LIV Golf have added another chapter to the sport's ongoing civil war, having filed a lawsuit in a bid to oust DP World Tour boss Keith Pelley. Since forming in June, LIV has been in a battle against both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
In August, 11 players - including the likes of Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau - filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, after the American-based circuit banned LIV members from competing. A number of players have since removed their names from the case, however it still remains, with a trial date set for January 2024.
It has since emerged than extension has been added to the lawsuit, that sees the DP World Tour wanting to “quash” a subpoena from LIV Golf looking to remove DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley.
LIV Golf has accused the two circuits of having an 'unlawful conspiratorial agreement' after forming a strategic alliance this year. Lawyers for commissioner Pelley believe he does not need to follow the subpoena, referencing a federal rule limiting the court’s jurisdiction to those 'within 100 miles of where the person resides, is employed, or regularly transacts business in person'.
Their motion read: “The mere presence of one of its directors [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] near Jacksonville does not somehow transform the European Tour’s overseas business operations as physically transacted within 100 miles of the place of compliance.”
The Saudi-backed circuit also claimed Pelley, "is scheduled to return to this district in a mere two weeks’ time for another conspiratorial meeting with the PGA Tour [and others] targeting LIV.”
This comes after it was rumoured that Pelley and Monahan were meeting to discuss warning of the LIV threat at the latest instalment of 'The Match' between Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, but this has been denied by the PGA Tour.
