Bryson DeChambeau accuses PGA Tour of withholding PIP cash

Bryson DeChambeau revealed he is involved in the lawsuit against the PGA Tour because it is refusing to pay him $1.75million he is owed through the Player Impact Program.

Speaking to ESPN ahead of LIV Golf’s season finale in Miami, the 29-year-old said he had only been paid half of the $3.5million for finishing fifth in the PIP standings last year.

Two requirements existed in order for players to claim the second half of their money – to play an event they had not competed in for four seasons and make an appearance at a charity event.

DeChambeau fulfilled the first at the Valero Texas Open earlier this year. However, he claimed he has been prevented from taking part in a First Tee initiative with junior golfers which would allow him to pick up the cash.

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“It’s not about the money; it’s about the principle,” DeChambeau said.

“It’s the way you deal with situations.”

“They said because you’re not in good standing, we’re not allowing you to do something to help out junior golf and junior golfers,” he added.

“To me, that’s childish. It just shows where they stand emotionally.

“I respect and understand it, but when you’ve completed something and provided entertainment for them last year, that’s the reason I’m in the lawsuit.

“It’s really been frustrating over the last six years that I’ve had to deal with them.

“It’s consistently frustration after frustration of them not handling things correctly.”

DeChambeau is one of just three individuals, along with Matt Jones and Peter Uihlein, who remain attached to the case.

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Originally 11 players were part of the suit, but several dropped out after LIV Golf itself joined the action.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, who has also joined the Saudi-backed series, claimed he too has not received half of his PIP earnings. Like DeChambeau, he said he had been stopped from taking part in a charity event.

“They cancelled on me a few times,” Watson said.

“I was supposed to do some things. They cancelled the event, supposed to do another thing, they cancelled the event. I guess if you look at it on paper, yes, I didn’t fulfil my duty, but I tried to.”