Fred Couples has taken a jab at golfers who have chosen to join LIV Golf instead of remaining with the PGA tour, following Australian golfer Cameron Smith’s comments over his decision to join the Saudi-backed tour to spend more quality time with his family at home.
‘For me, I haven’t been back in Australia for three years, as well,’ Smith told reporters of his shocking decision ahead of his controversial debut later this week in Boston.
‘To spend more time at home, not missing out on friend and families’ weddings and a couple of my friends have had kids over the last, you know, four or five years that I still haven’t met. That’s going to be a part of my life that I can’t wait to get back,’ he added.
In response to the Saudi rebels, Couples, who notably won the Masters Tournament in 1992, as well as the Players Championship in 1984 and 1996, tweeted that ‘the goal is to EARN your way to work weekends’.
‘To all my friends who I missed birthdays & weddings… so sorry, I was busy earning a living on the @pgatour and in my line of work the goal is to EARN your way to work weekends. And by weekends Imean 72 holes. Sorry not sorry,’ the 62-year-old, who has won 64 professional tournament in his career, wrote.
Fred Couples, who won the Masters Tournament in 1992, took a swipe at LIV golfers on Twitter
The American, Golf Hall of Fame inductee tweeted, ‘in my line of work the goal is to EARN your way to work weekend’ in response to LIV golfers
Smith was among six new signings who registered with LIV Golf this week. Marc Leishman, Joaquin Niemann, Cameron Tringale, Harold Varner III and Anirban Lahiri are other names who’ve also joined the new golf league though Smith remains LIV’s highest-ranked player to join as the world’s current No. 2.
On Wednesday, the Queenslander spoke for the first time since defecting to the rebel series, defending his $100million move to the widely condemned, Public Investment Fund-backed venture.
‘This is a new kind of chapter in my life,’ Smith said. ‘I think this is the future of golf. I love how it is out here.’
‘I think it [the sport] needs to change, particularly as our golf fans become younger. I think we need to do something to make it exciting for them… it’s been the same for a very, very long time and it needs to be stirred up a little bit,’ he added.
Couples’ parting shot at Smith is just the latest of a flurry of comments made at golf defectors who’ve joined the Saudi-backed league. The firm PGA Tour advocate also hit back at LIV’s CEO Greg Norman.
‘If they win or lose, I don’t really care,’ Couples said last month on an antitrust lawsuit filed against the PGA by LIV Golf players. ‘I’m 62, I play the Champions Tour, but it’s a little heartbreaking. Go do what you’re doing. Suing the Tour, 11 guys when there’s probably 200 guys on the Tour, I just find it really, really weird.’
Couples also took a jab at LIV CEO Greg Norman (center), saying no one on the PGA tour has liked him in the last 25 years. Pictured: World No.2 seed Cameron Smith (far left) with Marc Leishman (second from left), Wade Ormsby (second from right) and Matt Jones (far right) at the welcome party for the LIV Golf Invitational in Boston
The 2013 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, nicknamed ‘Boom Boom’ for his long, accurate driving ability off the tee during the prime of his career, also confessed that no PGA golfers have liked LIV CEO Greg Norman in the last quarter century.
‘And I have a funny feeling I know where it’s coming and it’s coming from their leader, who no one’s liked for 25 years. And that’s not being mean, that’s just – that’s the truth. He’s not a friend of mine, but he never would be because we don’t get along. But he’s running a tour that he thinks is incredible.’
Earlier this year, Couples voiced his support for Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, and Justin Thomas, for choosing to remain on the PGA tour.
‘I am proud of @tigerwoods @mcilroyrory @jonrahmpga @collin_morikawa @justinthomas34 & many others for their loyalty & support of the greatest tour in the world.’
Couples also tweeted how proud he was of golfers who stayed committed to ‘the greatest tour in the world’. He also tweeted ‘Denied Denied Denied,’ referring to a judge denying LIV golfers Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones from playing at the FedEx Cup in August
Last month, the outspoken American also tweeted ‘Denied Denied Denied,’ referring to his delight at a court ruling denying ex-PGA-now-LIV golfers Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones from participating in the FedEx Cup playoffs due to their ongoing legal battle with the PGA.
The FedEx Cup is the PGA Tour’s season-ending playoffs, with three tournaments played in the final three weekends of the calendar year.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan suspended the players for appearing in LIV tournaments earlier this year.
The judge ruled the players were unable to make their case of irreparable harm, agreeing with the PGA Tour’s position that their argument for emergency relief was of ‘their own making’.
The top 125 players qualify for the first round, the FedEx St. Jude Championship taking place at TPC Southwind in Memphis, TN. Will Zalatoris won this year’s event after battling Sepp Straka in a three-hole playoff.
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