Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy subpoenaed as golf's civil war intensifies
The legal row surrounding golf’s bitter split has further escalated after Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were served notice of a subpoena to reveal details of a PGA Tour players’ meeting last week.
The meeting was followed on Wednesday by a $100 million raft of new proposals for the PGA Tour, which includes four new ‘elevated events’ with prize money of at least $20m, a $50m boost to player bonuses and a $500,000 minimum yearly return for golfers who compete in at least 15 tournaments.
It followed the launch of the £1.6bn Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour, which is holding eight invitational events in 2022 with a prize fund of £200m and turning into a league from next year.
Larry Klayman, a lawyer who is representing the lead plaintiff in a case against the PGA Tour, suggested that the Tour should be renamed ‘LIV Light' and wants the release of documents and audio or visual recordings of a meeting that took place last week in Delaware at the BMW Championship.
A press release says that “it is believed that discussions occurred which are alleged … to be anticompetitive and violative of the antitrust laws vis a vis the LIV Golf Tour and its players”. The press release says that Woods has been given notice of a deposition on Sept 21, McIlroy on Sept 22 and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan on Sept 27 in Jupiter Florida.
"This is not a personal 'thing' against Woods, McIlroy and Monahan," said Klayman, who does not represent LIV Golf. "It's about getting information about what occurred at the players' meeting and generally with regard to allegations in our complaint that the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and their commissioners Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley, are allegedly colluding in restraint of trade and the antitrust laws to harm the LIV Golf Tour and its players."
Klayman also described Wednesday's announcement of increased prize money, notably guaranteed attendance payments for top players, as an attempt “to emulate LIV Golf, while continuing to allegedly harm LIV and its players by, among other alleged anticompetitive acts, working to deny them world ranking points to compete in major tournaments such as the Masters, US Open, British Open and PGA Championship.”
He added: “One can perhaps now call the new PGA Tour 'LIV Light.' We look forward to Woods, McIlroy and Monahan telling the truth, with sworn testimony, under oath. Their testimony is not just relevant but also crucial."
Norman accuses Monahan of copying his 'homework'
Greg Norman, the LIV chief executive, has also accused Monahan of copying his “homework” following the release of the PGA Tour’s latest plans.
Telegraph Sport exclusively revealed earlier this month that Open champion Cameron Smith is among those preparing to announce his move to LIV Golf in a deal worth more than $100m.
That has now been preempted by the wide-ranging package of PGA Tour reforms and follows Woods and McIlroy’s participation last week in emergency talks with fellow players.
Monahan described a commitment by leading golfers to play all 12 ‘elevated events’ as “unprecedented” and stressed that there would be no immediate route back for those players who have already joined the LIV Tour.
Asked if he would consider dropping suspensions, Monahan said: “No, they've joined the LIV Golf Series and they've made that commitment. Every player has a choice.”
He added that “our top players are firmly behind the Tour” and outlined new financial plans which also include a guaranteed $5,000 for travel and tournament-related expenses for players who miss the cut. “Today is a culmination of a strengthened partnership between the Tour and the players, and amongst the players themselves,” Monahan added.
Whether it will be enough to stem the exodus remains uncertain, with Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson - who promptly quit as Ryder Cup captain - among those who have already departed.
