The PGA Tour has been the subject of a new lawsuit since Tuesday, in the context of the fierce legal battle opposing it to the dissident league LIV, financially supported by Saudi Arabia and whose emergence is fracturing the world. golf.
Lawyer Larry Klayman, who among other things deals with the interests of the American Patrick Reed engaged with LIV, announced the filing of a second amended class action complaint, in the county of Palm Beach, for conspiracy to ” to destroy the LIV Golf and its players-members at their beginnings”.
In addition to the PGA, the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) and the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), the body governing the world ranking, are also cited.
According to Mr Klayman, the alleged actions of PGA and DP World Tour bosses Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley, OWGR board members, breached competition law.
A first action anti-trust against the PGA was initiated on August 3 by eleven players it had suspended for joining LIV Golf. Eight of those plaintiffs, including Phil Mickelson, an early supporter of the dissident league, have since recanted, unlike Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Jones and Peter Uihlein.
In September, the PGA had in turn filed a complaint against the dissident circuit, accusing it of interfering in its contracts with players.
According to Mr. Klayman, “LIV players are being denied world ranking points to prevent them from participating in major tournaments, such as the Grand Slam events, which also harms consumers, fans and followers of the sport. .
In his complaint, the lawyer further believes that the quality of golf offered on the PGA Tour has been “altered and destroyed by the drop in standard” generalized, following the suspensions imposed on members of LIV, which concern more of thirty players.
The LIV circuit, which has attracted several of the world’s best players, including American Dustin Johnson and Australian Cameron Smith, plans to organize fourteen events next year.
