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LIV Tour

PGA Tour suspends players from LIV Golf Invitational Series

Just in time for the start of the first LIV Golf event, the PGA Tour announces that participating players will be suspended by the PGA Tour.

Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, is not compromising. (Photo: Getty)
Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, is not compromising. (Photo: Getty)

The PGA Tour had been threatening sanctions for those players who would turn their backs on the PGA Tour and participate in the LIV Golf Invitational Series events for several weeks. Some players – including Phil Mickelson, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood – were not impressed by this and teed off on the first day of the LIV Golf Event in London. The PGA Tour’s receipt followed just minutes later.

Jay Monahan responds to LIV Golf

A two-page letter from PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan bans players participating in the first Saudi Golf League event, as well as players who plan to participate in future events in the series, from PGA Tour tournaments. The letter states, “Simultaneous to you receiving this memo, [those] players are being notified that they are suspended or otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament tournament play.” It is not yet clear for how long this suspension will last. Nor is it known if and, if so, how the players might return to the PGA Tour.

As if that were not enough, the players will also be removed from the FedEx Cup points list and will not be allowed to participate in PGA Tour events as non-members through a sponsor exemption or other eligibility category.

The suspension applies not only to participation in PGA Tour tournaments, but also to events on the other PGA Tour tours: the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Champions, PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Lationamérica. Last but not least, players will also no longer be able to participate in the Presidents Cup.

Jay Monahan explained the consequences of the PGA Tour’s decision: “As you know, [those players] did not receive the necessary conflicting event and media rights releases – or did not apply for releases at all – and their participation in the Saudi Golf League / LIV Golf event is in violation of our Tournament Regulations.” Neither player will be allowed to participate in PGA Tour tournaments as a non-member via a sponsor exemption or other eligibility category.

So far, 17 players have been affected by the suspension. Ten of them have already resigned from the PGA Tour before the announcement: Sergio Garcia, Branden Grace, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Kevin Na, Louis Oosthuizen, Turk Pettit, Charl Schwartzel and Lee Westwood. The remaining players hit by the suspension are Talor Gooch, Matt Jones, Phil Mickelson, Andy Ogletree, Ian Poulter, Hudson Swafford and Peter Uihlein.

Quick reaction of the Saudi Golf League

The Saudi Golf League shows shortly after the statement of the PGA Tour visibly attacked. It also issues a statement on Twitter, albeit much shorter: “Today’s announcement by the PGA Tour is vindictive and it deepens the divide between the tour and its members. It’s troubling that the tour, an organisation dedicated to creating opportunities for golfers to play the game, is the entity blocking golfers from playing. This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond.”