This week the Wall Street Journal roke the news of the anti trust court case brought by Mickelson and 10 other LIV tour players against the PGA Tour. In the court documents this exchange of text messages between Sergio Garcia and Greg Norman was discovered, showing Sergio might have been looking to jump ship in February. He has since resigned from the PGA Tour.

Norman then responds with this: “They cannot ban you for one day, let alone life. It is a shallow threat. Ask them to put it in writing to you or any player. Happy for them to speak to our legal team to explain they have no chance of enforcing. Who said there would be a lifetime ban? And to whom? Important to know these facts. I will get something to you to show you why they cannot”.

Garcia replies: “The Commissioner had a meeting with 5 or 6 of the biggest agencies of golf managers, mine included, and first told them that if any of their players had signed with the league they should leave the room. After that they talked about what the tour is going to do going forward and whoever signs with the league they would ban for life.

So these court documents have brought this to light and also that Mickelson was suspended from the PGA Tour, initially for three months, but now until at least March 2024.

Announcements from LIV that it will start properly next year, indicates that there will be some sort of relegation of underperforming LIV golfers so that new players can join the 48. Where will they play if they are banned?

If the 11 golfers bringing this case succeed, they may be creating a rod for their own backs. LIV Golf will have a worldwide schedule of 14 events, and the up front mneu means they must play in every event. The PGA Tour says that they must play a minimum of 15 events. Players like Ian Poulter will also want to play in some DP World Tour events. Plus four majors, possible Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.

Their argument that they will be playing less, and spending more time with their families, on this basis isn’t true. The will be playing a lot more.