Equipment brand publicly cuts ties with LIV Golf stars
By Matt Chivers
There are a number of brands that have been forced to reconsider partnerships with players making the switch to LIV Golf.
Callaway “paused” their long-standing relationship with Phil Mickelson in February last year having signed a deal in 2017 to kit out the six-time major champion for the rest of his playing career, while KPMG and Amstel Light also stepped away from their links with Lefty.
Elsewhere, RBC Heritage cut ties with former US Open champions Dustin Johnson and Graeme McDowell, and Bridgestone broke off with Bryson DeChambeau, whose deal with Cobra-Puma was also not renewed.
But while these brands’ reasons for ending their relationships with LIV Golf athletes remain largely kept under wraps, one company is not so shy about it.
Having only existed for nine years, PXG was born out of American entrepreneur Bob Parsons’ desire to begin his own golf equipment company due to his dissatisfaction for many other clubs on the market.
PXG has evolved into a popular brand seen on both the PGA and LPGA Tours, and Parsons told Esquire why further involvement with LIV Golf and its players would cross the line.
“I haven’t given it any thought,” he said. “Mostly because – I don’t have a dog in that fight. But I will say this here, on the LIV tour, I consider myself a patriot.
“With the stuff that went down at 9/11, I have a hard time getting involved with them. I know – bygones got to be bygones, and I’ve forgiven a lot of people.
“But I just cannot bring myself to do anything with [LIV], and the guys who are heroes, they all agree with that.
“We really don’t have guys on that tour. We’ve had some guys that had contracts that went on that tour, and I honoured the contracts.
“But now that the contracts are up, I have no contract with them, and I don’t think they can contract with sponsors with the LIV tour, at least. I don’t know.
“I could be speaking out of school, but if I had an opportunity to come up and do it, I wouldn’t do it.”
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Former PGA Tour winners Pat Perez, Jason Kokrak, and Hudson Swafford are now no longer affiliated with PXG after leaving the PGA Tour.
LIV Golf came under intense pressure from groups of family members who were affected by the 9/11 attacks in America in its inaugural season.
9/11 Justice, who want to bring officials from Saudi Arabia to task for their involvement in the attacks in 2001, were most vocal and demonstrations were held at LIV’s event at Trump Bedminster in 2022.
Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
