Fred Couples has made his feelings on LIV Golf known once again, branding Phil Mickelson a “nutbag” and Sergio Garcia a “clown” at a PGA Tour Champions breakfast ahead of the Hoag Classic.
According to the Orange County Register, Couples had guests in fits of laughter as he made fun of LIV Golf offering monstrous amounts of money for mediocre golf.
“If you’re giving Phil Mickelson $200 million at age 52 to shoot 74 and 75, God bless you,” said Couples, who referred to Mickelson as a “nutbag” despite mentioning that he was among the top 10 players to have ever played the game.
“I don’t have a problem with LIV. What my problem has been when I tweet every now and then, is what these guys say when they go to the LIV Tour.”
Many of those who left cited a more flexible schedule that allowed for more time at home with family, with Cameron Smith saying “now I can have birthdays and go to the weddings of my mates” after making the switch last summer.
To all my friends who I missed birthdays & weddings …… so sorry, I was busy earning a living on the @pgatour and in my line of work the goal is to EARN your way to work weekends. And by weekends i mean 72 holes. Sorry not sorry .
— fredcouplesgolf (@fredcouplesgolf) September 1, 2022
“The guy who won The Players Championship and British Open last year,” said Couples, referring to Smith before mocking him for his comments.
“I find that comical, because my favourite to ever play has five kids, 40 grandkids, and he has never missed anything – and that was Jack Nicklaus,” adding that he was annoyed by “all these other clowns, like Sergio (Garcia),” who ripped a PGA Tour rules official before jumping to LIV Golf.
“Just go to the LIV Tour, but stop blasting something I’ve been a part of for 42 years,” he said.
“That’s my problem (with LIV players). They’re all bashing the PGA Tour, and that affects me a little bit.”
The 1992 Masters champion also revelaed that Will Zalatoris, who has the same agent as he does, turned down $35 million to defect and later $130 million.
“Money is zero object (for LIV),” he said. “I give Will a lot of credit; he wants (to stay with) the PGA Tour.”
