PXG founder Bob Parsons says LIV Golf stars who had contracts with his brand have not had them renewed – including big names such as Patrick Reed and Pat Perez.
Parsons told Esquire that although PXG allowed player such as Reed, Perez, Jason Kokrak and Hudson Swafford to see out their contracts when they joined LIV Golf, none of their deals were renewed.
The 72-year-old is never backward in coming forward with his opinions, and he’s making a stance that he wants his PXG brand to have nothing to do with LIV Golf.
“We’ve had some guys that had contracts that went on that tour, and I honored the contracts,” Parsons told Esquire. “But now that the contracts are up, I have no contract with them, and I don’t think they can contract with sponsors with the LIV tour, at least.
“I don’t know. I could be speaking out of school, but if I had an opportunity to come up and do it, I wouldn’t do it.”
The billionaire is a veteran of the Vietnam War, being awarded a Purple Heart from his time with the US Marine Corps – and says that his military background coupled with Saudi Arabia's links to the 9/11 terrorist attacks make it hard for him to get involved with LIV.
Greg Norman’s new golf tour is backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), and LIV Golf has drawn criticism and protests from families of the 9/11 attacks as a result.
“On the LIV tour, I consider myself a patriot. With the stuff that went down at 9/11, I have a hard time getting involved with them,” Parsons added.
“I know, sometimes, bygones got to be bygones, and I’ve forgiven a lot of people. One of them is Jane Fonda for what she did during the Vietnam War. I’m no longer angry at her. I get it. She was young and stupid. But I just cannot bring myself to do anything with [LIV], and the guys who are heroes, they all agree with that.”
The brand is the first to come out publicly against LIV Golf, although several other big name players have parted ways with their sponsors.
Dustin Johnson recently ended his 15-year association with Adidas while Bryson DeChambeau’s deal with Cobra was not renewed after it expired.
LIV Golf’s franchise model means that the teams involved in the league are looking for their own specific sponsors, but no official club or apparel deals have yet been announced.
Players on the LIV Golf tour haven’t been used as much by the major manufacturers in terms of advertising and it’s unclear just how much they are allowed to do as part of the contracts players signed with LIV.
