Xander Schauffele, a star player on the PGA Tour, has reiterated his earlier comments regarding his interest in joining the rich LIV Golf League.
It’s no secret that the wealthy LIV Golf League has long had Xander Schauffele on their radar.
According to reports, the PGA Tour player was about to enter the breakaway in the first wave of defections, which also included Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, and Phil Mickelson.
However, in the wake of Mickelson’s comments that effectively ruined the entire show before it started, Schauffele and his group quickly issued a statement assuring everyone that he was staying put.
“On February 24, 2022, I pledge my allegiance to the PGA Tour,” he wrote.
In that statement, he also expressed his belief that the PGA Tour would soon see improvements in terms of intellectual property rights, purse sizes, and general transparency.
It would not be absurd to argue that a great deal of change has occurred since then.
The players now have more power than ever before, and prize purses have increased, albeit to unsustainable levels.
Schauffele has mostly given the same responses when asked if he would join LIV over the past two years.
He’s happy, for now.
In the latest episode of the Fore Play podcast, Schauffele discussed the subject in detail.
At the Farmers Insurance Open, Schauffele said, “There’s maybe a handful of guys who’ve done this, but like, I’m not like, I’m gonna play here forever.”
“I’m not committing to going there. All I say is that I am here, right now.”
The World No. 5 went on to discuss what he finds funny about the subject.
The funniest thing, really, is that those who declare they will stay are the ones who end up leaving. I’m like, “You’re gone,” as soon as I hear someone say, “I’m definitely staying, I’m pledging.”
Perhaps the most well-known athlete to pledge allegiance to the PGA Tour before reversing his decision was Jon Rahm.
Prior to LIV’s first performance in June 2022, the Spaniard swore allegiance to the North American circuit.
Rahm consistently gave the impression that he was staying put in his position after making those remarks.
Before the 151st Open, the current Masters champion clarified, “We all had a chance to leave.”
Rahm officially joined LIV Golf on 8 December 2023 in a deal that is said to be worth £450m.
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