LIV Golf Now Closed?

[boogielicious]

2 minutes ago, Aguirre said:

I agree, I'm not one for the gossip. But Perez just floats that out there and of course everyone is going to be curious. Like there isn't much I consider "unforgiveable" in my life. Maybe Phil ate three of his children.

He probably got a Pat Perez mullet.

[iacas]

Official World Golf Ranking sued for allegedly colluding with PGA Tour

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The complaint further alleges monopolization, attempted monopolization and other unfair trade practices.

[iacas]

LIV Golf: Patrick Reed’s $750 million defamation lawsuit dismissed

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Reed’s attorneys will have until Dec. 16 to file an amended complaint.

Dismissed.

[turtleback]

4 hours ago, iacas said:

LIV Golf: Patrick Reed’s $750 million defamation lawsuit dismissed

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Reed’s attorneys will have until Dec. 16 to file an amended complaint.

Dismissed.

If anyone wants to read the 4 page decision it's here:

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23314083/judge-order-dismiss-patrick-reed-lawsuit.pdf

After reading the decision I have to wonder if Reed was representing himself or just has a really bad attorney.

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, turtleback said:

If anyone wants to read the 4 page decision it's here:

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23314083/judge-order-dismiss-patrick-reed-lawsuit.pdf

After reading the decision I have to wonder if Reed was representing himself or just has a really bad attorney.

B.

Larry Klayman.

Judicial Watch founder Larry Klayman suspended from legal practice in DC

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A Washington, D.C., appellate court has suspended the law license of Larry Klayman, an attorney known for conservative causes and clients, for 18 months over his handling of a sexual harassment lawsuit initially filed...

Etc.

[iacas]

LIV Golf Accuses PGA Tour of Secretly Coordinating Attacks on It by 9/11 Victim Groups

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In a court filing, the Saudi-funded golf league says its rival is behind attacks that claimed the upstart league was a mechanism for whitewashing Saudi Arabia’s reputation.

When Saudi-funded LIV Golf first arrived in the U.S. earlier this year, it was met with criticism from politicians and the families of 9/11 victims, who claimed the new golf circuit was a bid by Saudi Arabia to use a popular sport to whitewash its reputation for brutality and alleged involvement in the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Now, LIV Golf is claiming in a new court filing that much of this backlash was secretly coordinated by its rival, the PGA Tour, through a Washington, D.C. public relations firm hired by the PGA Tour.

“The Tour has secretly directed, coordinated, and funded public protest, defamatory advertising, and other tactics to stir up anti-Saudi sentiment directed at its first-ever global competitor, all in an effort to maintain its unlawful monopoly,” LIV alleged in a filing in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia submitted Tuesday but made public Wednesday.  

The PGA Tour hired the Washington public relations firm, Clout Public Affairs LLC, “to front this campaign, insisting that Clout conceal the Tour’s orchestration of this effort,” according to the filing. “The Tour knew how bad it would look if its fingerprints were on the campaign to link LIV Golf to the tragedy of the Sept. 11 attacks, so the Tour hid behind Clout,” the filing claims.

[woodzie264]

13 minutes ago, iacas said:

LIV Golf Accuses PGA Tour of Secretly Coordinating Attacks on It by 9/11 Victim Groups

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In a court filing, the Saudi-funded golf league says its rival is behind attacks that...

When Saudi-funded LIV Golf first arrived in the U.S. earlier this year, it was met with criticism from politicians and the families of 9/11 victims, who claimed the new golf circuit was a bid by Saudi Arabia to use a popular sport to whitewash its reputation for brutality and alleged involvement in the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Now, LIV Golf is claiming in a new court filing that much of this backlash was secretly coordinated by its rival, the PGA Tour, through a Washington, D.C. public relations firm hired by the PGA Tour.

“The Tour has secretly directed, coordinated, and funded public protest, defamatory advertising, and other tactics to stir up anti-Saudi sentiment directed at its first-ever global competitor, all in an effort to maintain its unlawful monopoly,” LIV alleged in a filing in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia submitted Tuesday but made public Wednesday.  

The PGA Tour hired the Washington public relations firm, Clout Public Affairs LLC, “to front this campaign, insisting that Clout conceal the Tour’s orchestration of this effort,” according to the filing. “The Tour knew how bad it would look if its fingerprints were on the campaign to link LIV Golf to the tragedy of the Sept. 11 attacks, so the Tour hid behind Clout,” the filing claims.

Yep, that’s exactly what happened. 🙄

[dennyjones]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

LIV Golf Accuses PGA Tour of Secretly Coordinating Attacks on It by 9/11 Victim Groups

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In a court filing, the Saudi-funded golf league says its rival is behind attacks that claimed the upstart league was a mechanism for whitewashing Saudi Arabia’s reputation.

When Saudi-funded LIV Golf first arrived in the U.S. earlier this year, it was met with criticism from politicians and the families of 9/11 victims, who claimed the new golf circuit was a bid by Saudi Arabia to use a popular sport to whitewash its reputation for brutality and alleged involvement in the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Now, LIV Golf is claiming in a new court filing that much of this backlash was secretly coordinated by its rival, the PGA Tour, through a Washington, D.C. public relations firm hired by the PGA Tour.

“The Tour has secretly directed, coordinated, and funded public protest, defamatory advertising, and other tactics to stir up anti-Saudi sentiment directed at its first-ever global competitor, all in an effort to maintain its unlawful monopoly,” LIV alleged in a filing in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia submitted Tuesday but made public Wednesday.  

The PGA Tour hired the Washington public relations firm, Clout Public Affairs LLC, “to front this campaign, insisting that Clout conceal the Tour’s orchestration of this effort,” according to the filing. “The Tour knew how bad it would look if its fingerprints were on the campaign to link LIV Golf to the tragedy of the Sept. 11 attacks, so the Tour hid behind Clout,” the filing claims.

Does anybody really think that the families of 9/11 give a damn about LIV golf reputation?   It's a fact that they lost family members on that day.  I'm sure they would have done everything within their means to let everyone know that allegedly the Saudi government had something to do with the loss of their loved ones.   I don't see a problem.

[iacas]

Atul Khosla, Chief Operating Officer of LIV Golf, Exits Saudi-Backed League - The New York Times

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The executive’s departure is the latest turmoil for LIV, which has drawn plenty of attention but no major television or sponsorship deals.

Atul Khosla, the veteran sports executive who was expected to guide LIV Golf into the franchise model on which it has staked its viability, has resigned from the venture that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund financed in a challenge to the PGA Tour.

Khosla’s exit, just more than a year after LIV announced his appointment as its chief operating officer, comes as the start-up struggles to gain sustained traction and, confidential records reported by The New York Times this week suggest, is far from reaching the benchmarks that would make it successful.

[woodzie264]

17 minutes ago, iacas said:

Atul Khosla, Chief Operating Officer of LIV Golf, Exits Saudi-Backed League - The New York Times

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The executive’s departure is the latest turmoil for LIV, which has drawn plenty of attention...

Atul Khosla, the veteran sports executive who was expected to guide LIV Golf into the franchise model on which it has staked its viability, has resigned from the venture that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund financed in a challenge to the PGA Tour.

Khosla’s exit, just more than a year after LIV announced his appointment as its chief operating officer, comes as the start-up struggles to gain sustained traction and, confidential records reported by The New York Times this week suggest, is far from reaching the benchmarks that would make it successful.

I’m super surprised that it hasn’t caught onto the level to be viable in and of itself, without being floated by the government. 🙄 who would’ve foreseen this?!?….oh wait, I think almost everyone here anticipated that 

[iacas]

[turtleback]

On 11/15/2022 at 6:20 AM, iacas said:

The golf world is surprisingly scant on details here. It seems to be either a flirtation or a full out affair or at least single occurrence, or something in between…?

Whatever. I don't really care too much about their off-the-course stuff or the stuff that doesn't affect the golf. Couldn't happen to a pair of nicer dudes, though. 😛

Yeah, it is kind of an Iran-Iraq a pox on both your houses thing.

 

[saevel25]

Augusta has not changed their rules for invitation to The Masters. Current LIV members will be invited if they achieve Augusta's criteria for making The Masters.

Here is there statement..

Statement Regarding the 2023 Masters Tournament

Quote

Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it. Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a preeminent field of golfers this coming April.

Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament. As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future Tournaments will be announced in April.

Here is the list of players currently invited...

2023_Masters_Tournament_Invitees.pdf

 

[DaveP043]

3 hours ago, saevel25 said:

Augusta has not changed their rules for invitation to The Masters. Current LIV members will be invited if they achieve Augusta's criteria for making The Masters.

Here is there statement..

Statement Regarding the 2023 Masters Tournament

Here is the list of players currently invited...

2023_Masters_Tournament_Invitees.pdf

 

I saw the same thing, and I'm not surprised.  In the long run (if there IS a long run) I believe that the Ranking Points will end up excluding most of the LIV players.  I think they'll eventually get points, but at relatively low levels based on the format (54 holes, no cut) and the strength of field.

[Darkfrog]

Quote

As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future Tournaments will be announced in April.

This statement seems to give Augusta National a path for excluding LIV players in the future, but given LIV's OWGR status, it looks like it won't be necessary in the future for most of LIV's roster, aside from their players who meet other requirements (e.g., lifetime invite for winning The Masters).

Unrelated, but I've observed that there seem to be some LIV players who are outspoken propaganda puppets (Westwood, Phil, etc.), and others like Charl Schwartzel who joined LIV and have just gone about their business. I wonder if the more outspoken players have a different type of (or maybe just larger) financial stake in LIV that requires them to participate in LIV PR more enthusiastically.

[JenH]

On 7/13/2022 at 9:25 PM, JenH said:

Hi All, I'm new to the site but a golfer and golf fan for 40 years. I'm sort of surprised that something like LIV Golf hasn't challenged the PGA before. It seems that most great, successful organizations have challengers and LIV has tossed their hat into the ring along with some serious money to prime the pump and create interest. LIV isn't just nipping at the heels of the PGA. LIV is creating a serious problem for the longevity of the PGA. The PGA needs to step up their marketing (up to 1990's standards) and loosen the tie a bit. If one is a traditionalist, they might side with the PGA's culture/ethos/tradition. But tradition doesn't pay the bills. Being on the tour is EXPENSIVE regardless of ranking and sponsorships. There isn't a single PGA professional that would go on tour just for the tradition of it...it ALL eventually boils down to money and LIV is offering it up to pro's (struggling or not) that never thought they would have a chance at that kind of money. Tiger alluded to the PGA's great "history and tradition" and no one can argue that but tradition is a fickle thing...not long ago it was that same sense of "tradition" that wouldn't allow great men like him in the clubhouse.   

Please don't misunderstand my point. I do NOT agree with the morals of the individuals funding LIV. I'm just a bit miffed that the PGA/The Masters are attempting to portray their organization as the pillar of nondiscrimination and inclusion. It wasn't until 1975 that they would "allow" a black man into The Masters. 

[ChetlovesMer]

10 minutes ago, JenH said:

 It wasn't until 1975 that they would "allow" a black man into The Masters. 

That was 50 years ago. I like to think they've gotten better and have learned a lot in 50 years. I think we all have. 
And I might also argue that exclusion from something is one thing. Beheading people is something all together different. 

[iacas]

LIV Golf: Former PGA Tour player says golfers feel ‘ostracized’ now

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The former European Tour and PGA Tour player said he’s enjoyed his time with the new league, but it has come with a price.

Ummmmm, "no shit"?

What did he expect?

Even if he took a big sum of money to join a rival league that WASN'T funded by the Saudis, he might feel ostracized. I mean…