Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods continue to sound off against golfers on the LIV Tour, just days before the 2022 Open Championship is set to tee off at St Andrews on Thursday.
Woods was asked of his thoughts on the LIV Tour in a press conference Tuesday, and was unwavering in his criticism of the PGA Tour competitor and the players who opted to join it.
“I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position,” said Woods, a three-time Open Champion who hasn’t competed in a PGA Tour event since withdrawing from the 2022 PGA Championship in May.
Woods expressed concern for the development of young players, citing the format of LIV tournaments and the possibility of being banned from historic Majors could prove detrimental.
“It would be sad to see some of these young kids never get a chance to experience it and experience what we’ve got a chance to experience and walk these hallowed grounds and play in these championships,” Woods said.
Are LIV players playing in the Open Championship?
Despite efforts to ban LIV players from future major competition, golfers on the LIV Tour remain eligible to compete in 2022 at St Andrews in Scotland.
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The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, known as R&A, informed Greg Norman that he was not welcome at any Open events – both the Celebration of Champions event or the Champions’ Dinner.
Norman, an Open champion in 1986 and 1993, currently serves as CEO of LIV Golf Investments.
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What did Rory McIlroy say about LIV golf?
McIlroy, a past critic of the LIV circuit, said Tuesday that he supported the R&A’s decision.
“I think the focus would have been taken away a little bit if [Norman had] been there,” McIlroy said. “... Because of everything that’s happening in the golf world, I think it was the right decision to be made. But if things change in the future, or whatever happens, who knows, but I could see a day where he’s certainly welcome back.”
When asked about who he hopes wins the upcoming Open, McIlroy said he “selfishly” hopes that it’s not a player from LIV.
“But at the end of the day, everyone that’s here has the same opportunity to go out there and try to win a Claret Jug, regardless of what Tour they play on or whatever that is,” added McIlroy.
What was the prize money for the first LIV golf tournament?
Charl Schwartzel won $4.75 million in the inaugural LIV golf tournament in May -- $4 million for winning the individual contest and an additional $750,000 share from a $3-million pile for the team competition.
The purse was nearly three times as much as the South African netted when he won the Masters in 2011 and more than twice as much as Justin Thomas made after winning the PGA Championship three weeks earlier.
These major payouts at LIV tournaments aren’t confined to the winner’s circles, however, with players down the leaderboard netting multiples of what they’d get on the PGA Tour.
“What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt?” Woods said. “You’re just getting paid a lot of money up front and playing a few events…”
Woods recently became the third athlete to join the billionaire club, despite reportedly turning down an offer from LIV nearing ten-figures.
Among these incentives are 54-hole tournaments, resulting in one less day of play than the Majors.
Woods said it makes sense for older golfers, but that the additional time on the greens can be a huge asset to players early in their career.
“Seventy-two-hole tests are part of it,” he said.
Is Phil Mickelson playing in the Open Championship?
Another prominent golfer at the center of the LIV exodus is Phil Mickelson. Mickelson won the Open Championship in 2013 and is set to compete this week, but will not be in attendance at the Champions event and dinner.
Louis Oosthuizen is another former Open champion currently playing on the LIV Tour. Oosthuizen won the tournament in 2010, also at St Andrews course.
Who won the 2021 Open Championship?
Collin Morikawa enters Scotland as the reigning Open champion after finishing two strokes ahead of Jordan Spieth.
Morikawa was once rumored to be set to join LIV, but maintains his intentions to stay with the PGA Tour.
Which LIV golfers are playing at the Open Championship?
Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Mickelson headline the field of 23 LIV players competing at St. Andrews this weekend.
Of the 21 LIV players ranked in the top-100, all but three are set to tee off at the Open.
The complete list of LIV players competing at the British Open is below:
- Abraham Ancer
- Richard Bland
- Laurie Canter
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Sergio Garcia
- Talor Gooch
- Justin Harding
- Sam Horsfield
- Dustin Johnson
- Sadom Kaewkanjana
- Sihwan Kim
- Brooks Koepka
- Pablo Larrazábal
- Jediah Morgan
- Kevin Na
- Shaun Norris
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Phil Mickelson
- Ian Poulter
- Patrick Reed
- Scott Vincent
- Lee Westwood
- Bernd Wiesberger
