07 January 2024 , 17:26
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PGA Tour star Mackenzie Hughes has revealed his bemusement with the current state of play in golf as he took aim at the LIV Golf rebels as well as his colleagues on the American circuit.
The current world No. 66 has not held back in the past when addressing the civil war in the sport, which has unfolded in the past two years. Now, ahead of his appearance at the PGA Tour's season-opener at the Sentry, the Canadian gave his verdict on golf's great divide.
It had appeared that the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and the DP World Tour had been heading towards a truce when plans for a merger were announced last summer. However, progress over a binding agreement reached an impasse in the second half of 2023, with all parties settling upon an extension of the December 31 deadline for a deal to be reached into the new year.
Taking to Twitter /X back in December, Hughes made his feelings known on the game's current trajectory, saying: "Men’s professional golf is in a sad place. The direction it's headed right now isn't healthy or good for the sport. And I know many of you are upset with the recent developments—I would be too."
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PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has since confirmed that the slated merger was heading towards completion, with the Strategic Sports Group (SSG) working towards a deal with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment fund (PIF). That said, it is clear that figures such as Hughes still appear alienated following the seismic changes to golf's landscape since the establishment of LIV Golf.
Two-time PGA Tour title winner Hughes has taken aim at the defectors to the Gulf State circuit, saying: "All these guys going to LIV have made it pretty clear that it's all about money. I mean, ‘growing the game,’ but also money. So, to me, that's disappointing. ... Like, in 2019, I didn't pick a schedule based on a purse.
The Canadian was clear that he could see why defecting to the LIV circuit has proven so attractive to peers such as recent rebel John Rahm, saying: "They are great opportunities," before admitting: "But I just don't think it's right. ... Again, we have the same product that we had in 2019, yet we want this, like, increased investment, not just increased, but increased in a big way."
Jon Rahm has left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf in a major coup for the breakaway circuit (H.Bilbao/Europa Press via Getty Images)Hughes has not only been irked by the impact of the emergence of LIV in recent years, however, as he also reserved some criticism of his PGA Tour colleagues who have stayed put. He continued: "I think that also there's a lot of guys that feel entitled out here.
"Like, you start to see all these big amounts of money flying around and this offer and that offer and people think, ‘Oh, well I stayed loyal, like, where's my money?’ You're not entitled to play the PGA Tour.
"You have the right and you have a privilege to play out here, and it's an opportunity, but it's not like anyone owes you anything. No one's forcing your hand. You don't have to stay; you can go play over there if you want. So, this whole 'the-tour-owes-me-something' attitude, I don't like either."