The war of words in pro golf has escalated to legal proceedings as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were handed subpoenas to divulge what happened at a PGA Tour player’s meeting.
Attorney Larry Klayman, who represents the lead plaintiff in a case against the PGA Tour, maintains that the PGA Tour has engaged in anti-competitive practices during the August 17 meeting, Yahoo News reported.
Klayman’s press release states, “it is believed that discussions occurred which are alleged … to be anti-competitive and violative of the antitrust laws vis a vis the LIV Golf Tour and its players.”
After the PGA Tour meeting, Yahoo noted, the tour announced “a $100 million raft of new proposals for the PGA Tour, which includes four new ‘elevated events’ with prize money of at least $20m, a $50m boost to player bonuses and a $500,000 minimum yearly return for golfers who compete in at least 15 tournaments.”
The attorney’s press release adds that McIlroy will be deposed on Sept. 21 and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan on Sept 27.
FedEx Cup winner Rory McIlroy (left) holds the FedEx Cup trophy with PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan (right) after the final round of the PGA Tour Championship on August 25, 2019, at East Lake Golf Club. (Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Klayman added that the lawsuit is not a personal attack on Woods and the others.
“This is not a personal ‘thing’ against Woods, McIlroy and Monahan,” said Klayman. “It’s about getting information about what occurred at the players’ meeting and generally with regard to allegations in our complaint that the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and their commissioners Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley, are allegedly colluding in restraint of trade and the antitrust laws to harm the LIV Golf Tour and its players.”
Tiger Woods prepares a shot during Day Two of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 15, 2022, in St Andrews, United Kingdom. (MB Media/Getty Images)
But Klayman notes that the recent PGA Tour announcement of higher prize money and guaranteed attendance payments for top players is an attempt “to emulate LIV Golf, while continuing to allegedly harm LIV and its players by, among other alleged anticompetitive acts, working to deny them world ranking points to compete in major tournaments such as the Masters, US Open, British Open, and PGA Championship.”
Citing its new prize money, Klayman took a jab and mockingly called the PGA Tour “LIV Light” for its sudden addition of new offerings.
PGA Tour chief Monahan maintains that any pro golfer joining LIV is banned from participating in future PGA events.
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