Ernie Els says LIV Golf “showed me the door early” by revealing its disappointment at not being consulted by the South African contingent who joined the group. breakaway tour.
Addressing the Palm Beach PostThe Big Easy said he had ‘fed’ many South African PGA Tour players over the years and ‘didn’t like’ how they fled the North American circuit.
Els told the publication that he was still friends with people like Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace And Charles Schwartzel but he added: “We definitely lost that camaraderie. »
Oosthuizen, 40, added a new player to his Stinger GC squad during the off-season. Hennie du Plessis was removed in favor of Dean Burmester.
Related: Which LIV Golf players have been let go for 2023?
The 2010 Open winner previously said he I didn’t understand “all the noise” about LIV.
Oosthuizen also said that “it sucked” that his decision to join LIV led him to missing on the Presidents Cup.
Oosthuizen was a topic of conversation in our last podcast Advices with Sky Sports commentator Tony Johnstone.
Six-time European Tour winner Johnstone said Oosthuizen’s back was “like glass” and estimated he only has a few years left in the game.
Els said:
“I’m still friends with them but it’s different.
“I was disappointed that they never asked my opinion. I had them in the foundation (in South Africa), I looked after them when they were young.
“They flew with me, they stayed at my house. They kind of encouraged them to go on the PGA Tour. It just happened in a way that I didn’t like.
“As an international player and living in South Africa, it’s difficult to come here, with your family, and turn your whole house upside down to join the PGA Tour. So I understand that. But for me, no.”
Els, 53, also said he didn’t like the way they were disrupting professional golf.
He said:
“They took things the wrong way and they really upended a lot of the good things that the game stands for. It’s all just not right.”
LIV will still begin its second campaign without OWGR accreditation.
Els has a theory.
“There’s no way to give ranking points. They play team golf. They say it’s all about team golf. How the hell can you seriously consider that?
“It’s not a stroke play event, you’re playing a team event with 48 players. There’s no way for them to get ranking points.”
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“Basically, they showed me the door”
Els also confirmed that he spoke to LIV officials before its launch at the Centurion Club last June.
The South African said he urged LIV to partner with the PGA TourPGA Tour Champions and DP World Tour.
Els said:
“We can play all over the world, play team golf and get a TV station that will buy it, come back to your respective tours and keep it going.
“I think that would have been a good way…they didn’t see it that way and they showed me the door from the beginning.”
Next page: Two LIV players lose Open spots after R&A rule change
