Federal judge denies LIV golfers bid to compete in PGA Tour playoffs
- Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford claimed they should be able to play where they want, a federal judge, however, had other ideas
- US District Court Judge Beth Labso Freeman said the players knew the potential consequences of joining a rival circuit and had been well compensated by LIV
A federal judge in California ruled Tuesday that three golfers who joined Saudi-backed LIV Golf will not be able to compete in the PGA Tour’s postseason.
US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman made her decision in San Jose after lawyers for the sides each spoke for about an hour. Freeman said she did not consider the golfers faced irreparable harm because of the big money they were guaranteed by joining LIV, a key issue in the case.
“There simply is no irreparable harm in this case,” PGA Tour lawyer Elliot Peters said.
The three suspended golfers were seeking a temporary restraining order, which Freeman denied. Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford claimed they should be able to play where they want to, each saying in letters last month to the PGA Tour: “I am a free agent and independent contractor.”
They are among 10 players who filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour last week – including Phil Mickelson.
Robert Walters, an antitrust litigator representing the golfers, noted this would be their opportunity on a big playoff stage, “effectively the Super Bowl of golf” because of its “significant income opportunities.”
Freeman responded that the LIV Tour earnings potential was also great and asked whether players might have been able to wait until the conclusion of the PGA Tour season to depart for the new tour.
Walters argued there were only 48 spots and they would have filled up according to LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, to which Freeman said she agreed with that stance but that the golfers stood to gain far more financially joining LIV than the money they might have earned on the PGA Tour.