Having lost a host of stellar names to LIV Golf, the PGA Tour fought back with a win on their own on Tuesday after a federal judge denied a request by Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford for a temporary restraining order that would have allowed them to compete in the PGA Tour’s FedExCup playoffs, which begin on Thursday.
The three players, along with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter, have all been suspended by the PGA Tour for joining the breakaway league and hoped an emergency injunction would clear the way for them to play in the lucrative three-tournament playoffs, which offers a bonus pool of $75,000,000 for the top 30 players on the standings.
The trio claimed the suspension was causing them “irreparable” harm, but the US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman sided with the PGA Tour.
The Judge said the players knew the potential consequences of joining the rival circuit, had been well compensated by LIV and their lawyers failed to establish irreparable harm.
“With today’s news, our players’ fans and partners can now focus on what really matters over the next three weeks: the best players in the world competing in the FedExCup Playoffs,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a letter to players.
LIV Golf said they were “disappointed” the trio were denied entry into the playoffs and “won’t be allowed to play golf.”
