Saudi International: Harold Varner says golf is ‘going down the toilet’ because of LIV and PGA ‘bickering’
- Defending champion bemoans ‘bitterness and pettiness of both LIV and the PGA Tour’ that has led to the civil war dividing the game
- ‘I don’t care what tour it is, it’s golf,’ says American, who admits he enjoys ‘the money and the time’ that comes with Saudi-backed LIV Golf
For a man defending a title for only the second time in his career, Harold Varner appears as relaxed as it might be possible to be on the eve of the Asian Tour’s season-opening PIF Saudi International.
Despite being “a little rusty”, the 32-year-old is desperate to get going this week after an off-season far longer than he has been used to in the past.
Still, this week’s tournament will be the first four-day event the LIV golfer has played since the Open Championship last July and there has not been much since.
“I just want to compete,” Varner said. “I just want get in the fire. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Varner begins the defence of his title on Thursday in a group alongside Jazz Janewattananond, and Bubba Watson, whom he beat by one stroke last year with an amazing 92 foot putt for eagle on the last.
“I am not playing that often, not tournament golf,” Varner said. “I guess last year I played two or three [PGA] tournaments before [joining LIV]. I missed both of those cuts, so I guess I wasn’t playing great according to the scores. But I’m fairly cocky. I think I’m playing well.”