SA golf legend Ernie Els slams PGA Tour over merger with 'circus golf' LIV

Legendary South African golfer Ernie Els has hit out at the PGA Tour over the decision to merge their commercial operations with LIV Golf.

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In an interview with Sports Illustrated at this week's Open Championship, Els called on the PGA Tour board to step down and described the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit as "circus golf".

Els said the PGA Tour went about the merger without player input and called it an "absolute shambles".

He also took a swipe at PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

"If this happened in my day, in my prime, there's no way he (Monahan) is around. No way. And the board has to change," Els said at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

"I'm sorry, it's not right. Talk to us, tell us what you're going to do, plan on negotiating. Don't just go rogue as a member of the board and come back with a deal and think we're all going to say 'yes'.

"You're affecting people's lives. You're affecting the professional game. It's just so bad."

Els, 53, said he was no fan of LIV's team aspect or its 54-hole, no-cut format.

"This is circus golf. Team golf doesn't work."

Els, who won the Open Championship in 2002 and 2012, missed the weekend cut at this year's event after finishing 10-over par after two rounds.

He was one of six South Africans to miss the cut. Only Thriston Lawrence, Louis Oosthuizen, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and amateur Christo Lamprecht made it to the weekend.