Only LIV Golf does not have guaranteed income. Bubba Watson admitted to receiving money on the side from the PGA Tour

The LIV Golf competition, which is subsidised by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, is often criticised for, among other things, players receiving money without showing anything on the course. Now, however, American professional Bubba Watson has claimed that “money on the side” was also given to players on the PGA Tour. Quietly, behind closed doors.

Forty-three-year-old Watson may still be on a boat called the PGA Tour, but unlike many players, he is not a renowned critic of LIV Golf. Even so, he has come out with a very interesting statement that raises doubts on the PGA Tour side.

The two-time Masters winner (2012 and 2014) has registered criticism towards LIV players for getting paid even though they haven’t hit the ball once at any of the specific tournaments:: “It always makes me laugh because on the PGA Tour I’ve been paid behind closed doors just to show up at tournaments. A lot of tournaments,” Watson told ESPN.

“And if I, Bubba Watson, wasn’t the best, that means the best were getting paid even more money than I was. And that’s guaranteed money, too. Even if I don’t make the cut, I’m still making money. If I pass the cut, I make even more,” he admitted casually, hinting that he had nothing to hide.

Yet the PGA Tour’s statement says that it literally prohibits paying money for appearances to players as an incentive to participate in a particular tournament. This is why Bubba Watson’s words have sparked heated discussions in the professional golf world.

“We are aware that some tournament sponsors may contract with a player to conduct sponsorship activities during the week of a given tournament for which they will receive a nominal fee,” the PGA Tour statement continued, saying that this is permissible under their guidelines.

Watson did not specify how much money he has received from the PGA Tour on the side during his career. However, Tiger Woods criticized LIV players for something similar at this year’s The Open.

“What are these players doing for guaranteed money, then what is the motivation to practice? What is the motivation to go and earn it on the course? You’re getting paid a lot of money up front and you’re only playing a few 54-hole events,” the winner of 15 majors said critically in July.

PGA Tour Player Advisory Council member Kevin Kisner also defends players from the traditional event. “If Travelers (one of the PGA Tour’s tour operators) wants to pay Bubba Watson to attend an event, it has nothing to do with the PGA Tour,” adding that there is no fee for a player to attend.

Likewise, he claims that the money players receive at PGA Tour tournaments is different from what LIV Golf distributes to its players.

Source: PGA Tour, ESPN