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Mickelson, other golf pros sue PGA Tour in LIV fight
Phil Mickelson plays his shot from the first tee during the first round of a LIV Golf tournament at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster July 29, 2022. — Reuters pic

WASHINGTON, Aug 4 — Hall of Fame golfer Phil Mickelson and 10 other players filed a lawsuit against the PGA Tour on Wednesday, alleging that it broke anti-trust law by refusing them to participate on the tour and the new rival LIV Golf circuit, backed by Saudi Arabia.

The lawsuit was led by six-time major champion Mickelson and includes 2020 US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, European Ryder Cup veteran Ian Poulter, Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones, among others.

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"As part of its carefully orchestrated plan to defeat competition, the Tour has threatened lifetime bans on players who play in even a single LIV Golf event,” the golfers said in the complaint.

They asked the court to declare the punishments illegal and to award damages and attorney’s fees.

In a letter to players, the PGA Tour acknowledged that the 11 had been suspended and indicated that the Tour was not inclined to back down.

"These suspended players — who are now Saudi Golf League employees — have walked away from the TOUR and now want back in,” Commissioner Jay Monahan wrote in a letter to members. "We intend to make our case clearly and vigorously.” In July, news broke that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating whether the PGA Tour broke anti-trust law in fending off the LIV Golf circuit.

The US$255 million (RM1.1 billion) LIV series is being bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which critics say is a vehicle for the country to improve its image in the face of criticism of its human rights record. — Reuters

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