Bubba Watson on Criticism Over Guaranteed LIV Money: It Happens on PGA Tour Too

The 2022 LIV Golf season is wrapped up, but the words from golfers playing on the startup series is continuing.

In an interview with ESPN, Bubba Watson—who hasn’t played a LIV event yet due to injury and will debut in 2023—said that he doesn’t know what all the fuss is about over guaranteed paychecks by LIV. After all, Watson says it happens unofficially on the PGA Tour as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Watson told ESPN said:

“It makes me laugh because on the PGA Tour, I got paid behind closed doors to show up at tournaments, many tournaments… And if Bubba Watson’s not the best, that means the best were getting paid better than me and more than me. And so it’s guaranteed money. I miss the cut, I still make money. I make the cut, I make extra money.”

The PGA Tour was quick to respond, issuing a statement to ESPN that said, “prohibits the payment of appearance money to players as an inducement to play in a particular tournament.”

PGA Tour player Kevin Kisner explained that the money isn’t an appearance fee to play in a specific event. Instead, a tournament’s host organization or title sponsor may pay a golfer to participate in pro-ams or visits to VIP tents or fan events. Kisner said that these are off-course endorsements separate from the PGA Tour.

Regarding Watson’s comments, plenty of responses on social media said that the money isn’t the point, but rather, how the players are earning the money from LIV.

It’s about who you’re getting the money from, Bubba.

Watson: Flak over LIV Golf pay ‘makes me laugh’ – via @ESPN App https://t.co/zf4KgP4Z2d

— Shannon Angel (@73SNAngel) November 3, 2022

While LIV CEO Greg Norman supported Watson’s comments, he didn’t add to them, instead saying that he wasn’t allowed to accept any sort of fees when he played.

Norman said:

“Back in my day, we were not allowed to take appearance money, we were not allowed to get our hotels paid or any expenses paid for. We had to go just play golf and we earned what we earned and we spent what we had to spend to go earn that money. It might be different now.” 

Cover Image Via Idaho State Journal