'You went for the money' - Butch Harmon demands honesty from LIV Golf players, defends Phil Mickelson

Butch Harmon has leapt to the defence of Phil Mickelson, but said players who defected to LIV Golf should be honest and say they moved for the money. Mickelson was the first high-profile player to join the Saudi-funded series, with the six-time major winner reportedly lured across by a contract in the region of $200 million. Ad The left hander has been widely criticised for his move, after labelling the Saudis «scary motherf*****s” and saying he was well aware of their „horrible record on human rights” only to move anyway.

Golf'Cam and I get on really well' — McIlroy would be disappointed to see Smith join LIVAN HOUR AGO Mickelson has been joined by the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia. Few have acknowledged the decision was down to money, with some saying they were attracted by the 54-hole format, reduced schedule or the chance to grow the game. Players who have come out with those reasons have been widely condemned, and legendary coach Harmon is in that bracket.

'Cam and I get on really well' — McIlroy would be disappointed to see Smith join LIV 'It's going to be odd' — Fitzpatrick unhappy with LIV players at PGA Championship “I think the players that went to the LIV — you're probably not going to agree with me on this — they created the problem because they went for the money, there's no doubt about it,” Harmon said on his son Claude’s Son of a Butch podcast. „That's BS about I'm going to play less and I'm going to spend more time at home. No, you went for the money.

So just say that. “So to me that's the first problem — I think the PR of the LIV has not been good. The guys should have got together and be honest.