World No 1 Scottie Scheffler walked across the putting line of Open champion Cam Smith as tensions over the LIV Golf breakaway reared up on the PGA Tour.
Three LIV players failed in a court bid to play in the first FedEx playoff at the St. Jude Championship in Memphis. And world No.2 Smith has repeatedly refused to deny he is set to sign a $100m deal to join the Saudi-backed tour.
Masters winner Scheffler is a strong opponent of LIV. And in the first round in Memphis, the American blatantly walked across the putting line of his playing partner Smith on the 12th green before a birdie attempt. The Aussie looked at him in disbelief.
Walking across an opponent’s line is a big breach of golfing etiquette with one American Twitter user making a baseball analogy by claiming: “This is basically golf’s version of throwing at someone’s head.” Another wrote: “World #1 showing World #2 what he thinks about his move to LIV. G’bye Mate!”
Scheffler shot a frustrating one-over 71 while Smith posted a 67 to sit five shots off the first-round lead. Before the tee off of the $75m FedEx playoffs, race leader Scheffler expressed his frustration at members suing the PGA Tour.
And the Texan added: “Each their own. I'm not going to speak about the guys that are going to LIV and all that speculation. If that's what they want to do, that's what they want to do. All I'm going to do is talk about my approach.
“For me, I feel like the PGA Tour is the best place to play. My dream was to play on the PGA Tour. My dream was never to maximise my financial benefits. I feel very blessed and fortunate to play golf and get paid for it, so for me, I'm not looking to go out and do anything else.
"The PGA Tour is where I want to play and it continues to be the place where the best golfers in the world play and the opportunity to win FedExCup and opportunity to win major championships and to win tournaments out here.”
BMW PGA champion Billy Horschel was more direct. The West Ham fan said: “I said to some of the guys personally, I think they’ve been brainwashed by the way they feel so adamant that they’re going to be back out on the PGA Tour.
“I’ve had some of them tell me: ‘I’ll see you Tour again,’ and I say, ‘No, you won’t.’ A couple of them are pretty brainwashed in the way they’re thinking and what they’ve been told.”
The defection of Smith, 28, would prove a huge blow to the PGA Tour. Despite a number of high-profile names having already defected, the Australian moving would represent the first golfer to switch allegiances whilst seemingly in his prime.
His compatriot Cameron Percy has already publicly stated that he believes Smith has agreed a move, along with Marc Leishman: “Unfortunately, yeah, they’re gone,” Percy told RSN, before he criticised the Saudi state.
