PGA Tour star Justin Thomas was mocked by a LIV Golf team on social media after missing the cut at The Players Championship.
The American failed to make the weekend at TPC Sawgrass, finishing two-over par and three shots adrift of the halfway cut line.
Build-up to the tournament, known as golf’s unofficial fifth major, was dominated by talk about whether it can still be considered the ‘strongest field in golf’ without LIV Golfers.
Players who defected to the Saudi-backed breakaway league continued to be banned from PGA Tour events and do not get Official World Golf Ranking points, which prevents major qualification for those not already exempt.
LIV Golf star Talor Gooch recently claimed there would be an asterisk next to a hypothetical Rory McIlroy career grand slam if the Northern Irishman completes the historic feat at the Masters in April.
Thomas appeared to reference that controversial claim when talking about the strength of field at The Players before the tournament began.
The two-time major winner said: “It’s been the best field in golf for many previous years. Yeah, you could always make an argument that there’s other tournaments that are or are not. The PGA Championship has been the deepest field in terms of the most top 100 players, and I’m not just saying that for selfish reasons, it’s just the truth.
“I know what you mean in terms of world ranking and guys that are or aren’t on the Tour anymore, but that’s just kind of the reality that they have put themselves in. I’m not going to have an asterisk next to my name for winning this because the field wasn’t too good, right?”
Now, Gooch’s LIV Golf team, which is captained by four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, has thrown those comments back in Thomas’ face.
‘Smash GC’ shared a tweet reporting Thomas’ quote – and added an asterisk with a pair of scissors, ridiculing the Ryder Cup star for missing the cut.
Meanwhile, Thomas’s close friend Jordan Spieth confirmed PGA Tour player directors are being encouraged to meet with Saudi Public Investment Fund chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan.
The Tour is still working on a deal with the PIF which would reunite the world of professional golf.
“We are being encouraged to potentially meet with them at some point, yeah,” Spieth, who is one of six player directors along with Tiger Woods, said.
Asked when that was going to happen, the former world no.1 added: “I’m not sure that I can say much more other than we’re being encouraged to potentially meet with them, but at the same time we probably feel like our membership should know timings and what could happen and just in general maybe it’s just a meet.
“I think there’s not a whole lot more I can say about that, but we are being encouraged obviously which I think is probably a good thing that the entire board should [meet] if there’s going to be any potential for a negotiation.”
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News Summary:
- Justin Thomas ridiculed by Brooks Koepka’s LIV Golf team after missing cut at The Players
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