Former PGA Tour pro says the Presidents Cup without LIV golfers is ‘bad for all golf fans,’ calls officials ‘clowns’
Former PGA Tour pro John Peterson wasn’t happy with the Presidents Cup field. Following the first round, he expressed that the absence of LIV Golf players was making the tournament weaker for the fans.
The Presidents Cup 2024 began on Thursday, September 26, with the four-ball session. This marks the second consecutive edition of the event without LIV Golf professionals, as they were not eligible to compete.After the opening round, Peterson voiced his disappointment on X.
“Watching the Presidents Cup is so tough,” he said. “We have a reigning Major champion not playing for the US. We have a known killer in team golf not playing in Brooks Koepka. We have Joaquin Niemann and Cam Smith not playing.
“Itâs bad for all golf fansâŚ. I just wish all the clowns would quit playing politics and put the best teams on the golf course because this TV sucks,” he added.
The same early this month Niemann of Chile said he was a disappointed man after not being included in the Presidents Cup.
Such a shame, itâs meant to be the greatest golf players from all over the world & theyâre not demonstrating that at the moment,â he told the Bunkered.
The LIV Golf professionals were unable to play at the biennial being that it is a PGA Tour event. For the ignorant the PGA Tour has excluded players in the Saudi-backed circuit from participating in any of their tournaments. Many other players, after graduating from college, have been able to take part in several events in the DP World Tour via one way or the other, a factor that has not been the same for the PGA Tour.
The player who recently qualified for the US Ryder Cup squad was Brooks Koepka who had an excellent year. His was among the six chosen by captain Zach Johnson. However, that was only possible because it was not a PGA Tour event and not all tour professionals need to have an especially low stroke average to be competitive.
Presidents Cup, Day 2 schedule explored.
Similar to Thursday, the second day of the Presidents Cup will also have a single session. After playing fourball on Day 1, both teams will now compete in the foursomes on Friday, September 27.