“Bad faith”: LIV Golf’s antitrust lawsuit is falling apart as more players keep dropping out
Follow Us
LIV Golf Series
The LIV Golf Series vs the PGA Tour has been the centre of controversy over the last few months as the golf world is split into two. The Saudi-backed series attracted the likes of Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, who have had to face sanctions and suspensions from the PGA Tour. The golfers have however decided to hit back with an antitrust lawsuit, making the situation even more intense.
The lawsuit, led by Mickelson and DeChambeau, is against the PGA Tour for not allowing them to compete at the tour events. This also included a TRO filed by Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford to play in the FedEx Cup Playoffs- which the LIV Series lost. However, the upcoming trial will be an important one in deciding the fate of professional golf.
On Thursday U.S. District Judge Beth L. Freeman set a tentative date for a summary hearing on 23rd July 2023, where the Tour will push to dismiss the case. The original date for the hearing was set to be on 7th August 2023, however golfers faced a set back as those dates coincided with the beginning of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. However, the number of golfers seem to be decreasing by the day, and the number has dwindled from 11 to 7.
Also read: “The silence is deafening”: LIV Golf antitrust lawsuit trial date against PGA Tour all set… in 2024
LIV Golf lawsuit added as interested party in the antitrust lawsuit
After Carlos Ortiz dropped out of the lawsuit initially, Pat Perez also dropped his name just recently. This time however,
Abraham Ancer and Jason Kokrak have been removed from the lawsuit, dropping the number of plaintiffs to 7. The lawsuit now includes Phil Mickelson, Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford, Matt Jones, Bryson DeChambeau, Ian Poulter and Peter Uihlein.
The Series has also claimed that the Tour is violating the Sherman Act in an “intentional and relentless effort to crush nascent competition before it threatens the Tour’s monopoly.” LIV Golf wants “punitive damages for the PGA Tour’s bad faith and egregious interference with LIV Golf’s contractual and perspective business relationships.” The LIV Series has been added as an interest party in the said lawsuit.
Do follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Stay Updated!
Saivee Phatak
(1164 Articles Published)