LIV reportedly denied info involving Augusta National members

LIV Golf was denied access to records of communications between Augusta National members and other parties, in support of their lawsuit against the PGA Tour, according to Golfweek.

The request was part of subpoenas sent by LIV Golf’s lawyers to former PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and current and former policy board directors of the PGA Tour, seeking communications related to a new tour, including LIV Golf.

LIV Golf’s lawyers tried to argue that former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Stephens Bank CEO Warren Stephens were pressuring the Department of Justice to not investigate the PGA Tour.

However, Magistrate Judge Susan Van Keulen rejected the request in the US District Court of Northern California.

“The cited documents do not implicate in any way the Subpoenaed Parties. Nor do they reflect communications by or between the identified additional targets,” Van Keulen’s ruling read. “Indeed, for the most part, the identified targets appear merely as names on lists or in other oblique references made by others.

“Any connection between an identified target and a Subpoenaed Party, based on the cited documents, is highly speculative.”

LIV Golf’s lawyers accused the PGA Tour of illegally suspending players participating in LIV, including the recent threat to prevent them from competing in the Masters. The lawsuit was aimed at uncovering records of communication between the PGA Tour and Augusta National. However, the request was rejected in court.

The chairman of Augusta National, Fred Ridley, countered the accusations by assuring that past Masters champions from the LIV circuit, such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed, would be allowed to participate in the 2023 Masters.

“We will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament,” Ridley wrote. “Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it.

“Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honour the tradition of bringing together a preeminent field of golfers this coming April.”