Phil Mickelson among 11 golfers to sue PGA Tour over LIV Golf suspensions

Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter are among 11 LIV Golf players who have filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour to challenge their suspensions.

The group includes three players – Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones – who are seeking a temporary restraining order to allow them to compete in the FedEx Cup play-offs, which get under way next week.

The complaint and application for a temporary restraining order were filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

Bryson DeChambeau, Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Pat Perez, Jason Kokrak and Peter Uihlein are the other players putting their names to the suit, arguing that the PGA Tour is trying to hurt their careers.

“The Tour’s conduct serves no purpose other than to cause harm to players and foreclose the entry of the first meaningful competitive threat the Tour has faced in decades,” the lawsuit states.

“The purpose of this action is to strike down the PGA Tour’s anticompetitive rules and practices that prevent these independent-contractor golfers from playing when and where they choose.”

The PA news agency has contacted the PGA Tour for comment.

Poulter was one of three DP World Tour members who successfully gained a temporary stay of their suspensions from July’s Scottish Open, pending determination of their substantive appeals.

The players had also been fined £100,000 for competing in the first LIV Golf event in June after being turned down for the required releases.

Speaking on Tuesday, former Ryder Cup captain Davis Love said PGA Tour players could take the “nuclear option” of boycotting events if the LIV rebels successfully challenge their suspensions.

“If the LIV guys sue and are allowed to play on the PGA Tour, the players are