A draft LIV Golf contract including clauses that requires players to actively recruit fellow professionals to the circuit has been leaked. The LIV Golf saga has caused havoc in the sport in recent months, proving a controversial rival circuit to the PGA Tour.
The breakaway series has lured in a number of golf’s biggest stars including Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson. In joining LIV, Mickelson and co have received mega-money deals that are often reported to have been in excess of £100 million.
Just this month, the sheer financial backing behind the newly introduced Saudi-funded series was revealed by CEO Greg Norman, after he admitted golfing great Tiger Woods turned down an offer in the region of £800million.
For those who chose to make the switch, alongside their mega-money signing on fees comes a whole host of clauses, according to the Wall Street Journal. The draft reveals that the defectors are required to take on active recruitment roles within their fellow players, whilst also wearing LIV Golf apparel when competing outside of the Saudi-backed series.
One man who has whole-heartedly followed the clothing clause is former Masters champion Patrick Reed, who was seen sporting full LIV Golf branding at last month’s Open Championship at St Andrews. Fitting to the apparel requirements that was mentioned a number of times throughout the contract.
Revealing that players must wear the circuit’s branding when competing ‘anywhere in the world’ it states: “The Player agrees to wear LIV Golf branding (or other branding supplied by the League Operator) at each Tournament and each other golf tournament you participate in anywhere in the world.”
The contract also issues strict rulings surrounding LIV members being interviewed and speaking to the media, with players told to refrain from 'providing exclusive interviews or commentaries' without approval from circuit bosses. Alongside their lucrative signing on fees, the draft reveals that players will receive a $1million (£835,055) bonus for winning a major championship.
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It remains to be seen whether LIV golfers will even get the chance to earn this mega-money bonus, with their future chances of competing in golf’s four majors still unclear. Discussing the possibility of the defectors never competing in the sport’s flagship events again, 15-time major winner Woods said at last month’s Open: “Some of these [LIV] players may not ever get a chance to play in major championships.
“That is a possibility. We don't know that for sure yet. It's up to all the major championship bodies to make that determination. But that is a possibility, that some players will never, ever get a chance to play in a major championship, never get a chance to experience this right here, walk down the fairways at Augusta National."
