On Tuesday in a mandatory players meeting at the Honda Classic, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan dug in to any player who was still considering a jump to Saudi-backed super league.
“He made it clear right off the top that if you’re going to play [the super golf league] walk out that door now,” said one player who requested anonymity.
According to various sources, the commissioner didn’t use the words “lifetime ban,” which had been the veiled threat for those flirting with the super league. Legally there may be good reasons for the Tour’s reluctance to address potential punishment directly.
In a memo sent to players and agents last Friday by Greg Norman, the CEO of LIV Golf, which is the investment fund behind the super league, the rival league challenged the Tour’s ability to ban players.
“In our view and in the eyes of the law, the PGA Tour’s threats are utterly impermissible under competition and other laws,” Norman wrote.
Along with the letter from Norman was an attachment with seven “bullet points” explaining why the Tour is on shaky legal ground if they do ban a player – from each player’s rights as an independent contractor to a collection of antitrust laws and the Tour’s status as a non-profit corporation.
“Permanently banning from the PGA Tour professional tournament golfers who contract to play professional golf would violate its non-profit purpose and would subject the PGA Tour to possible liability or government action, and could cause it to lose its non-profit status for not operating in accordance with its exempt purpose,” read one of the bullet points.
Under the Tour’s rules, the commissioner has the authority to discipline players for “conduct unbecoming a professional” with what is defined as a major penalty (a fine in excess of $20,000, suspension from tournament play for more than three tournaments and/or permanent disbarment from play in PGA Tour events). But Norman and the LIV Golf legal team argued differently.
“None of us should stand for these egregious acts of bullying by the PGA Tour,” Norman wrote.
The memo also gave a glimpse into LIV Golf’s efforts to create the super league with the cooperation of the Tour.
“It is the PGA Tour’s choice – and not ours – to refuse to entertain constructive dialogue for the betterment of the game and stakeholders across all sectors, particularly players,” the memo read, adding “We will continue our efforts to respectfully co-exist.”
A Tour spokesman declined to comment on the memo, but players were told at Tuesday’s meeting the circuit is confident in their legal stance.
Article originally appeared on: Golfchannel.com
Greg Norman is RIGHT! This is anti-trust territory. PGA Tour is acting as a coercive monopoly. Saudi league is spending millions on developing the game in Asia (who are way under privileged than USA & EU golfers), & PGA Tour wants to ban players who go to a rival league?? How is PGA Tour getting away with this BS? They can disagree with politics etc. but they can NOT ban pros who make a different professional CHOICE. I hope Norman sues the PGA Tour & exposes their Monopolistic nature of business. Non-profit status is mostly a sham/ facade for PGA Tour.
I agree. As an American citizen I am proud and happy “Our” tour is the best in the world. However, there should always be competition and disruption to ensure the best product is developed for the many customers and consumers of the product.
The PGA Tour should be ashamed of themselves and take a hard look at what they can control and pour every ounce of their energy into ensuring they are the best. If they can drown their competition through fair and honest competition – so be it.
Please look at what you wrote. The key word is “choice” and the PGA has the right to make a “choice” not to let players demean and diminish the PGA brand. Choices, like elections have consequences and if a player choses to play in a league that hurts the PGA, they do NOT need to let that player return to the PGA. It was the player’s CHIOCE.
Well said! They should be exposed
Greg Norman should be ashamed of himself. The PGA Tour made him a billionaire. The PGA tour is not the only golf tour in the world. Players are not forced to join, they beg, borrow and steal to join. Many become multi-millionaires from being on the tour. It’s not a right to be on the tour, it’s a privilege. The PGA has every right to protect the brand and itself from greedy egotistical creeps like Greg Norman. Greg is tarnishing his brand and himself. I for one, will never buy another “shark” branded item again.
Players can have dual membership on Euro tour and PGA tour. Why is PGA tour allowing that but wanting to BAN existing tour players if they play on this new tour? PGA tour knows they are way ahead of the Euro tour and don’t see them as a competitive threat. When there dominance feels threatened they dig in with zealous and crazy threats vs. just use the competition to get better.
I’m not a huge fan of Greg Norman – however – the truth is that he was a superb golfer. He made a lot of money playing golf but I would argue he was a pioneer when it came to building his own brand and using it after his golf career was through. He worked pretty damn hard for everything he accomplished so don’t just say “the PGA tour made him a billionaire’ . That is a false claim. He busted his ass and made himself a billionaire.