Nick Price slams LIV: ‘I don’t know why they tried to re-invent the wheel’

Open champion Nick Price has hit out at former rival Greg Norman’s startup circuit.

The 67-year-old, who also won the PGA Championship twice, has argued LIV Golf isn’t a very good product, while taking aim at players who defected.

Speaking on the bunkered podcast, Price admitted that ‘nobody likes’ the fragmented nature of golf as a result of LIV’s emergence.

“Like everyone else, I don’t know what the end game is. The way the game is fragmented, nobody likes it,” he said.

“I’ve tried to watch LIV, but I don’t think the product they have is very good. I don’t know why they tried to re-invent the wheel.

“I think the IPL [Indian Premier League] in cricket had a lot to do with the decision making and the way they tried to set it up with the franchises – which I don’t think is a bad idea.

“But right now, I don’t think the product they’ve got is something people will rush to their TV to watch and it’s sad because they have so many great players.”

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The Zimbabwean reached No.1 in the world whilst competing alongside LIV Golf CEO Norman.

An 18-time PGA Tour winner, Price made his debut on the established American circuit in 1983 before making his final start in 2012.

And before lifting four PGA Tour Champions titles, he won seven times on the European Tour.

Price now hopes that his former employers can strike “some kind of agreement” as he hit out at LIV golfers who had too much to say after jumping ship.

“The thing that I was really saddened about was the fact that certain players on the LIV tour bad-mouthed the PGA Tour over a period of time right after signing. They forgot that some of them made over $100 million on the PGA Tour.

“I feel bad that those guys were really aggressive in their criticism of the tour because it’s one of the premium sporting organisations that showcase golfers to the wealthiest corporate viewership that you can imagine.

“If you have an image out there on the PGA Tour, there are so many corporations that want to be a part of you and throw money at you, so to speak, so those guys all had that and turned their back on it.”

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Meanwhile, Price admitted joining LIV is a prospect he would have considered, albeit under different circumstances.

“At 45, I’d have probably joined LIV had I had the chance, but I certainly wouldn’t have bad-mouthed the tour for things that had happened in the past,” he added.

“I hope it’s resolved; I hope we get back to golf as we knew it five years ago, but I think that’s in the lap of the gods now.”

To hear more of the bunkered podcast, click here.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.