Tiger Woods: LIV Golf defectors ‘turned their back’ on game

Tiger Woods didn’t hold back Tuesday when he was asked about the Saudi-funded LIV Golf tour. 

During a press conference ahead of this weekend’s British Open at St. Andrews, Woods blasted the breakaway tour and the 20 former PGA Tour professionals who defected to play in the deep-pocketed series. Woods was especially critical of the players who took lucrative signing bonuses — like those given to Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka for more than $100 million apiece. 

“I disagree with it,” Woods said. “I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position.”

The 15-time major champion also had his chance to receive a large payday from the new tour, as LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman said Woods turned down a “mind-blowingly enormous” offer of “high nine digits.” 

Woods said Tuesday that he doesn’t “understand” how the LIV Golf defectors are willing to give up competing in majors in exchange for guaranteed money. The LIV golfers were allowed to participate in the U.S. Open and are playing in the British Open this weekend, but that isn’t a guarantee moving forward. The PGA Tour has suspended the players’ memberships and banned them from PGA events, but the four major championships are operated by separate governing bodies. 

“Who knows what’s going to happen in the near future with world-ranking points, the criteria for entering major championships,” Woods said. “The governing body is going to have to figure that out.

“Some of these players may not ever get a chance to play in major championships. That is a possibility. We don’t know that for sure yet. It’s up to all the major championship bodies to make that determination. But that is a possibility, that some players will never, ever get a chance to play in a major championship, never get a chance to experience this right here, walk down the fairways at Augusta National. That, to me, I just don’t understand it.”

Woods, who will be playing in the British Open for his third event since returning from his serious leg injury, also said he dislikes the 54-hole format that LIV Golf has — one full round less than traditional golf tournaments. 

“I just don’t see how that move is positive in the long term”

Tiger Woods was asked about LIV Golf, and this was his response:pic.twitter.com/ShyVzrFhDx

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) July 12, 2022

“But what these guys are doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practice?” Woods said. “What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt? You’re just getting paid a lot of money upfront and playing a few events and playing 54 holes.”

“I can understand 54 holes is almost like a mandate when you get to the Senior Tour,” Woods continued. “The guys are a little bit older and a little more banged up. But when you’re at this young age and some of these kids — they really are kids who have gone from amateur golf into that organization — 72-hole tests are part of it.”