Viktor Hovland blasts PGA Tour leadership as LIV deadline nears
PGA Tour and LIV have a deadline for Dec. 31 to finalize their framework
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Viktor Hovland quelled rumors he was going to follow Jon Rahm to LIV Golf on Monday but had choice words for PGA Tour leadership.
Hovland said recently on the "Fore" podcast he couldn’t fault players like Rahm for leaving for LIV Golf, citing the hundreds of millions of dollars players are reportedly receiving to play in the Saudi-backed series. He did express his dismay at the no-cut policy the league has, saying he didn’t think he would become a better golfer if the PGA Tour had the same rules.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Viktor Hovland of Norway hits his tee shot at the 10th hole during the third round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Course on December 2, 2023 in Naussau, New Providence, Bahamas. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
The PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund have a Dec. 31 deadline to finalize an agreement on a landmark merger. But Hovland took issue with the secrecy around the talks to come to a deal.
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Viktor Hovland of Norway plays his shot from the 14th tee during the final round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Course on December 03, 2023 in Nassau, Bahamas. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
"The management has not done a good job. They almost see the players as labor, and not as part of the members. After all, we are the PGA Tour. Without the players, there is nothing," he said, via Golfweek. "When you then get to see what happens behind closed doors, how the management actually makes decisions, which are not in the players' best interest, but best for themselves and what they think is best.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"They are not professional golfers after all. They are businessmen who say that 'No, it should look like this and that.' There is a great deal of arrogance behind it all."
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Jay Monahan speaks onstage during The New York Times Dealbook Summit 2023 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on November 29, 2023 in New York City. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for The New York Times)
Hovland has six PGA Tour wins in his career. He finished tied for seventh at the Masters and tied for second at the PGA Championship in 2023.