Henry Roldán
The world of golf is going through a very tense moment. This Wednesday, the situation became a little more acute after the legendary Phil Mickelson and 10 other players filed a lawsuit against the PGA Tour.
The antitrust lawsuit filed is the first step in a legal fight that could define the boundaries of where players can compete, after the PGA Tour punished many of its members, including Mickelson, for participating in LIV Golf.
This was filed in U.S. District Court in the city of San Francisco and alleges that the PGA Tour has used monopoly power to try to crush the competition and has unfairly suspended players.
Let’s remember that the LIV Golf league was born this season thanks to the sponsorship of the Saudi investment fund, a situation that has helped the royalties to participate and win its tournaments and this to be much larger, so many experienced players, except Tiger Woods have decided to go racing on a more relaxed schedule.
The lawsuit also revealed that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan not only suspended Mickelson for two months in March for his role in recruiting players for LIV Golf but also in June the player’s application for reinstatement was denied because he played in a competitive event and then extended until March 2024 for playing in another.
According to various reports, Mickelson signed a $200 million deal to join the Saudi Arabian-funded golf league, while Bryson DeChambeau, another of the plaintiffs who was suspended by the PGA Tour, reportedly collected around $150 million.
Also at the heart of the lawsuit are allegations that the PGA Tour is using its power as golf’s strongest circuit to intimidate players and anyone else who might become involved with LIV Golf.
The PGA Tour Responded to Phil Mickelson and Co.
While LIV Golf communicated that it would support its players morally, legally and financially throughout the process, PGA Tour Commissioner Monahan also released a statement in response to the lawsuit by Phil Mickelson and the other players.
We have been preparing to protect our membership and contest this latest attempt to disrupt our Tour… Fundamentally, these suspended players — who are now Saudi Golf League employees — have walked away from the Tour and now want back in. In an attempt to use the TOUR platform to promote themselves and to freeride on your benefits and efforts.
Jay Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner, about the lawsuit
Monahan has repeatedly been blunt in his comments about LIV Golf, referring in June that the tour cannot compete with a foreign monarchy that is spending billions of dollars in an attempt to buy the golf game.
