Ahead of this week’s FedEx St Jude Championship, Justin Thomas admits he’s tired of the never-ending LIV Golf saga distracting from a number of good stories in golf.
The world number 7 said he tuned out of this past week’s hearing of a lawsuit filed against the PGA Tour by the likes of Hudson Swafford and Talor Gooch that saw the former PGA members eventually denied entry into this week’s Playoffs.
For Thomas, constantly asked for his opinion on LIV Golf regardless of the tournament he’s contesting, it’s all starting to wear a little thin.
“It’s unfortunately just taking up the golf world a little bit and taking away from great storylines,” he said.
“I think I saw Scottie [Scheffler] came in and did his interview yesterday and I’m sure he got asked about what was going on, and he’s had one of the best seasons of all time.
“I mean, the most money that’s ever been earned and winning the FedExCup by a mile and I’m sure there weren’t as many questions about that as there should have been.
“It’s little things like that to where it takes away from the big picture of what’s going on on the PGA Tour, obviously in the game of golf as a whole that is going on, but where we are, where I am at this moment.
“The only thing I really care about is this golf tournament and trying to play well and trying to win the FedExCup. And to be honest, I just don’t care about all that stuff that’s going on.
“However what’s going to happen is going to happen. I may have an opinion here or there, but at the end of the day, like I said earlier, once it gets to this point, it’s way out of my hands in terms of getting to lawyers and judges and things of that nature. So I just want to play golf and stop worrying about it.”
As Thomas pointed out, world number one Scheffler was quizzed on LIV a day earlier by reporters, but when asked if he’s tired of fielding questions on the subject, he admitted that he hasn’t been in the firing line as much as others.
“To be completely honest with you, I’m pretty lucky, I don’t get asked very many questions about LIV Golf, maybe only a handful, and I’ve made the mistake of saying the wrong thing a couple times when I’ve been asked just because I haven’t been prepared,” Scheffler said.
“You guys haven’t asked me. So I wouldn’t say I’m getting tired of it. It’s kind of part of it now. Guys are going to leave. There’s another tour going on and now they’re suing us, so there’s a lot going on.
“So for people in the media, it’s definitely kind of the story right now, so it’s something that as a writer I’m sure that’s something you have to touch on, right?”
Unlike Thomas, Scheffler also said that he had followed the court case against the PGA Tour, airing his frustration that he and his fellow members are being sued by players who knowingly put their FedEx place in jeopardy by joining the Saudi circuit.
“I’m definitely curious to see what’s going to happen,” Scheffler added.
“It’s one of those deals where those guys kind of made their decision to go join another tour and they broke the rules and regulations of our tour and now they’re trying to sue us, which is definitely a bit frustrating.
“I heard that was going to happen and I know some guys aren’t surprised to see it, but I definitely am surprised to see some guys now suing us. I’m interested. If they win, come out here and play, I mean, that’s something that’s up to the courts, I can’t control what’s going to happen in a court case.
“Definitely interested, but at the end of the day it has no effect on my preparation for the week.”
- Full FedEx St Jude scoring HERE
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