'Not My Fight' - DeChambeau And Jones The Final Players To Pull Out Of PGA Tour Lawsuit

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 12 May 2023

Both Bryson DeChambeau and Matt Jones have removed their names from the lawsuit between LIV Golf and PGA Tour, meaning all 11 players are now not involved in the legal battle between the sport’s two factions.

After Peter Uihlein took his name off the lawsuit last week, the final two remaining players have decided to follow suit, with DeChambeau saying “it’s not my fight” while Australian Jones gave no reason for pulling out.

What started out as 11 players suing the PGA Tour after being suspended for joining Greg Norman’s Saudi Arabian-backed new tour is now purely a business-versus-business affair.

DeChambeau’s agent Brett Falkoff confirmed the news to Golfweek in a text message, saying the former US Open champion is focusing on his LIV Golf team the Crushers so is stepping away from the legal action.

“Bryson has made the decision to remove himself from the ongoing litigation between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour,” Falkoff told Golfweek.

“Bryson wants to solely focus on competing at the highest level week in and week out. He will continue to support the growth of golf and its expansion on a global scale, contributing both on and off the course as a positive influence on the game.”

As DeChambeau tees it up at the latest LIV Golf League event in Tulsa this week, he now says that it is not his fight, despite previously saying he remained in the lawsuit on principle over the way the PGA Tour treated him personally.

“I have a responsibility to grow the Crushers, grow my team, and I really need to focus on golf for the most part,” added DeChambeau.

DeChambeau puts his finger to his mouth whilst watching his tee shot

“It has been a bit of a focus of mine, but it has gotten to a point where it’s going to happen, no matter what. They’ll resolve it, it’ll be figured out one way or the other, and it’s not my fight. That’s my thought on it.”

Phil Mickelson and 10 other golfers led the original lawsuit against the PGA Tour on grounds of them attempting to monopolise the spot and restrict competition, before LIV Golf and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) joined as a plaintiff.

DeChambeau claimed he was wrongly denied around $1.75m from the Player Impact Program bonus and was suing the PGA as a matter of principle, but has no decided, like the rest of the players, to let the two organisations fight it out between them.

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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.

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