First hearing set for LIV golfers
Published
It used to be that to play in the FedEx Cup playoffs, a golfer had to finish the regular season inside the top 125. Now it might also take a judge’s decision.
The first chapter in the legal battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf will take place on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m., in a California courtroom. At that time, U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman will hear a motion for a temporary restraining order that will allow Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones to play in the first stop of the FedEx Cup playoffs, the FedEx St. Jude Classic.
The PGA Tour has until Monday at 8 a.m. to file its opposition to the players’ request.
The temporary restraining order is the first part of a larger legal battle with 11 players alleging the PGA Tour has practiced in antitrust practices that has restricted their ability to play golf where they want. That larger case, which includes Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau among the signees, will likely take a considerable amount of time to play out while Tuesday’s hearing will deliver an almost immediate decision.
If successful, Gooch, Swafford and Jones would likely be added to the field, increasing it to 128 players. All three would have qualified by virtue of their play prior to leaving for LIV Golf’s events.
The top 70 finishers at that tournament move on to the second stage, the BMW Championship the following week.
In a memo to PGA Tour players on Wednesday, Commissioner Jay Monahan said the LIV golfers were attempting to barge back into the circuit they left back in June knowing fully of the ramifications.
“With Saudi Golf League on hiatus, they’re trying to use lawyers to force their way into competition alongside our members in good standing.”
No date has been set for the next steps in the antitrust lawsuit.