LIV Golf Investments has confirmed to Golfweek the delivery of a letter and accompanying seven-point memo sent by Greg Norman to some professional golfers and their agents last week.
Labeled as private and confidential, the letter starts by insisting that the PGA Tour cannot ban golfers who play in a proposed Saudi Golf League, calling such attempts “utterly impermissible under competition and other laws.”
The letter goes on to explain how the LIV Golf team is interested in such things as a “collaborative outlook” and sharing “how our vision and operation will enhance the game” while accusing the PGA Tour of being unwilling to “entertain constructive dialogue for the betterment of the game and stakeholders across all sectors, particularly players.”
The letter, signed by Greg Norman, LIV Golf Investments,
CEO & Commissioner, also talks about how there are “noted antitrust lawyers” available for anyone with questions.
The letter concludes with: “Finally, you should know that LIV Golf Investments is on the side of the players. None of us should stand for these egregious acts of bullying by the PGA Tour.”
Along with the letter is a seven-point list entitled “PGA Tour Cannot Ban Players Who Join LIV GOLF”. Items on this list include:
- The PGA Tour Would Violate The Antitrust Laws Were It To Ban Players
- Antitrust Law Violations Carry Severe Consequences For the PGA Tour
- Permanently Banning Golfers Will Diminish the PGA Tour’s Product
- The PGA Tour Would Violate Its Non-Profit Purpose Were It To Ban Players
- The PGA Tour Would Violate Its Own Regulations Were It To Ban Players
- The PGA Tour Will Likely Crumble Under Public Pressure Supporting Players
- The PGA Tour Would Damage Its Relationship With Its Members to Permanently Ban Golfers
Comments by Phil Mickelson that recently came to light also addressed the non-profit status of the PGA Tour.
“The Tour is supposed to be a nonprofit that distributes money to charity. How the (hell) is it legal for them to have that much cash on hand? The answer is, it’s not,” Mickelson told the Fire Pit Collective, among many other things.
The letter and the seven-point memo were sent to Golfweek by LIV Golf Investments after “it was leaked” to other media outlets.
Golf Channel reported on Tuesday during a players meeting ahead of this week’s Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan didn’t use the words “lifetime ban” but did point players in the direction of the door if anyone was having thoughts of leaving for the breakway rival league.
