Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and a group of golfers who defected to the new Saudi-funded circuit LIV have filed an anti-monopoly lawsuit against the PGA, the first step in a legal battle that could set the rules for player participation. golfers.
Posted at 3:06 p.m.
the wall street journal was the first to report the lawsuit filed in the US District Court of San Francisco. The complaint also includes a request for a temporary restraining order to allow Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones to participate in the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Six golfers who have taken part in the LIV tournaments are among the top-125 in the FedEx Cup standings and would be eligible for the start of its playoff tournaments, which begin next week.
The PGA suspended its members who participated in LIV tournaments without release when there were US Tour tournaments the same week. The PGA also does not grant release for tournaments taking place in North America. The two LIV tournaments, which award $25 million in purses after 54 uncut holes, were held in Oregon and New Jersey.
In the details of the complaint reported by the WSJ, we learn that the PGA suspended Mickelson in March for recruiting golfers for the Saudi Tour. When he asked to be readmitted in June, the circuit refused his request since he had played the first LIV tournament, in suburban London.