19th Hole
Augusta National chairman personally instructed players not to play LIV events, lawsuit claims
More interesting information continues to surface from the 105-page lawsuit filed by the “LIV 11” on Wednesday.
- Related: Bryson suspended for ‘talking to other Tour members about positive LIV experience,’ lawsuit alleges
According to the court documents, Augusta National Golf Club allegedly attempted to persuade golfers to not join LIV Golf.
“Augusta National, the promoter of The Masters, has taken multiple actions to indicate its alignment with the PGA Tour, thus seeding doubt among top professional golfers whether they would be banned from future Masters Tournaments,” the document states.
“As an initial matter, the links between the PGA Tour and Augusta National run deep. The actions by Augusta National indicate that the PGA Tour has used these channels to pressure Augusta National to do its bidding. For example, in February, 2022 Augusta National representatives threatened to disinvite players from The Masters if they joined LIV Golf.”
Greg Norman has consistently claimed that he’s attempted to reach out to Jay Monahan and ANGC Chairman Fred Ridley, but to no avail.
The lawsuit claims that the major championships has been a strong deterrent preventing players from joining LIV Golf.
“The threat of exlcusion from the Masters (and other majors) is a powerful weapon in the Tour’s arsenal to deter players from joining LIV Golf”.
While none of the majors have yet banned LIV players from playing in their events, they’ve spoken out in opposition to the breakaway golf league.
More from the 19th Hole
- ‘Your tee times at Augusta are numbered’ – Wife of Masters legend lashes out at Bryson DeChambeau
- Why Phil Mickelson’s Open playing partner told Lefty that he’s hated him for 11 years
- YouTube sensation ejected by Brooks Koepka at Open Championship party
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This morning, Gary Player issued a statement via his Twitter account. According to the statement, Gary’s son, Marc has been auctioning off trophies and memorabilia without his father’s permission.
A statement on the unauthorized sale of Gary Player trophies & memorabilia. pic.twitter.com/2tilBplJOL
— GARY PLAYER (@garyplayer) August 8, 2022
This isn’t the first dispute between Player and his son, Marc. Back in 2020, the nine-time major champion won a settlement in court against Marc. Player got $5 million and the rights to his name and likeness back from a company operated by Marc in a Florida lawsuit.
The Player family are no strangers to controversy, with Gary’s other son, Wayne, banned from the Masters for life after pulling a guerrilla marketing stunt during the opening ceremony tee shots back in 2021.
More from the 19th Hole
- ‘Your tee times at Augusta are numbered’ – Wife of Masters legend lashes out at Bryson DeChambeau
- Why Phil Mickelson’s Open playing partner told Lefty that he’s hated him for 11 years
- YouTube sensation ejected by Brooks Koepka at Open Championship party
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It seems as if there’s been an uptick of cases with professional golfers losing their luggage on airlines this summer.
- Related: ‘Get your s–t together!’ – Viktor Hovland fumes at airline over missing clubs…and it gets worse
Last month at the Genesis Scottish Open, Viktor Hovland’s clubs were lost by the airline. He didn’t have his clubs or clothes in preparation for the event until Ping made a custom set for him on site at The Renaissance Club.
Last week, Irishman Shane Lowry’s clubs were lost on his way to the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.
Can you help find my missing golf clubs and suitcase @DublinAirport ???? pic.twitter.com/NgwSpLDd0D
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) August 2, 2022
This week, there are once again issues with a golfer’s clubs. On his way to begin the 2022 FedEx Cup Playoffs, Collin Morikawa tweeted a picture of his TaylorMade clubs in an ominous position.
Clubs fell out of the luggage cart and sat there for a few min with no one in sight. Let’s just say I was freaking out on the inside. Here we come #playoffs pic.twitter.com/0Rwde5sHSV
— Collin Morikawa (@collin_morikawa) August 7, 2022
Luckily for the two-time major champion, the potential nightmare was solved, and someone got his clubs back to where they needed to be.
There’s a hero out there somewhere?? pic.twitter.com/9cXzbtMR7y
— Collin Morikawa (@collin_morikawa) August 7, 2022
More from the 19th Hole
- ‘Your tee times at Augusta are numbered’ – Wife of Masters legend lashes out at Bryson DeChambeau
- Why Phil Mickelson’s Open playing partner told Lefty that he’s hated him for 11 years
- YouTube sensation ejected by Brooks Koepka at Open Championship party
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In just her second professional start, 22-year-old Louise Duncan finished inside the top-20 of the AIG Women’s Open, but the Duncan team experienced far more than just her first proper paycheck.
In 2021, the Scot won the Women’s Amateur Championship by a record margin (9&8) before nabbing a top-10 at the Women’s Open at Carnoustie, the low amateur winning the traditional Smyth Salver.
It’s a big leap to the paid ranks, but the £73,000 prize is early justification for the move, an amount that might well have just upgraded her future wedding to fiance Jordan Hughes.
After her second round 73, Duncan admitted it was, “a bit of a grind” but having been assured of making the cut, said that, “If it’s a nice cheque we’ll probably just go abroad and get it over with. That sounds bad – sorry Jordan. What I mean is we’ll be able to go abroad and have a good one.”
The round wasn’t without its humor either, with caddie Dean Robertson playing his part.
As reported in The Telegraph, former European Tour winner Robertson has been a large part of Duncan’s success, his experience as player and coach providing mentor-ship to the darling of the Scottish crowd.
However, during the second round when Sophia Schubert handed him a ball, he thought the American had just found it and wanted him to get rid. So he threw it over his left shoulder.
Schubert was actually wanting her ball cleaned and, because of Robertson’s actions, was now facing a stroke-and-distance penalty. So, despite wearing shorts, he did his valiant duty, scaled the wall and went searching in the scrub and nettles for the ball. To Schubert’s relief, it was a successful forage.
Duncan was pleased to see the closest member of her team having the tables turned on himself.
“I was like, ‘oh, no, Dean, tell me you haven’t just done that?’,” Duncan said “But it was an honest mistake and quite funny. He is always telling me to stop being an idiot and to calm down, so maybe he deserved that one.”
More from the 19th Hole
- ‘Your tee times at Augusta are numbered’ – Wife of Masters legend lashes out at Bryson DeChambeau
- Why Phil Mickelson’s Open playing partner told Lefty that he’s hated him for 11 years
- YouTube sensation ejected by Brooks Koepka at Open Championship party
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- LEGIT1
- WOW5
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Airport luggage mess causes chaos for pros at Monday qualifier
Lexi Thompson’s behavior following Women’s PGA defeat sparks fierce debate
‘Your tee times at Augusta are numbered’ – Wife of Masters legend lashes out at Bryson DeChambeau
Major champ urges Cam Smith to turn down reported mammoth offer to join LIV
Phil Mickelson brutally heckled on opening hole of latest LIV event
‘You like apples?’ – Greg Norman takes bullish shot at PGA Tour over LIV poll numbers
‘You don’t mess with that guy’ – Bryson reveals the last golfer he would want to fight
Tiger Woods WITB 2022 (July)
‘I’m again broke’ – Bryson reveals how he’s been spending his $125+ million LIV money
Jordan Spieth disqualified at JP McManus Pro-Am
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19th Hole1 week ago‘Your tee times at Augusta are numbered’ – Wife of Masters legend lashes out at Bryson DeChambeau
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19th Hole3 weeks agoMajor champ urges Cam Smith to turn down reported mammoth offer to join LIV
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19th Hole1 week agoPhil Mickelson brutally heckled on opening hole of latest LIV event
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19th Hole3 weeks agoYouTube sensation ejected by Brooks Koepka at Open Championship party
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19th Hole5 days ago‘We just won’t play’ – Major champ says PGA Tour pros could strike if LIV ban is overturned
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19th Hole1 week agoPhil Mickelson’s LIV heckler is revealed…and here’s what happened next
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19th Hole1 week agoLPGA major champ hits out at Bubba Watson and his wife over decision to join LIV
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19th Hole2 weeks agoReport: Bubba Watson agrees mega-deal with LIV Golf
You heard it here first
Aug 8, 2022 at 11:52 am
Ridley plays with his Didley in Butler cabin.
Ken
Aug 6, 2022 at 9:27 am
Would love to see ANGC not welcome the LIV stooges. A rouge government using professional golf as a political weapon isn’t good for the game.
PJ
Aug 6, 2022 at 7:46 am
It’s obvious the PGA is desperate and pulling every favor it has to keep more players from leaving. The more players leave means the PGA will have to make a deal. I predict that the PGA will eventually have to come to some agreement with LIV. If you want to scream about Saudi money make sure you tell us about that time you had a problem with China, Nike, and the HSBC. No nation state has done more to harm humanity more than China yet the PGA has zero issues with that, or it seems so.
Tom K.
Aug 6, 2022 at 12:32 pm
If the LIV wasn’t such a threat to the PGAT then why are the PGAT, GolfWRX and the rest of the Jay Monahan sycophants in panic mode?
geohogan
Aug 5, 2022 at 6:00 pm
Seems Julie Crenmshaw was just giving Bryson, the inside scoop.
JasonHolmes
Aug 5, 2022 at 11:40 am
Augusta is a pure invitational – they can invite whoever they want and not have to give one shred of a reason.
And if you dont think this doesnt terrify the players – think again.
Happitus Gilmoritus
Aug 5, 2022 at 5:18 pm
Gold jacket, green jacket, who gives a %$#@.
Condoleeece rice
Aug 5, 2022 at 10:00 am
A hypocrisy like no other, presented by Mercedes’ and aTT
Michael
Aug 5, 2022 at 12:01 pm
How many neocon war profitteers who lied the US into Iraq and Afghanistan are members at Augusta now? Condi Rice for one.
Rats pointing fingers at rats is priceless.
Chuck
Aug 6, 2022 at 3:53 pm
Here we go.
I’ve been saying for months that the LIV controversy was actually in a very mild stage; that the arguments would get much harsher when the tour/stunt reached the Trump venues.
That is exactly what has happened. And in no way is LIV a victim. The LIV made its deal with Trump at a time when they knew exactly what that meant. The other organizing bodies knew better. They didn’t want the golf to be overwhelmed by crowds chanting “Let’s go Brandon!”, or the spectacle of Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Qreene egging them on.
Like Trump himself, LIV is going to attract a certain kind of an audience. An audience that won’t be a majority and may even be viewed as radioactive by leading corporate sponsors.