The PGA Tour has filed a motion asking a judge to deny a temporary restraining order from three LIV Golf players looking to compete in the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Last week, Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford filed a restraining order to receive relief from a federal judge to compete in the FedEx Cup playoffs, which start this week. The three LIV Golf players are formerly members of the tour after being banned from competing at PGA-controlled events in June. The FedEx Cup is a season-long points competition that comes to a close with three playoff events that have a $75 million winnings pool and pays out $18 million to the champion.
In their filing, Gooch, Jones and Swafford’s attorney claimed last week that “the punishment that would accrue to these players from not being able to play in the FedEx Cup Playoffs is substantial and irreparable.”
However, in their own motion on Monday, the PGA Tour says the players knew exactly what they were getting into when they tried to double dip by competing in the Tour and for new rival LIV Golf. Essentially, they can’t have their cake and eat it too.
“Despite knowing full well that they would breach tour regulations and be suspended for doing so, Plaintiffs have joined competing golf league LIV Golf, which has paid them tens and hundreds of millions of dollars in guaranteed money supplied by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund to procure their breaches.
“[Temporary restraining order] Plaintiffs now run into Court seeking a mandatory injunction to force their way into the tour’s season-ending FedExCup Playoffs, an action that would harm all tour members that follow the rules. The antitrust laws do not allow plaintiffs to have their cake and eat it too.”
PGA Tour motion excerpt [h/t EPSN]
The war between the rival golf tours continues to rage on as the PGA tries to fight off LIV’s advances as they consistently pull away star players with massive guaranteed paydays.
Last month, LIV announced that they plan to nearly double their schedule for next year and will have a $405 payout in 2023.
A hearing to consider the players’ motion for a temporary restraining order is scheduled for Tuesday at a U.S. District Court for the Northern District in San Jose, California.
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