Just leave us alone! PGA Tour star lays into LIV Golf ‘liars and hypocrites’
Billy Horschel has issued a fierce condemnation of LIV golfers ahead of the Scottish Open, branding those who have jumped ship to the breakaway league as “hypocrites” who have “made their bed”.
The PGA Tour star was speaking at a press conference ahead of next week’s tournament at Renaissance – an event where several LIV rebels have been given injunctions to play despite initially being banned by the DP World Tour.
When pressed on whether he believes they should be permitted to play, Horschel refused to hold back, delivering an impassioned dismissal.
“I just wish they’d be honest and say it’s a financial decision,” he said. “They’ve made their bed. They decided to play on that tour and they should go play there. They shouldn’t be coming back over [to the] DP World Tour or PGA Tour.
“They keep talking about how the PGA Tour doesn’t listen. I’ve been really frustrated by it because there’s a lot of guys that are hypocrites, that aren’t telling the truth, and that are lying about some things.
“I just can’t stand to sit here anymore and be diplomatic about it.
“Those guys made their bed. They say that’s what they want to do. So just leave us alone. Honestly.”
The lengthy rebuke comes 24 hours after three LIV golfers – including Ian Poulter – were given injunctions to play in the Scottish Open. Poulter was among a group of 16 to threaten legal action against the DP World after being banned from the tournament and two other events.
Not included in that group was Graeme McDowell, who has now admitted there was “no doubt” money was the main factor for players defecting to the controversial series:
“It is about the money”, he said. “And I think most guys would happily say that to you. They’re there for the financial opportunity, no doubt about it.
“I’m trying to make a business decision for me and my family. I’ve paid my dues in this game over the last 20 years, I’ve tried to carry myself the right way.
“The tenuous links to what the Saudi regime have done, the horrible things they’ve done, they [players criticising LIV] are trying to link this to golf.
“I’ve played golf all over the world, in countries whose human rights records could probably be torn apart as well. I play golf for money. I’ve chased that money all my career.
“Do I research into the morals of every dollar I’ve ever made? No I don’t.”
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George Cooper
A golf fanatic his entire life, George Cooper is NCG's man for all goings-on at the top level of the game, whether it's the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA or LIV Golf. He also looks after NCG's Twitter and Facebook accounts. George is a member of Woburn, but is not friends with Ian Poulter.
