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Woods, top players discuss LIV threat

Doug Ferguson

The PGA Tour is in Delaware for the first time and the buzz still surrounded Tiger Woods, even if he didn’t have clubs and wasn’t even at the golf course.

Woods flew to Wilmington yesterday for a private meeting of top players to discuss the threat of Saudifunded LIV Golf, according to two people aware of the plans at the BMW Championship.

One person, who wanted to remain anonymous, invited to the meeting said that it was to get on the same page against LIV Golf, along with taking more ownership in the direction of the PGA Tour.

Woods flew up from his home in Florida with Rickie Fowler. The meeting was held away from Wilmington Country Club at a hotel, but PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan was not invited.

Monahan met with the players informally last week following a hearing in which a federal judge denied a request by three

LIV Golf players seeking to play in the PGA Tour post-season.

He also met with the players a week after the

US Open to details plans for big increases in prizemoney on the PGA Tour, qualifying changes and a new schedule that will return to a January start to the season in 2024.

‘‘I’m not sure what, if anything, will change, what will be the result of it,’’ Patrick Cantlay said. ‘‘I think it’s good that a lot of the players are getting together to discuss the situation out here, especially given the current circumstances.’’

Woods has been a strong opponent of LIV Golf.

Woods was particularly forceful at the British Open last month when he said of LIV leader Greg Norman not being invited to festivities around the 150th Open, ‘‘Greg has done some things that I don’t think is in the best interest of our game.’’

He said he disagreed with players getting enormous signing bonuses to defect to LIV Golf, saying they have turned their backs on the tour that made them famous. The PGA Tour has reacted to the depth of Saudi funding with a US$50 million (NZ$78.8 million) bonus pool called the Player Impact Program that pays 10 leading players based on how much attention they get. Some players, such as Cantlay, the defending FedEx Cup champion, don’t like the scheme.

Also in the works is a series of overseas tournaments at the end of the year that will reward the top performers. The tour hasn’t announced set details or a sponsor.

LIV Golf has played three events offering US$25 million (NZ$39.4 million) apiece in prizemoney to a group of players that include Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau.

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