The web of legal intricacies surrounding the PGA Tour and LIV Golf just roped in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
The two PGA Tour golfers were served subpoenas by attorney Larry Klayman ordering them to testify about the mysterious players-only meeting PGA Tour golfers last week, according to Golfweek. Klayman represents LIV golfer Patrick Reed in his $750 million lawsuits against Golf Channel and commentator Brandel Chamblee.
Klayman is reportedly seeking more information about a meeting he claims violated antitrust laws. From Golfweek:
The lawyer claims the meeting was “anticompetitive and violative of the antitrust laws vis a vis the LIV Golf Tour and its players,” and that the changes the PGA Tour revealed Wednesday are an attempt to “emulate LIV Golf, while continuing to allegedly harm LIV and its players by, among other alleged anticompetitive acts, working to deny them world ranking points to compete in major tournaments such as the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship.”
Woods was reportedly given notice to appear in court on Sept. 21, while McIlroy is due one day later on Sept. 22. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was also reportedly subpoenaed for Sept. 27.
Woods and McIlroy have emerged as two of the PGA Tour’s staunchest allies among the players in its battle against the Saudi Arabian-owned LIV Golf, with McIlroy never hesitating to offer a soundbite critical of the rival tour and its players and Woods reportedly helping make decisions behind closed doors.
The pair also recently announced the launching of TMRW Sports, a technology-focused, PGA Tour-allied golf league.
Details of the players-only meeting in question have been slow to come out, but its results are becoming evident. The PGA announced a sweeping set of changes Wednesday for the 2022-23 season, which will see the Tour’s top players compensated more often and play more often, much like LIV Golf has done.
Klayman reportedly wants more details about the meeting that likely helped spur these changes:
“This is not a personal ‘thing’ against Woods, McIlroy and Monahan, it’s about getting information about what occurred at the players’ meeting and generally with regard to allegations in our complaint that the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and their commissioners Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley, are allegedly colluding in restraint of trade and the antitrust laws to harm the LIV Golf Tour and its players.”
The subpoenas are part of a larger legal battle that has erupted between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour and its allies, with a larger antitrust suit looming from the likes of Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau.
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