Watson: Flak over LIV Golf pay 'makes me laugh'

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson isn't definite wherefore LIV Golf players are being heavy criticized by immoderate PGA Tour players for taking guaranteed wealth from the caller circuit.

Watson, 43, told ESPN that helium received guaranteed quality wealth from sponsors and tourney organizers portion playing connected the PGA Tour, which wasn't allowed nether the Tour's rules.

"It makes maine laughter due to the fact that connected the PGA Tour, I got paid down closed doors to amusement up astatine tournaments, galore tournaments," Watson told ESPN. "And if Bubba Watson's not the best, that means the champion were getting paid amended than maine and much than me. And truthful it's guaranteed money. I miss the cut, I inactive marque money. I marque the cut, I marque other money."

In a connection to ESPN connected Wednesday, the PGA Tour said it "prohibits the outgo of quality wealth to players arsenic an inducement to play successful a peculiar tournament."

"We are alert that definite tourney sponsors whitethorn declaration with a subordinate to execute a sponsor-related enactment during tourney week for which they person nominal compensation," the PGA Tour connection said. "This is permissible nether our guidelines."

Tiger Woods, among different PGA Tour players, person criticized players for accepting guaranteed, multi-year contracts from LIV Golf, which is being funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Former satellite No. 1 golfer Dustin Johnson reportedly received much than $125 cardinal to defect to the caller circuit and past won different $35 cardinal successful prize wealth and bonuses successful its inaugural season.

Six-time large champion Phil Mickelson, who helped enlistee players to LIV Golf, reportedly signed a $200 cardinal deal.

"What these players are doing for guaranteed money, what is the inducement to practice?" Woods told reporters astatine the 150th Open astatine St. Andrews successful July. "What is the inducement to spell retired determination and gain it successful the dirt? You're conscionable getting paid a batch of wealth upfront and playing a fewer events and playing 54 holes."

Watson didn't specify however overmuch under-the-table wealth helium received during his PGA Tour career, successful which helium won 12 times, including the Masters successful 2012 and 2014.

"I'd laughter astatine (criticism) due to the fact that we each had immoderate guaranteed wealth to amusement up astatine places," Watson said. "Win, lose, quit, immoderate it is, you inactive got the money. We've each been doing that. We've each been playing for guaranteed money. The critics, it conscionable makes maine laughter due to the fact that that's what we're doing. We don't privation to speech astir it connected tour, but we are getting it."

Kevin Kisner, a subordinate of the PGA Tour subordinate advisory council, told ESPN that the wealth players person astatine PGA Tour tournaments is antithetic from what LIV Golf is doling out.

"I would not accidental that it's an quality interest arsenic overmuch arsenic a narration betwixt the subordinate and the rubric sponsor oregon the big organization," Kisner said. "They're trying to get much wealth successful players' hands done contracted appearances for structure visits oregon pro-ams distant from the regular PGA Tour. It's been going connected forever.

"If Travelers wants to wage Bubba Watson to spell bash a structure visit, that has thing to bash with the PGA Tour. You don't deliberation Zurich successful New Orleans is pressuring guys to play due to the fact that they're sponsoring them connected their sleeves? That's not an quality fee. That's an off-course endorsement that's nether contract. How galore players does RBC have?"

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman said helium wasn't allowed to judge quality fees erstwhile helium played connected the PGA Tour.

"I've been distant from the PGA Tour for truthful long," Norman said. "I person heard those rumors and opinions retired there. I tin lone accidental that if Bubba is saying that, it's got to beryllium factual and it wouldn't astonishment maine astatine all. Back successful my day, we were not allowed to instrumentality quality money, we were not allowed to get our hotels paid oregon immoderate expenses paid for. We had to spell conscionable play play and we earned what we earned and we spent what we had to walk to spell gain that money. It mightiness beryllium antithetic now."