Viktor Hovland lays into 'comical' LIV Golf and PGA Tour situation

29 February 2024 , 13:19

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Viktor Hovland has slammed the "soulless" state of professional golf (Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Viktor Hovland has criticised the focus on prize money in golf as "a little bit sad" amid the ongoing LIV Golf and PGA Tour situation.

Money has divided the sport in recent years, with a huge following of the top players in the world leaving the PGA Tour to join Saudi-backed league LIV Golf - exempting themselves from major tournaments including the Ryder Cup.

LIV Golf stars such as Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and, most recently, Jon Rahm, have been given big-money contracts that the PGA Tour could not come close to competing with - with players in a new alternative league and not being apart of the famous tour.

However, the PGA Tour is now said to be in advanced talks to merge with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV Golf, despite multiple big-name stars in the sport wanting nothing to do with the latter.

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Hovland, who remained on the PGA Tour, did not hide his concerns for the PGA Tour and golf in general, with him not being a fan of the way the sport has changed.

Speaking on the Son of a Butch podcast, he said: "It’s a little comical to see what’s going on in the game of golf, but I hope there’s a resolution in the future because at the end of the day, I just want to compete at the best golf courses, the best tournaments and against the best players. However that’s going to happen, I don’t know, but that’s what I’d like to see."

Viktor Hovland has openly criticised the PGA Tour (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

One month ago, the PGA Tour signed a deal worth £2.37billion with Strategic Sports Group (SSG), and continued talks with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund that funds LIV Golf. Since LIV Golf started in 2022, there's been a financial competition between the new league and the PGA Tour, with prizes of over £17 million becoming more common.

Hovland said: "Obviously, LIV is bringing in a lot of money to the sport and there's a lot of competition which I think is good. But it seems to have been a response from the PGA Tour's side it's just more talk about the money and I think that's a little bit sad."

Charlie Wilson