Varner’s comments come from an interview this week with Golfweek’s Adam Woodard, and you can – and should – read the full story here. The thoughts are also noteworthy as the Tour and Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund enter the second month of negotiations over a proposed agreement that would create a new, for-profit entity and end the pending litigation between the Tour and LIV Golf, which is also is financed by the PIF.
However, the deal has raised questions, perhaps the most important of which is how men’s pro golf will look in the future. Will LIV keep playing even though PIF and the tour come to the table? After all, LIV and the tour have been fighting over players and prestige for over a year.
On Wednesday morning, during a private session with about 15 reporters at TPC Southwind, tour commissioner Jay Monahan was vague and said he couldn’t provide any new details.
“Like I said before,” Monahan said, “now that we’re in these discussions, these are discussions that — would be happy to answer all of these questions when they’re finalized, but not talk about personnel or any specifics because we’re still.” are not that far.”
Which brings us back to Varner. Woodard asked him about the biggest misconception about LIV. And if there’s an argument to keep the Team Golf series going – that the product is at least worth it – then this would be it.
“This LIV is not serious [is the biggest misconception]’ Varner told Woodard at the LIV Golf event at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. “I think winning $4 million is harder than winning a PGA Tour event. When you get into a competition out here, it’s like this: [expletive], this is life changing money. And I gamble for money.”
Notably, Varner never won in 191 events played on the PGA Tour. With LIV he won once, in May at the Washington, DC event.
In the interview with Woodard, Varner also reflected on two details from a recent announcement that offered some insight into the possible scope of the deal. Two weeks ago, in a letter to players, Monahan said the tour was working to implement a “player benefits program” ostensibly aimed at compensating players for not defecting to LIV, and that the tour was establishing a “task force” aimed at “developing potential routes back to the PGA Tour for LIV players who wish to reapply in the future.”
Most recently, Varner believed his return should be for the Korn Ferry Tour, the series below the PGA Tour.
However, he was more vocal about the idea that tour loyalists should be rewarded.
“Well, having said that,” he told Woodard, “I don’t think people on the PGA Tour should be compensated for their loyalty either.” I think it is [expletive]. I don’t think anyone should do that, you had the opportunity to leave.”
