So the PGA Tour DID threaten to ban Japan golfers who play in LIV Golf events
The PGA Tour claimed the rumour was "100% false" but THIS letter reveals otherwise!
Another day, another crazy LIV Golf rumour comes to light... and this time it involves Japan Golf Tour members.
For those of you who have been following our LIV Golf coverage closely in recent weeks, we ask you to cast your mind back several weeks to this “bullying” accusation from Tour pro Berry Henson.
3 Japan players pulled out of this weeks Asian Tour event cause they were told if they played they could not play the @PGATOUR @zozochamp. This is bullying at its finest. Not cool.
— Berry Henson (@BerryHenson) August 8, 2022
"3 Japan players pulled out of this week's Asian Tour event cause they were told if they played they could not play the @PGATOUR @zozochamp," tweeted Henson. "This is bullying at its finest. Not cool."
Henson was referring to a LIV Golf-backed International Series event on the Asian Tour.
A spokesperson at the PGA Tour initially confirmed the tweet from Henson was "100% false".
Only a letter obtained from Sports Illustrated today would appear to reveal otherwise.
In a report published by SI's Bob Harig, the PGA Tour did tell the organisers of the Japan Golf Tour that any of its members who continue to participate in LIV Golf tournaments this season will be banned from competing in any PGA Tour-run events such as the ZOZO Championship in Japan in 2023.
They would also be ineligible to compete in the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.
Henson incidentally tweeted a link to the Sports Illustrated article this evening, evidently wanting to make it clear what he was saying earlier in August was true.
I remember when people called you a liar a few weeks ago…
— pill throwing MD (@super_mario_21) September 1, 2022
The letter, which you can read in full below, would likely indicate why all four Japanese players - Ryosuke Kinoshita, Hideto Tanihara, Jinichiro Kozuma, Yuki Inamori - who competed in the last LIV Golf Bedminster event have all bypassed this week's LIV Golf Boston event.
All four players competed in the Torque GC team in Bedminster.
In total, 19 players have now been axed from LIV Golf events since the Saudi-backed series began at Centurion Club in England.
Kinoshita, Tanihara, Kozuma and Inamori do not have any PGA Tour membership so to speak, but they do hold membership on the Japan Golf Tour which makes them eligible to compete in the ZOZO Championship. They have also all played in a number of Asian Tour events in the past, too.
HERE'S A LOOK AT THE LETTER THAT THE JAPAN GOLF TOUR SENT TO ITS MEMBERS THIS WEEK:
The PGA Tour has told Japan Golf Tour members that if they do not participate in any further LIV Golf tournaments during the 2022-23 season then they "would be eligible to participate in the 2023 Sony Open and the 2023 ZOZO Championship."
The letter adds: "However, if they participate in any further unauthorized events, they will not be eligible for any events sanctioned by PGA Tour through the end of 2023 including the 2023 ZOZO Championship."
LIV Golf have since responded to the above letter with a statement: "We would have loved to have had these players join LIV, but we respect their decision given the unfortunate, anti-competitive threats imposed on them by the PGA Tour.
"The lengths the Tour is going to stop players from joining LIV is quite amazing."
Japan's No.1 golfer Hideki Matsuyama had been linked with an incredible $400 million move to LIV Golf ahead of Boston, but the 2021 Masters champion has decided to remain on the PGA Tour.
Perhaps the latest letter sent to Japan Golf Tour members also had something to do with his decision?
Matsuyama is expected to defend the ZOZO Championship in his homeland this October.
Six PGA Tour players will make their LIV Golf debuts this week including World No.2 and Open champion Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann, Marc Leishman, Anirban Lahiri, Cameron Tringale and Harold Varner III.
Smith, who becomes the headline name on LIV Golf now, is understood to have agreed a $100 million fee - but many GolfMagic readers believe he has made a big mistake.
