Harold Varner III claims there is jealousy over LIV Golf: "It's human nature"

Harold Varner III has reflected on his first season with LIV Golf after leaving the PGA Tour, insisting in Miami he definitely senses people are envious.

Ben Smith

29 Oct 2022

Harold Varner III claims there is jealousy over LIV Golf: "It's human nature" — Harold Varner III claims there is jealousy over LIV Golf: "It's human…

Harold Varner III claimed the media is doing a "great job" of making it seem like there is a lot of jealousy in the game involving LIV Golf after the first day of the $50m team championship in Miami.

Varner is having an interesting 2022. First he claimed he was not leaving the PGA Tour, insisting that a brief chat with basketball legend Michael Jordan helped persuade him of his future path.

Then, after an expletive-laden conversation with his wife, Varner eventually decided to join the breakaway tour. He was one of several players who changed their mind.

Harold Varner III claims there is jealousy over LIV Golf:

That being said, Varner drew plaudits from commentators, fans and fellow professional golfers on both sides of the divide for his honesty in explaining his decision.

It was for the money.

And Varner claimed that it would "hurt" knowing that some of his fans might look at him differently because the mega-money series has faced accusations of sportswashing.

"I'm still me," Varner said of that.

In recent weeks, Varner also pushed back on other LIV players' gripes about world-ranking points.

Varner, 32, is now part of the Niblicks GC side comprising of Hudson Swafford, Turk Pettit and James Piot.

They didn't advance to the semi-finals at Trump National Doral, although Varner did scalp Brooks Koepka - who got emotional in Jeddah - with a 4&3 victory.

Speaking to the media immediately afterwards, Varner claimed he will now spend his time off doing what he loves.

Hunting and playing golf. He won't crunch the numbers practicing: "I'll play".

He was also asked this question:

"Do you feel a sense of jealousy from anyone else in the golf world about the fact that you can take a month or two off?"

And he replied:

"I think the media is doing a great job of making that happen, but yeah, definitely there is. I'm sure there is. Jealousy is human nature. You ain't ever going to get away from it. You could put half the money out and people would be jealous. People love to be loved, love to be cared about."

Asked if LIV Golf was a different kind of fun to life on the PGA Tour, he added:

"I had fun at the Tour. I don't struggle with it whatsoever. I am a fun, outgoing person, so the situation isn't what everyone else makes it out to be. My job is to enjoy what I do. I know I couldn't work a 9 to 5 and make the same amount of money, and I love competition, so yeah, it's just the same thing, just more money."

The team championship in Miami will conclude on Sunday, bringing to an end LIV's inaugural $255m season, of which Bryson DeChambeau has described as a "beta test".

In 2023, the schedule will expand to 14 stops globally, with $405m being given away in prize money.

Oh, and there'll likely be a few more additions.

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