Charles Barkley slams 'idiotic' PGA Tour and LIV Golf as Saudi merger deal remains unsigned

The NBA fable has been a vocal professional of the PGA Tour's determination to prohibition immoderate subordinate who competes connected the LIV Golf circuit, and has erstwhile again deed retired astatine those involved

NBA fable Charles Barkley slammed those successful complaint of finalising a deal betwixt the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The world of golf has been near divided successful 2 ever since the enactment of the LIV Golf, with the PGA Tour banning immoderate subordinate who competes successful the league's events. It appeared determination was a softening stance past June though, erstwhile Tour commissioner Jay Monahan revealed a daze model statement with PIF.

Despite hopes that specified a woody would easiness the rift betwixt the duelling circuits, 16 months has since followed and those successful complaint are inactive yet to officially motion disconnected immoderate benignant of bid agreement.

Frustration among some players and fans has continued to turn implicit the wait, and present hoops stalwart Barkley has weighed in. Chatting astir the woody with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, the hoops Hall of Famer claimed: "I privation these fools would discontinue screwing around, LIV and the PGA Tour.

He lambasted the groups, adding, "I don't cognize what the hellhole they're doing. They're truthful stupid. These guys are truthful idiotic. They request to beryllium playing against each different [more than] the majors. It would beryllium beneficial for some tours."

Barkley is nary alien to the goings on, having reportedly toyed with the thought of leaving his relation with TNT to articulation the LIV broadcast squad successful 2022. He is not the archetypal to criticise those successful charge, with PGA Tour commissioner Monahan often facing backlash implicit the deal.

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Monahan made a uncommon nationalist quality alongside LIV chariman Yasir Al-Rumayyan this month, aft the brace played alongside each different astatine the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship successful Scotland. Rory McIlroy was besides successful enactment astatine the event, and having often been profoundly progressive successful the off-field talks, called connected patience erstwhile it came to the bid deal.

Speaking to the BBC, McIlroy said: "It's a large happening and a bully motion that Jay and Yasir are playing unneurotic connected Thursday. I deliberation it is simply a measurement successful the close direction. Time volition archer if things spell successful the absorption I privation them to oregon a batch of radical privation them to. I deliberation we each recognize it is not casual and, you know, alteration for the astir portion successful play is resisted due to the fact that it is specified a accepted sport.."

Maybe it is going excessively dilatory for the radical who travel golf. But I deliberation successful the concern satellite deals of this size instrumentality time. You know, you are talking astir billions of dollars changing hands, antithetic jurisdictions successful the Middle East, US and Europe. It's a beauteous analyzable deal, but I deliberation we'll cognize much by the year's extremity hopefully. We are successful October, truthful 3 months to get thing done and commencement 2025 with enthusiasm and each determination guardant together."