'Just stay away and we’ll be fine without you guys'

Players are now beginning to speak their minds a bit more on the whole LIV Golf jamboree and Billy Horschel was no exception at the Scottish Open.

The American is one of a few pros who is more than happy to speak his mind and it's generally an entertaining listen and he finally gave way to his true feelings ahead of the week at Renaissance.

“I’ve been really frustrated by it because there’s a lot of guys that are hypocrites, that aren’t telling the truth, that are lying about some things, and I just can’t stand to sit here anymore and be diplomatic about it as I have been in the past,” Horschel said. “I don’t fault anyone for going to play the LIV tour. I don’t have any ill will for anyone going to play the LIV tour. I have ill will toward comments that they’ve made, comments saying that (PGA Tour commissioner) Jay Monahan doesn’t listen, the PGA Tour doesn’t listen to us.

“Jay Monahan and everyone at headquarters is the PGA Tour. They work tirelessly for us to reap the financial rewards and have all the opportunities that we have. At the same time, I am one of 200-plus members of the PGA Tour. I am the PGA Tour, just as 200 other members are the PGA Tour, so when you take shots at the PGA Tour and Jay Monahan, you’re not just taking shots at them, you’re taking shots at us.”

Horschel also made the very obvious and relevant point that the PGA Tour only requires you to play in a minimum of 15 events in a season and that all the talk of more flexibility on the LIV Tour is just papering over the huge prizes on offer. Next year the LIV players will be expected to play in 14 events as opposed to the eight in 2021 and Horschel also dismissed their claims that they should be able to play on both tours.

“It’s ridiculous to hear some of these comments some of these guys made, saying, well, this allows me to play less tournaments, I’ve played 30-35 weeks a year,. No one’s forced you to play that many events. The PGA Tour says 15 events minimum. If you keep your card in those 15 events, then that’s fine. If you want to play better or you want to play more so you get a chance to win the FedExCup? So be it. So be it! No-one’s made you play that first play-off event to miss family obligations (Pat Perez missed the birth of his first child a few years ago). No-one has.

“Go play your LIV tour and forget about the PGA Tour. You didn’t want to support the PGA Tour going forward. If you don’t want to be a part of this tour which has given you so many opportunities to make a name and build a financial stability for your family and everything, then that’s fine. Just stay away, and we’ll be fine without you guys.”