PGA Tour has earned a first legal victory over LIV Golf after a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by three rebel league golfers against the governing body.
Talor Gooch, Matt Jones, and Hudson Swafford were seeking to play in the PGA’s postseason tournament, the FedExCup, despite jumping ship to the LIV league based on their rankings (Gooch (No. 20), Jones (No. 65), and Swafford (No. 67).
The Tour, in return, introduced a new ranking system barring the LIV defectors which was challenged in a federal court on top of another lawsuit that was collectively filed by 10 LIV golfers including Phil Mickelson.
But after the hearing, Judge Beth Labson Freeman announced that she did not consider the golfers faced irreparable harm because of the big money they were guaranteed by joining LIV, a key issue in the case, thus denying the three a temporary restraining order.
Each of LIV golf’s events carries a 25 million payout which may have been detrimental to their case.
The dismissal of the lawsuit means that no LIV golfer will be present at the PGA Tour’s postseason event. The first of three FedEx Cup playoff events begin Thursday with the players competing for the $18 million top prize
The lawsuit itself could go to trial next year, with the possibility of an injunction hearing in late September or early October.
