While Rory Mcilroy has been an absolute hero for taking a stance about LIV Golf, another hero has stepped forward and off the fence about the pending merger of the tours. In an interview with the Guardian Ernie spoke his mind and pulled no punches.

The four time major champion attacked the controversial merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

He shot 75 today but after his round he said that the alliance is “an absolute shambles”

On 6 June the shock announcement of the billion dollar deal with PIF was made and still the details of how this is all going to be worked out are unclear. But Els is furious about how secretive the whole dealings were.

“If this had happened in my day there is no way that Jay Monahan is around. No way. And the board has to change. You do shit like this – I’m sorry it’s not right. Talk to us, tell us what you’re going to do, plan on negotiating.

Don’t just go rogue as a member of the board and come back with a deal and think we’re going to say yes. You’re affecting people’s lives. You’re affecting the professional game. It’s just so bad.

He has no time for the LIV model. Teams and 54 hole events. “This is circus golf”. Team golf only works maybe in a two-month, three month happy season.

Get these guys totgether…and play around the world. But then play real golf. That’s what this thing is all about. That’s what I prided myself on. Like Tiger and some of these guys. Getting yourself into majors. And grinding.

For these guys to go out there and do what they did, just off the cuff as a board member. Do a deal nobody knows about? The Commissioner is supposed to be running our tour. These board members make a deal or so called deal with no input from the players.

It’s an absolute shambles. I’m worried.

Els believes a more satisfactory outcome would involve PIF being a junior partner in the tour. Instead the fund will potentially pour billions into a new commercial entity.

Does Yasir Al-Rumayyan (the PIF Governor) come in at a different rate smaller investment to see if they are the right partner? said Els.

Not just come in and take over world golf. That’s ridiculous. We need to slow things down.