LIV members denied shot at PGA playoffs
A federal judge in San Jose has ruled three golfers who joined Saudibacked LIV Golf will not be able to compete in the PGA Tour’s postseason.
Judge Beth Labson Freeman made her decision Tuesday afternoon after attorneys for the sides each spoke for about an hour. Freeman said she didn’t consider the golfers faced irreparable harm because of the big money they were guaranteed by joining LIV, a key issue in the case.
“There simply is no irreparable harm in this case,” PGA Tour attorney Elliot Peters said.
The three suspended golfers were seeking a temporary restraining order, which Freeman denied. Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford claimed they should be able to play where they want to play, each saying in letters last month to the PGA, “I am a free agent and independent contractor.” They are among 10 players — including Phil Mickelson — who filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour last week.
Robert Walters, an antitrust litigator representing the golfers, noted it is their opportunity on a big playoff stage, “effectively the Super Bowl of golf ” because of its “significant income opportunities.” Freeman responded that the LIV Tour earnings potential was also great and asked whether players might have been able to wait until the conclusion of the PGA Tour season to depart for the new tour.
Walters argued there were only 48 spots and they would have filled, according to LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, to which Freeman said she agreed with that stance but that the golfers stood to gain far more financially joining LIV than the money they might have earned on the PGA Tour.
“This is an extraordinarily attractive financial opportunity, but it’s much more than that,” Walters said, saying the harm done is that “players lose intangible benefits” such as qualifications for the major tournaments as well as other marquee invitationals.
“This is the holy grail because everybody wants to compete in and prevail in major championships, but it’s not just the majors,” Walters said.
The first of three FedEx Cup playoff events begins Thursday as players compete for the $18 million top prize — thus the urgency for Freeman to rule. This case could go to trial next year, with the possibility of an injunction hearing in late September or early October, according to Peters.
Gooch (No. 20), Jones (No. 65) and Swafford (No. 67) are among nine players who have joined LIV Golf and finished the regular season among the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings. The other six who joined LIV Golf are not asking to play in the tour’s postseason.