Trump urges golfers to 'take the money' and join LIV circuit

Former US President Donald Trump on Monday urged golfers to "take the money" and sign with the Saudi-backed LIV series amid reports more players were poised to join the controversial circuit.

Trump, who is hosting LIV events at two of his golf courses this year, said in a post on his Truth Social network that players should not hesitate to abandon the PGA Tour, which he branded "disloyal".

"All of those golfers that remain 'loyal' to the very disloyal PGA, in all of its different forms, will pay a big price when the inevitable MERGER with LIV comes, and you get nothing but a big 'thank you' from PGA officials who are making Millions of Dollars a year," Trump wrote.

"If you don't take the money now, you will get nothing after the merger takes place, and only say how smart the original signees were," he added.

Trump concluded the post with a message of congratulations to newly minted British Open champion Cam Smith, the Australian who stormed to victory at St Andrews on Sunday with a superb final round.

Smith is among the latest list of names who are reportedly poised to sign with LIV Golf, which has already recruited a slew of top names with jaw-dropping contracts which, in some cases, are reported to have run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

LIV Golf, which is fronted by Australian great Greg Norman, is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Human Rights groups have criticised the venture saying it exists solely to boost Saudi Arabia's international reputation, a phenomenon labelled "sportswashing".

Smith bristled -- but did not issue an outright denial -- when asked about reports linking him to LIV following his victory in the Open on Sunday.

"I just won the British Open, and you're asking about that. I