PGA legend Curtis Peculiar on why execs jumped to LIV Golf: It’s about the dollars

Some of the PGA Tour’s best-rated gamers have given differing causes for resigning their memberships and determining to take part in the LIV Golf circuit. 

But, for one particular extensive-time tour member, the reasoning is very easy. 

Curtis Weird, a 17-time PGA Tour winner and back-to-back U.S. Open champion (1988-89), advised G3 Box News Digital this 7 days he believes the major motivator for gamers joining the rival Saudi-backed golfing league is the revenue. 

Curtis Unusual is victorious just after a shot for the duration of the U.S. Open up at The Region Club in Brookline, Mass., June 19, 1988. (John Biever/Sports Illustrated by using Getty Pictures)

"You know, there is certainly a person reason these players are going, and one cause only, and that is the overall look cash," Peculiar claimed. 

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"I used to go abroad two or three occasions a year when I was enjoying very well, and it was about the funds. It was about visual appearance expenses. But, at the exact time, you were participating in in tournaments that experienced considerable prize money. So you always try. I mean, but they have been real-everyday living world ranking tournaments, so it intended some thing — financially, reward-wise as much as world rating points and your status in the recreation, which is incredibly vital. This is not the situation."

The PGA Tour does not enable visual appeal costs when LIV golf does – related to the DP World Tour. Gamers also compete for $20 million purses in addition to an extra $5 million prize for the staff level of competition for every single event. 

Gamers like Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson have reportedly signed offers with bonuses well worth $150 million and $200 million, respectively. 

Phil Mickelson of Hy Flyers GC smiles on working day three of the LIV Golf Invitational — London at The Centurion Club June 11, 2022, in St Albans, England.  (Charlie Crowhurst/LIV Golf/Getty Photographs)

Strange also stated the tour’s latest measure to maximize purse sizes, which was expedited for the reason that of the delivery of LIV Golfing, provides the two circuits nearer but also tends to make overall look cash all the more important. 

He claimed he can understand the economical lure for sure players but dismissed some of the factors that have been publicly offered for their departures.

"I have an understanding of the gamers likely. I do since it really is so massive, it truly is daily life-altering," Unusual said. "Now, some people today will say, ‘Well, they currently make a lot of funds.’ Indeed, they do. But some of these gamers are at the stop of their professions, and so they are not likely to make massive amounts of cash for the up coming, you know, variety of years.

Curtis Strange at the 1991 Phoenix Open. (Kevin Warren/PGA TOUR Archive)

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"It isn't really about not liking the your. This is not about what the tour hasn't done. It isn't really about I want to see my household much more in a calendar year. It is not about getting far more time to myself. These guys never perform that significantly in any case. It truly is all about this large overall look income. And that's it. That's the base line." 

Brooks Koepka, who joined LIV Golf ahead of its initially U.S.-centered celebration in Oregon this week, told reporters during a push conference that his main motive for becoming a member of the tour was simply because of harm and the need to spend much more time rehabbing. 

"What I've had to go by means of the very last two many years on my knees, the agony, the rehab, all this things, you know, you know, I will need a small bit much more time off," he reported. "I will be the to start with a person to say it: It truly is not been an uncomplicated very last couple of a long time, and I believe owning a tiny extra breaks, a minor additional time at dwelling to make positive I'm 100% in advance of I go participate in in an event and don't feel like I am pressured to play appropriate absent [is good]."

Pat Perez, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed converse to the media in the course of a push convention prior to the LIV Golfing Invitational — Portland at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club June 28, 2022, in North Plains, Oregon.  (Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golfing by means of Getty Photos)

In February, Koepka stated of LIV Golfing: "They’ll get their fellas. Anyone will offer out and go to it."

But, on Tuesday, he said, "opinions transform," introducing that he manufactured his choice soon after the U.S. Open up. 

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Odd expressed his being familiar with but additional that he thinks this will hurt the two the PGA Tour and the activity of golfing in the very long operate. 

"Is this destructive to the tour? Yes, since it has taken some massive participant names absent from the tour. Is it damaging for golf? Of course. Because it really is diluting the full method. It is a rebel procedure with very deep pockets, and they're obtaining their tour.

Curtis Unusual hits a bunker shot on the first gap during the initial spherical of the Insperity Invitational at the Tournament System at the Woodlands Place Club Could 2, 2014, in The Woodlands, Texas.  (Scott Halleran/Getty Graphic)

"This is just one of the most important factors to at any time come about in a adverse way to our game. And so it's not excellent for any person. But will it continue on to transpire? You know, as prolonged as they proceed to throw that variety of revenue, there's generally a chance. Does that tour exist for extended than a few of many years? That is all up to them, how a lot cash they want to put in it."

Weird defended the PGA Tour and Commissioner Jay Monahan for suspending the membership of those defectors, expressing he’s hoping to defend the integrity of the tour for people remaining members. 

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Curtis Odd kisses the U.S. Open up trophy at the Oak Hill Region Club in Rochester, New York, in 1989. (Rick Stewart / Allsport)

"I can not consider turning your again on the firm that gave you the system to be who you are," Bizarre reported. "At the exact same time, I do recognize a man who isn't going to consider he can enjoy nicely sufficient anymore likely. But I just have a difficult time. Right after playing the tour for so prolonged, turning your back on an group and essentially becoming fairly harmful to it. But I get it. I get it. It really is dollars." 

The G3 Box News contributed to this report.