In a bold stance before his 39th Masters appearance, Fred Couples has once again lashed out at the LIV Golf League, making it clear where his loyalties lie. The 1992 Masters champion has staunchly defended the PGA Tour against the emergence of the LIV breakaway, taking direct shots at players critical of his long-standing domain.
With 13 LIV players teeing off at Augusta National this week, the PGA Tour is scrambling to finalise a deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund behind the Greg Norman-led startup. Couples acknowledges the talent on the LIV circuit but remains steadfast in his disdain for the disruption caused by this new wave in men’s professional golf.
“I don’t think I’ll ever understand it,” Couples told reporters. “Maybe I’ll go to one [LIV event] and see what it’s really, really like. I know how great they are as players. I get it all, and I get the 54 holes and you drive a cart to your tee and shotgun. That’s easy to pick on.
“Sometimes I’ve picked on comments that people have made, and I’ve picked on comments that they talk about the Tour, which I’ve said I have now 44 years invested in, and I don’t want anyone picking on a tour that I think is very good.
“Now, everything can get better, but let me tell you, if the LIV tour is better for golf, I’m missing something there.
“But again, I’m not here to bash them anymore. I’m going to see them all tonight. Do I like coming to this tournament? I love it. Do I like five days before it seeing the people standing there saying we’re coming after the green jacket? I mean, when I was 35, I was coming off the green jacket, too.”
Couples was appearing to refer to Sergio Garcia’s tweet last week of the 13 LIV players with the caption: “We’re coming for that green jacket.”
The continued: “I don’t think you need to tell people what you’re doing. I mean, everyone at this tournament — you don’t think Ludvig Aberg wants to win the green jacket here, or Hatton?”
“I find their golf very, very good. I love DJ. I love Brooks. I don’t know if they even comment on the LIV Tour. They just play golf.
“So please don’t tell me the LIV Tour is as good as the PGA Tour,” he said. “I don’t want to hear it.”
