Ryder Cup icon lays into PGA Tour after proposing controversial LIV Golf idea
Ryder Cup icon Padraig Harrington has laid into new PGA Tour proposals after previously insisting that LIV Golf players should be invited to attend tournaments. The 53-year-old Irishman, who captained Europe at the 2020 Ryder Cup, has described upcoming changes as “just terrible”.
At the end of October, the PGA Tour’s player advisory council shared a 23-page memo to outline changes they would like to see introduced in 2026.
They include reducing the number of players at tournaments, binning Monday qualifiers and handing out smaller fines for slow play.
Related articles PGA Tour told to invite LIV Golf stars to events after McIlroy merger update Padraig Harrington warning may explain Tiger Woods' deepest golf fearHarrington was asked for his thoughts when he appeared on the Golf Channel ahead of this week’s Charles Schwab Cup Championship. And the three-time Major winner explained: “I can’t think about how bad it is.
“At the end of the day, the people on the inside are voting to keep the thing tighter and more closed. The Tour was running just fine. I know there’s a little bit of pressure to finish on time when fields go to 156 at certain times of the season or 144, but players will deal with it.
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Read more... Rory McIlroy locks himself in studio as he's told 'not easy' to solve problem
Padraig Harrington captained Europe at the 2020 Ryder Cup, but his team were defeated by USA (Image: GETTY)“Slow play is like driving in rush hour traffic. It’s just too many people on the golf course, and the tee times are too tight. So yes, this is a way of solving one of the big issues - but you want to give everybody the opportunity.
“If this was like the Premier League or the Championship and there was a really, really good second Tour, maybe the European Tour can be that. Maybe it works out.
“But to me, it definitely looks like the people on the inside are keeping it tighter. Not having a Monday qualifier - come on, that’s one of the most exciting things on the Tour.
“The cut line is also one of the most exciting things on the Tour but I know ‘no cut’ fields suit the sponsors. They want the leading names guaranteed to be there on the weekend.”
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Harrington was also asked about the future of golf at the Irish Open in September after PGA Tour chiefs agreed to meet with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to discuss a peace deal with LIV Golf.
And at the time, the former world No.3 explained: “Ideally for me I would suggest that every PGA Tour and the European Tour event should have four invites for LIV players. And every LIV event should have four invites for an International team.
“That's the only solution I see in golfing. They can do all the business solutions, that's a completely different thing. But you're not convincing. Like the guys on the PGA Tour have never had it better.”
Ryder Cup icon lays into PGA Tour after proposing controversial LIV Golf idea
Ryder Cup icon lays into PGA Tour after proposing controversial LIV Golf idea
Ryder Cup icon lays into PGA Tour after proposing controversial LIV Golf idea
Ryder Cup icon lays into PGA Tour after proposing controversial LIV Golf idea
Ryder Cup icon lays into PGA Tour after proposing controversial LIV Golf idea
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