Tour pro: LIV Golf rebels should make 'public apologies' before returning

DP World Tour pro Mike Lorenzo-Vera says players who left for LIV Golf in acrimonious circumstances should be able to return if they make public apologies.

Ben Smith

04 Jul 2023

Tour pro: LIV Golf rebels should make 'public apologies' before returning

DP World Tour pro Mike Lorenzo-Vera has shifted his attention back to LIV Golf, saying he believes 'public apologies' are needed from some players if they wish to return to the European-based circuit.

Lorenzo-Vera has caught the headlines in recent weeks after voicing his frustration at the pace of play on tour.

The Frenchman took to social media during his second round of the BMW International Open in Germany to blast the dawdlers in the field.

He later stated the battle against slow play is 'fake' because some players sitting on the tournament committee are guilty parties.

Now Lorenzo-Vera has shifted his anger back towards LIV Golf and the agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, telling bunkered's Ben Parsons he believes the merger is 'a huge **** show'.

He told the publication he initially thought the announcement was a joke.

Lorenzo-Vera said:

"People make you believe we're under attack and they're just planning on something else. They make you believe they're an enemy and try to take your tour down and then merge with them. It's a huge s***show.

"Hopefully there will be positive things like better purses and there could be a great impact but if they could do something a bit more honestly… it's a players association run like a private business. There is something strange there."

The 38-year-old said all the players want is a bit of honesty.

Lorenzo-Vera was one of the first players to criticise the LIV Golf Invitational Series when it launched last June, urging other players to speak out over the 'joke' series.

His comments coincided with Henrik Stenson being stripped of the European Ryder Cup captaincy.

This tour pro believes the battle against slow play is fake. Here's why: https://t.co/GtEvmxE9dE
— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) June 28, 2023

The aforementioned agreement between golf's leading organisations opens the door for LIV players to return to the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.

Several leading PGA Tour players are said to be unhappy they rejected millions of dollars to join LIV, only for the PGA Tour to make an about-face management policy.

PGA Tour pro Peter Malnati recently stated he believes those players who rejected Saudi money will be compensated in 'creative ways' as he urged under fire commissioner Jay Monahan to clarify his future.

Lorenzo-Vera said:

"For the guys who are asking for the money back, go ask the CEO of Nike if he misses a deal, is he going to get the money back? No. You've f***** up your business decision. Imagine if the PGA Tour pays back the guys – it's billions.

"It's a bad business decision. Financially, you just have to be an adult and say, okay, next. Be a man and stop pushing the fault on someone else.

"Even if you have been advised to stay, it's bad advice. Plenty of guys on the PGA Tour were told to stay, but they didn't force you to stay. Your decision, your call! You just have to handle it, we're grown men, it's a bad call."

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He added:

"The guys that left the proper way, speaking well and thanking the tour for all those great years they had, I have no problem. But I believe some players left speaking really badly and should have public apologies and then come back and play."

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