PGA Tour commissioner labels LIV an exhibition series of free-riders

TORONTO : PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan visited the players on the front line of golf's feud with the LIV Golf Invitational Series at the Canadian Open on Sunday, and blasted those who have jumped to the Saudi-backed venture as free-riders.

With the Canadian Open and LIV inaugural event at Centurion Club outside London both played at the weekend it marked the first head-to-head showdown between the PGA Tour and the controversial big-money breakaway series that is looking to shake up golf's status quo.

A 54-hole format, with no cuts and a team element bolted on, is being trumpeted as an exciting new era for golf but Monahan dismissed it as nothing more than series of exhibitions while questioning the motivation behind a venture that is spending billions but has no chance of being profitable.

Critics maintain that the LIV project, bank-rolled to the tune of $250 million by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, (PIF) is nothing more than blatant 'sportswashing' by a nation trying to improve its reputation in light of human rights concerns.

"You have to ask yourself the question why?," said Monahan in a television interview at St. George's Golf and Country Club during the final round on Sunday. "Why is this group spending so much money, billions of dollars recruiting players and chasing a concept with no possibility of a return.

"Those players have chosen to sign multi-year lucrative contracts to play in a series of exhibition matches against the same players over-and-over again.

"You look at that opposed to what we see here today.

"We're not going to allow players to free ride off our loyal members, the best players in the world."

Rory McIlroy's successful defence of his Canadian Open title on Sunday ended a tumultuous week