LIV Golf's Patrick Reed, Pat Perez offer complaints about PGA Tour
Both golfers decided to defect from the PGA Tour in recent weeks to play in LIV Golf
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}LIV Golf will host its second event over the weekend; its first tournament in the United States.
Ahead of the tournament at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Oregon, 2018 Masters tournament champion Patrick Reed and three-time PGA Tour winner Pat Perez ripped the organization they used to represent.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pat Perez of the United States looks on during a practice round prior to the LIV Golf Invitational - Portland at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club on June 28, 2022 in North Plains, Oregon. (Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images)
Reed was asked Tuesday at LIV Golf’s press conference what the PGA Tour could have done differently to avoid what is happening in the sport.
"Listen to the players for once," Reed said, via Golf Digest.
Reed added he wished the PGA Tour would reduce the schedule and allow players to get healthy in the offseason rather than giving players the feeling they need to perform week after week.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We actually have an offseason where not only can we get healthy, work on our bodies, but we're basically allowing ourselves throughout the year to, you know, try to peak at the right times is when you're playing rather than feeling like you have to play every single week," Reed said.
Patrick Reed of the United States speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the LIV Golf Invitational - Portland at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club on June 28, 2022 in North Plains, Oregon. (Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images)
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"And on top of it, just the quality of life for us as players now, you know, having less events, being able to spend more time at home with the family, if you have kids, being able to spend time with your children, and not sitting there and having to play three, four weeks in a row, then have a week off, and during that week off you're preparing trying to get ready for the next week."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Reed said the PGA Tour schedule’s made players feel like they had to play or else they would lose out on competing in FedEx Cup points standings.
"It was forcing you to have to play, and that's not doing anything for you mentally and physically. That's wearing you down, and you do that every single year and no wonder why guys are injured in their 30s and why guys are mentally tired, and you just see the grind on them because they're having to grind every single week."
Perez took his frustrations out specifically on PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pat Perez of the United States, Brooks Koepka of the United States and Patrick Reed of the United States pose for a photo after speaking to the media during a press conference prior to the LIV Golf Invitational - Portland at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club on June 28, 2022 in North Plains, Oregon. (Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images)
"He doesn't listen to the players," Perez said. "Somehow the (PGA Tour) keep talking about, ‘oh, yeah, we work for you, we work for the players, we work for the players.’ It's the opposite. Seems like we work for them. We don't have a say in anything."
Perez had not resigned his PGA Tour membership and said he did not because he does not feel like he is doing anything wrong and that golfers should be "able to do whatever we want."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We are independent contractors. The [PGA Tour] has tried to strong-arm us all year and come with bans and suspensions and all that, and how'd that work? Look how many guys are here. That didn't work at all. So the top threats and all that kind of stuff," Perez added.
"And how many major winners do you have here compared to (the John Deere Classic)? It's not even close. The (PGA Tour) wants to keep talking about strength of field and all that kind of stuff, the strength of field is here. So whether everybody wants to talk about it or not, that's what it is. Facts are facts."
The 48 competitors will compete for $20 million in prize money for individual play and $5 million in team play, with 12 teams. The golfers only play 54 holes and have no cut line.