Thomas Pieters offers frosty response to reporter over Tiger Woods question

Thomas Pieters refused to entertain a question about being abruptly dropped by Tiger Woods' agent as he revealed he hasn't thought about European Ryder Cup involvement because 'I've been playing so crap'.

Pieters is in Hemel Hampstead playing LIV Golf's ninth event of the breakaway tour's 2023 campaign.

The Belgian started the event well and found himself three back of early leader Cameron Smith at Centurion Club.

He was asked about his Ryder Cup prospects amid the PGA Tour, DP World Tour's 'framework agreement' with LIV Golf's backers.

Has the 31-year-old given it a thought? "No, because I've been playing so crap," he said.

Pieters added:

"So it has not crossed my mind. Not really. Like I made this decision to come to LIV, and I kind of left everything behind. If they decide otherwise in the end, that's maybe good for me. But as of now, I'm not worried about it at all."

Pieters, unsurprisingly, had some kind words for his RangeGoats teammate Talor Gooch and also backed the American for a place in Zach Johnson's United States team.

He said: "How do you not pick him? For myself, I haven't played well enough to be on it, I think, but I feel like I could be close. But it's not my choice. It's up to them. But yeah, if I was Zach Johnson I would definitely pick Talor, yeah. Their loss."

Pieters joined LIV Golf in February 2023, with the then DP World Tour star admitting he was keen on joining the rival league since its inception.

At the time, the then World No. 35 is said to have commanded a $10m fee for his services.

His move, he noted, not only appeared to dash his chances for the 2023 Ryder Cup but it also came with being swiftly dumped by Tiger Woods' agent Mark Steinberg, who is a partner at Excel Sports Management.

That, according to Pieters, came without warning. "Weirdest thing ever," he previously told The FirePit Collective. "He's just gone."

Steinberg's agency also represents Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Gary Woodland and Matt Kuchar.

Pieters didn't want to offer any thoughts on this:

Thomas Pieters had no time for this question about being abruptly dropped by Tiger Woods' agent Mark Steinberg when he joined LIV Golf. pic.twitter.com/wml0IYx4tO
— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) July 8, 2023

Perhaps a sign of tensions cooling between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is subsiding came in the form of one of Woods' allies being spotted by GolfMagic playing in the pro-am at Centurion Club before the tournament began.

Indian billionaire Dr Pawan Manjal, CEO of Hero Motor Corp, was in Phil Mickelson's group.

That, per @flushingit, is because the businessman is keen on bringing a LIV Golf event to India.

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