legacies either. You want to compare yourself to [Ben] Hogan, you want to compare yourself to Snead, you want to compare yourself to [Jack] Nicklaus, you can't do that over there, but you can on this Tour."
The man behind LIV Golf's rapid growth across the sport is former world No. 1 Greg Norman. Reports have suggested that Norman could well bet set to lose his role as circuit CEO, and Woods believes the Australian has to go if the PGA Tour and LIV are to co-exist peacefully.
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He commented: "I think Greg has to go, first of all. And then obviously litigation against us and then our countersuit against them, those would then have to be at a stay as well. So then we can talk, we can all talk freely."
Revealing what he thinks needs to be done to end the animosity, Woods added: "I think it has to start with leadership on their side. Understanding that what is happening right now is not the best fit for the future for the whole game of golf.
"Now, what is the best way for our game to grow? It's not this way. But granted, you need to have the two bodies come together. If one side has so much animosity, someone trying to destroy our tour, then how do you work with that?"
