MCILROY SLAMS KOEPKA; PGA BUMPS UP PURSES
Rory McIlroy described Brooks Koepka as deceitful after the four-times major winner defected to the breakaway LIV Golf Invitational Series on Wednesday, then urged the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) and European Tours to join forces against the Saudi-backed venture.
Koepka, a former world No. 1, became the latest big name to join the lucrative LIV Series, joining a list that includes six-times major champion Phil Mickelson, former Masters champion Dustin Johnson and former US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.
Among the PGA Tour’s most vocal backers, McIlroy, speaking to the media ahead of this week’s Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, criticized Koepka and others for turning their backs on the PGA Tour after previously expressing their support.
“Am I surprised? Yes, because of what he (Koepka) said previously,” said the Northern Irishman who has moved up to No.2 in the world rankings following a successful title defense at the Canadian Open and tie for fifth at the US Open.
“That’s why I’m surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another.
“It’s pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing.”
The PGA Tour has suspended members who signed up to play with LIV Golf and said others who follow them will face the same punishment.
However, they were able to play at the US Open last week and were given the all-clear by the R&A on Wednesday to tee it up at The British Open at St. Andrews from July 14 to 17.
The LIV Series will play its first Amerievent in Portcan land, Oregon, from June 30 to July 2 at Pumpthe kin Ridge Golf Club, going head-to-head with the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic.
Bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment
Fund, LIV Golf held its first event in London this month which was won by South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, who pocketed the $4 million prize—the biggest paycheck in golf history.
With more-and-more players tempted by the massive purses of the LIV Series, McIlroy called on the PGA and DP (formerly European) Tours to come up a plan.
“I’ve always advocated for something where the tours work more closely together or we create some sort of world tour model or ATP model,” said the four-times major winner.
“I would like to see the PGA Tour and the European Tour start to work more closely together and maybe try to forge a path to where all the biggest golf events in the world are under the same umbrella.”
Meanwhile, after accusing the Saudi-back LIV Invitational Series of attempting to buy the game of golf, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan on Wednesday went on the offensive, unveiling larger purses, new events and a different calendar.
Monahan conceded that the PGA Tour cannot compete with the LIV Series when it comes to cash but upped the ante announcing it would increase purses at eight events during the 2022-23 season to an average of $20 million.
Backed to the tune of $250 million by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the LIV is offering purses of $25 million at seven-of-eight events and a $50 million prize fund at the series finale to be played in at former US PresiOctober dent Donald Trump’s property in Doral, Florida.
If those figures are not startling enough then the sums danastronomical gled in front of golf’s names in an efbiggest fort to lure them away from the PGA Tour are eye-popping.
Six-times major winner Mickelson, according to media got a $200 milreports, lion appearance deal to sign on with the rebel
circuit.