Tiger Woods' old coach says PGA Tour stars should "thank" LIV Golf rivals

06 February 2023 , 13:37

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Butch Harmon coached Tiger Woods to eight of his 15 majors (Image: Getty Images)

Tiger Woods' former coach Butch Harmon believes PGA Tour players should "thank" their Saudi-backed LIV Golf counterparts, stating the breakaway tour is "not the devil" some consider it to be.

Harmon says he is "not anti-LIV Golf like a lot of people" and claimed those who have spoken out against LIV "ought to thank them" because the PGA Tour has since increased the amount of prize money on offer to its golfers in response.

Speaking on the Five Clubs Podcast, Harmon said: "Now I will say this, that the guys on the PGA Tour that have been very vocal against the guys on the LIV Tour ought to thank them because all of a sudden the Tour found $250 million to raise their prize money to get those elite tournaments up to 20 million prize money — oh yes, just like LIV.

"They got that PIP [Player Impact Programme] system to make a whole bunch more money — oh yeah, just like LIV. So look, it's not the devil that's out there that's portrayed."

Harmon added that he has "no problem" with players jumping to LIV for incredibly lucrative deals while also criticising the "verbal pillow fighting that's going on" between those on both sides.

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"Look, I'm not anti-LIV Golf like a lot of people," he said. "I think we live in a society of free enterprise. I think you have the right to do anything you want to do.

Harmon claimed PGA Tour golfers who have spoken out against LIV "ought to thank them" (Getty Images)

"Guys that were offered a lot of money, I would say you would be a fool to turn it down. But you have to understand, and this is true in golf and in your whole life, every decision you make there are certain circumstances that go with the decision.

"The guys that left the PGA Tour to go play in LIV, I have no problem with it, I'll be honest with you. Their circumstances were they knew they weren't going to be able to go back over here and play at the present time, so just stay over here and play.

"I don't like all the verbal pillow fighting that's going on between the two factions, the players, the guys that are running it: Monahan and Greg. I think we just need to play golf."

Matthew Cooper