Tiger Woods breaks silence after scripted criticism of LIV Golf emerges

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A number of leaked documents have emerged to show the PGA Tour scripted comments for Tiger Woods to shell out to fellow players for criticizing LIV Golf in June 2022.

Tiger Woods has broken his silence (Getty Images)

Tiger Woods has broken his silence, after leaked documents appeared to show the PGA Tour script comments for the 15-time major champion what to say to fellow players to criticize LIV Golf.

The golf world was left in shock last month, after the PGA Tour confirmed it had reached an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which would see them work in partnership with the DP World Tour and bitter rivals LIV Golf. The announcement came after the Tour had spent the last 12 months at odds with the LIV setup.

After the breakaway circuit was established in St Albans last summer, the PGA Tour seemed to be doing everything in its power to diffuse the growth of LIV, as it emerged as a rival circuit at the pinnacle of professional golf, attracting some of the biggest names. in the game.

The dispute really began last June, after the start of LIV’s first-ever event at the Centurion, LIV London. In response, the PGA Tour issued membership suspensions for any player making the decision to move to the Saudi-funded series.

Amid their work to warn of the LIV threat, it emerged a year later that Tour boss Jay Monahan held a players’ meeting at the 2022 Travelers Championship, where he discussed the consequences of the switch. at LIV Golf. According to legal documents obtained by Sports Illustrated, Tour bosses appeared to have scheduled Woods to speak at the meeting and pre-scripted comments for the 82-time PGA Tour winner to pass along to his fellow pros.

The document itself details how the PGA Tour planned to strengthen its “strategic alliance” with the DP World Tour, to combat the LIV Golf setup. Commissioner Monahan also told Woods: “Do what I did: tell the Saudis to fuck off. And be serious.

Tiger Woods denied knowing about the leaked comments

“Second, tell the world – every chance you get – that you’ll stick with the PGA Tour because you’re part of something bigger than yourself.” Pointers prepared for Woods also included praise for Commissioner Monahan and accused LIV of trying to “destroy” the PGA Tour.

Midway through the leaked document, Woods addressed the alleged storyline, in his first public comment since the Tour announced its decision to work with PIF. Speaking to social media, the five-time Masters champion was quick to distance himself from the document. He wrote: “In response to the talking points memo posted over the weekend, I have never seen this document until today, and I did not attend the player meeting for which he has been prepared during Voyageurs 2022.”

Woods has been a public critic of LIV Golf since its inception last summer. Speaking at The Open Championship last year, Woods said: “What are these players doing for guaranteed money, what’s the incentive to train? What’s the incentive to go there down and win it in the dirt?You just get paid a lot of money up front and play a few events and play 54 holes.

“They play loud music and have all these atmospheres that are different. I can understand that 54 holes is almost like a warrant when you get to the senior tour. The guys are a bit older and a bit more stoned But when you’re at that young age and some of those kids, they’re really kids that have gone from amateur golf to this organization, 72-hole testing is part of that.

“We used to have 36-hole playoffs for major championships. It was like that, 18-hole US Open playoffs. I just don’t see how this move is good. long-term for a lot of these players, especially if the LIV organization doesn’t earn World Ranking points and major leagues change their event entry criteria.”

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