Tiger Woods responds to reports over scripted remarks against LIV Golf

Tiger Woods has denied having any knowledge of a document that showed he was supposed to make scripted remarks about LIV Golf in last year’s fierce fight with the PGA Tour.

Woods has made his first public comments since the shock news broke that the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia were joining forces to end all litigation and create a new global for-profit entity.

The 15-time major champion did not directly address his views on the bombshell ‘framework agreement’ – but published a 35-word statement on Sunday evening distancing himself from allegations that he was lined up to speak out against the LIV series in a players meeting at the 2022 Travelers Championship.

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A Florida lawsuit filing obtained by Sports Illustrated showed how, before “merging” with the PIF-backers of LIV, the PGA Tour was desperately trying to stave off the threat of the fledging series by strengthening its contentious “strategic alliance” with the DP World Tour.

The document – part of an antitrust suit made against the PGA Tour by attorney Larry Klayman – shows that Woods was given a list of “potential talking points” on the matter at the Travelers tournament last June.

In response to the talking points memo released this weekend, I have never seen this document until today, and I did not attend the players meeting for which it was prepared at the 2022 Travelers.

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) July 2, 2023

As per SI, Woods was scripted in the players meeting to say “this is a dire situation” and that “LIV Golf is trying to take down the PGA Tour and take over golf.”

After comments from the PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Woods was also guided to say: “First, do what I did: tell the Saudis to go f*** themselves. And mean it. Second, tell the world—over and over any chance you get—that you will be sticking with the PGA Tour because you are part of something bigger than yourself.”

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Woods has now spoken out, writing: “In response to the talking points memo released this weekend, I have never seen this document until today, and I did not attend the players meeting for which it was prepared at the 2022 Travelers.”

The 47-year-old is yet to make clear his stance on the PGA Tour controversially uniting with Saudi’s LIV bankrollers.

He was highly critical of LIV at The Open last year, stating that those who defected to Greg Norman’s tour “turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.