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Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones, have lost their antitrust suit against the PGA Tour which prevents the LIV Golf rebels from competing in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
US federal judge Beth Labson Freeman ruled that the potential loss of income from the FedEx Cup Playoffs had been taken into account when the players signed their LIV contracts, stating that they were “were well aware of the consequences” of their actions.
“It appears to the court that the LIV contracts, negotiated by the players and consummated between the parties, were based upon the players’ calculation of what they would be leaving behind and the amount the players would need to monetise to compensate for those losses,” Freeman said.
“I do agree with the defendants that those losses were well known to the players at the time and clearly monetised.
“And, in fact, the evidence shows that it seems almost without a doubt that they will be earning more than they have made and could reasonably have expected to make in a reasonable amount of time under the PGA [Tour].”
LIV Golf responded by issuing a short statement that read: ‘We’re disappointed that Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones won’t be allowed to play golf.
‘No-one gains by banning golfers from playing.’
The claim for a temporary restraining order was separate from the broader antitrust lawsuit initially filed by 11 players, including Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter. Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz has subsequently withdrawn his name from the suit.
Judge Freeman said the earliest a trial could start would be August 2023.
