Golf’s ‘splintering’ created by players who left: Scheffler

WHILE there remains no end in sight for the schism in men’s professional golf, Scottie Scheffler said fans should not forget how the sport splintered in the first place.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan admitted yesterday fans were “tired of hearing about conflict, money and who is getting what” amid a drawn-out negotiation with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the backers of rival league LIV Golf.

Ahead of his title defence at The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Scheffler was asked yesterday if PGA Tour players were concerned about golf fans feeling “disenchanted” by the state of the game.

“If the fans are upset, then look at the guys that left,” Scheffler said. “We had a tour, we were all together and the people that left are no longer here. At the end of the day, that’s where the splintering comes from.

“As far as our tour goes, like I said, we’re doing our best to create the best product for the fans, and that’s really where we’re at.”

Scheffler, who’s long said he has no interest in joining LIV Golf, said he and his fellow players have no control over whether their peers want to leave, as Spain’s Jon Rahm did just last December for a reported US$500 million (RM2.3b).

“If guys want to go take the money and leave, then that’s their decision,” Scheffler said. “I’m not going to sit here and tell guys not to take hundreds of millions of dollars.

“If that’s what they think is best for their life, then go do it. I’m not going to sit here and force guys to stay on our tour.

“But at the end of the day, this is where I want to be, and we’re continuing to grow what we’re doing, and what they’re doing is not really a concern to me.” – Field Level Media