Xander Schauffele has admitted that many top players feel betrayed by the PGA Tour’s decision to do a deal with LIV Golf.
The world of golf was rocked earlier this week when a merger between the two warring factions was announced. Golfers who had turned down the millions offered by the Saudi Arabian-backed breakaway tour and stayed loyal to the PGA Tour were left to come to terms with the complete U-turn.
The news provoked a shocked reaction from PGA Tour professionals, who had been left in the dark by commissioner Jay Monahan. Players held a fiery meeting at the Canadian Open in which things became heated while discussing the decision.
Schauffele, who has won seven PGA Tour titles, has given an insight into the reaction from his fellow pros.
“Yeah, I guess [betrayal] would be the charged word,” he told The Times.
“Irony comes to mind as well. From the messages I’ve had, everybody is taking it a bit personally, which is fair, to an extent. I was definitely left in the dark, like most guys, which is frustrating from the transparency side.
“I thought we were making some headway in that department, but obviously not, because there wasn’t a whole lot of trust in the first place. As tour pros, we try to rationalise situations when we compete, but some guys are feeling hot-headed, some are more confused, some are emotional.”
Despite the initial annoyance, Schauffele can see some positives coming out of the deal. The 29-year-old American pointed to the increased investment in the game and the better standard, with all the world’s best players now competing alongside each other again.
It is a point echoed by Rory McIlroy, who faced the media earlier this week. "When I look at the bigger picture and I look ten years down the line, I think this will be good for the game of golf,” he said.
The Northern Irishman was among the most outspoken players against LIV Golf and, while he still retains his hatred for the breakaway tour, he has “come to terms with” the private investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Discussing LIV Golf defectors, he said: "There still has to be actions. The people who left the PGA Tour... we can't just let them back in", and added of his own role in the dispute: "It's hard not to feel like I was a sacrificial lamb."
In a statement announcing the deal, Monahan said: "After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love.
"This transformational partnership recognizes the immeasurable strength of the PGA TOUR’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV – including the team golf concept – to create an organisation that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.”
