Tiger Woods huddling with PGA players over LIV split – Sporting Life
Tiger Woods reportedly huddled with the PGA Tour’s top pros on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing battle with the Saudi-backed LIV golf circuit.
Woods and fellow pro Rickie Fowler flew from Florida to Philadelphia before meeting players on the sidelines of the BMW Championship in Delaware.
Tiger Woods will meet with top PGA Tour golfers to “support” against LIV Golf, according to Mark Schlabach.
Many players on the PGA Tour have switched to LIV Golf in recent months pic.twitter.com/ESlJluJP9u
– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 16, 2022
Multiple US reports said that Woods and about 20 of the PGA Tour’s top players were discussing strategies to combat LIV, which constantly lured players away from the Tour with lucrative multimillion-dollar contracts.
Golf has been in an uproar since the launch of LIV this year, with Australia’s newly crowned British Open champion Cam Smith reportedly the next big name to join the Upstart circuit.
Woods, who has reportedly turned down between $700 million and $800 million to join LIV, has been one of the new circuit’s most outspoken critics.
Last month at St Andrews, Woods said he “didn’t agree” with players who had signed with the series.
“I think what they did is they turned their backs on what allowed them to get to that position,” Woods said, adding that younger players who move to LIV may “never have the Get a chance to play in a major championship.”
“I just don’t get it,” he said.
The BMW Championship is the second leg of the lucrative FedEx Cup Playoffs at the end of the PGA Tour season.
Several players who are normally expected to make the playoffs – such as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau – have joined LIV and have been banned from playing.
Tuesday’s players’ meetup in Delaware comes after three LIV defectors lost a bid to make their way onto the field for last week’s St Jude Championship in Memphis.
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“I think it could have made things a little bit awkward, yeah,” Spanish star Jon Rahm told reporters on Tuesday.
“You have made a choice to leave the PGA Tour, you have made a choice to go on another tour and you know the consequences; and then try to come back and get, you know. It wouldn’t have suited me very well, I would say.”
Patrick Cantlay, meanwhile, joked about Wood’s role in Tuesday’s talks.
“Well, I heard Tiger’s the new commissioner, right?” Cantlay joked before the meeting started.
“Everyone said that. I go to the meeting. I’ll hear what it’s about and I’ll probably have more for you after that.”