LIV Golf remains determined to pry away more elite-level players from the PGA Tour following reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm's shocking departure this offseason. Over the last few weeks, Tony Finau, Tyrrell Hatton, and Viktor Hovland have reportedly turned down offers from the Saudi-backed circuit, and now up-and-coming Swedish superstar Ludvig Aberg has joined them.
Aberg recently spoke with SVT Sport, a television program in Sweden, to discuss his rookie season on the PGA Tour and the current state of professional golf. During the conversation, the 2023 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year finalist mentioned that he turned down another offer from LIV Golf following his breakthrough rookie campaign.
“When I look back, I am super confident in my decision,” Aberg said in the interview. “I will never try to chase money, what I do is to compete. I did the right thing.”
Aberg told SVT Sport he first received an offer from LIV Golf this past February while still playing college golf at Texas Tech. Then, Aberg received another offer during the fall portion of the PGA Tour schedule, which he also declined.
“I want to play against the best, because I am a competitive person and like to compete against the best players,” Aberg said. "When I look at the PGA Tour and the competitions there, there is so much history around all the competitions,” he added. “And that’s what I like, that’s what I go for. But then you have to respect everyone’s decisions.”
Aberg joined the PGA Tour this past season after becoming the first player to earn his PGA Tour card through PGA Tour University, where the top player at the collegiate level in the United States graduates straight to the big leagues.
During his first 11 professional starts, Aberg amassed eight top-25 finishes and earned victories at the DP World Tour's Omega European Masters and the PGA Tour's RSM Classic. He also became the first player to tee it up in a Ryder Cup before playing in a major championship, earning a 2-2 record for the Europeans to help them defeat the United States in Rome.
While LIV Golf was unsuccessful at luring Aberg away from the PGA Tour, their continuous efforts to draw more talent to their side provide a potential glimpse into how recent merger conversations have gone between the two entities. After all, LIV likely wouldn't be attempting to sign more players if strides were being made in business negotiations with the PGA Tour.
The deadline for the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to strike down a deal remains Dec. 31, and given the recent rumor mill, it doesn't seem like much progress is being made.
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