On September 17, the PGA of America made a statement ahead of the Presidents Cup. Despite LIV Golfers already being allowed to compete at the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship, they once again announced that the breakaway league’s players had access to the field of the significant events. Despite being able to be part of the tournaments, they are still at a disadvantage since they are not eligible to get OWGR points.
Just before this decision was made, rumors were circulating that Tiger Woods & Co are demanding reparations from defectors who joined LIV Golf. According to a Bloomberg report, the PGA Tour-LIV Golf hostilities were the reason behind the merger delay. Some PGA Tour pros allegedly want the defectors to return the earnings made from LIV Golf, paying fines to participate in PGA Tour events, or donating to charity. Another proposed penalty is for the likes of Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau to forfeit future PGA Tour winnings.
Despite these hostile claims, however, Bryson DeChambeau is not infuriated. Rather, his goal is to think ahead about the future of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. The Crushers GC Captain was asked about the recent verdict ahead of the Team Championship in Dallas. At the press conference, he started talking about the exceptional amount of respect he had for the PGA of America throughout his career because of all the efforts they have put in for junior golf and other decisions of the golf community.
The captain added, “I’ve come close to winning their tournament numerous times, and to see that they came out and made that statement is great reassurance that we players will eventually have a pathway, whether it be exemptions or whatnot — hopefully, have a pathway to play in the Ryder Cup and other tournaments as such.” At the PGA Championship in Valhalla this year, DeChambeau was already a part of the field. He had already made the headlines, because of losing the trophy by just 1 stroke. Despite going bogeyless in the final round, he lost the trophy to Xander Schauffele.
The players at this point are left completely frustrated and just want a common ground where all of them can compete against each other. Bryson DeChambeau is hoping that this is a positive action on the part of the PGA of America. “I think it’s just the start. I think it’s the beginning of opening up the ecosystem back to a place where players can play across numerous tours and support different charities and tournaments alike in different countries and regions. I think it’s a great first step,” he added.
However, looks like the Crusher GC Captain’s dream will have to wait a little longer. There has been yet another hurdle introduced that has once again paused any hope of the merger at the moment.
The diversion in travel demands of the players
According to recent rumors, the PIF merger has once again hit a roadblock because of the travel demands of the players. The golfers of the breakaway league are aiming higher this time. They want to go global with their tournaments. On the other hand, the PGA Tour players are still stuck with their favored destination – North America.
This has directly raised a conflict with the PIF’s vision for a global golf tour. Yasir Al-Rumayyan is reported to not be happy with Jay Monahana’s approach to one continent. Allegedly, it has been stated that if this continues, the Saudis will start focusing on the growth of LIV Golf, resulting in more players making the shift. What are your thoughts about this? Let us know in the comments section!
