Stephen A. Smith Blaming PGA Tour for LIV Golf Situation Angers Fans: “Dumb as a Rock”

Stephen A. Smith claimed that the PGA Tour "forced" golfers to find better opportunities in LIV Golf.

Stephen A. Smith Blaming PGA Tour for LIV Golf Situation Angers Fans: “Dumb as a Rock”

Stephen A. Smith (Image via MARCA)

Stephen A. Smith dropped another hot take on Thursday. This time, the sportcaster pointed fingers at the PGA Tour and blamed them for the LIV Golf situation while claiming that they forced the golfers to leave.

LIV Golf has been the center of attention in the past couple of weeks after reports emerged that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia was withdrawing their funding after the 2026 season. After various speculations, the league on Thursday released a statement and announced a change in leadership and a new business strategy.

The league came into existence in 2021 after PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan shook hands with Greg Norman. The Saudi Arabian businessman worked alongside the former World No.1 and kick-started the 54-hole circuit known as LIV Golf.

The breakaway circuit would then poach some of the biggest names from the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. Stars like Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau left the PGA Tour to play on the Saudi-backed circuit.

Since their formation, the golf world has been divided. There had been talks of a potential reunification of the game through the merger, which was announced in June 2023. However, after a meeting at the White House last year, nothing major happened.

With the PIF pulling its plug on LIV Golf after this season, there are several questions regarding the future of the league. According to reports, several players have started to reach out to the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour about a potential return.

This topic has sparked huge debates on social media. Many have urged harsh consequences for those who left the tour and later sued them. Some of them have called for leniency.

Stephen A. Smith, who usually does not comment on golf, shared his thoughts regarding this. In a discussion on First Take, the sportscaster expressed that the LIV Golf stars should be welcomed without any penalties, as the PGA Tour was the one who pushed them away.

They should not be punishing anybody. It was their negligence, their abuse, their taking golfers for granted that forced the existence of LIV to begin with. The players didn’t want to leave the PGA. They were forced to because they were looking for better opportunities based on how they were treated.

Stephen A. Smith

Earlier this year, Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour after leaving LIV Golf. The 5-time major champion came back through the Returning Member Program, a one-time window. As per this, a player could return to the tour if they were away for more than 2 years and had won The Players Championship or any one of the 4 majors since 2022.

Koepka thus returned due to his 2023 U.S. Open win. DeChambeau, Smith, and Jon Rahm, who were the other 3 eligible players, turned down this chance.

A few days after Koepka’s departure, Patrick Reed also left the breakaway tour. However, he did not meet the criterion for the Returning Member Program. He will thus return to the tour in 2027 as a past champion and will be eligible to play in the later events this year.

While these two may have gotten their way back, the others might find it difficult. As per Golf Digest, conditions for others to return could have more restrictions than Koepka and Reed had.

Social media users thrash Stephen A. Smith for hot take regarding PGA Tour and LIV Golf

As questions regarding the future of LIV Golf continue to mount, Stephen A. Smith dropped a massive take regarding them and the PGA Tour. Social media users later thrashed the sportscaster for this.

Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith (Image via The Spun)

On X, several users ridiculed him. One of them wrote, “This guy is as dumb as a rock,” while taking a swipe at Smith.

Check out that and some other reactions from X below:

This is obviously not the first time Smith has found himself in trouble with his choice of words. A few days back, he claimed that golfers and NASCAR drivers were not athletes. He faced severe backlash for these comments.

PGA Tour star calls out Stephen A. Smith for “horrendous take” regarding LIV Golf

Stephen A. Smith is once again in hot water as he blamed the PGA Tour for the LIV Golf saga. As his comments went viral, a PGA Tour star called him out for his “horrendous take.”

Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith (Image via Fox News)

In his take, Smith expressed that the golfers were “forced” to find better opportunities for themselves. 1-time PGA Tour winner Michael Kim did not agree with this.

The golfer, who is highly active on social media, called out Smith on X. In his reply, the 32-year-old expressed that calling the actions of those who left “forced” was laughable.

What a horrendous take. Players were “forced” to take massive multi million dollar checks and then sue the very tour that gave them the platform to make names for themselves mostly because they weren’t paid their PIP money. Was everything perfect? Obviously not but to say they were forced? Thats laughable

Michael Kim said regarding Stephen A. Smith on X

There are several big questions now. Will LIV survive without the backing of the PIF? Will the PGA Tour really open its arms and welcome back those who left and later filed a lawsuit against it? All the answers will be answered in due time. For now, LIV Golf is preparing for an event next week at the Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C.

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