If you’ve followed Harold Varner III’s career, you may have been surprised by the news that he’s left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.
His statement announcing and explaining his decision was just as well, but in a different way. Varner has always been unapologetically himself, a fact that has led the 32-year-old to be a fan-favorite over the last few years on Tour. The shocking aspect of his statement was how refreshingly honest he was about his reasons for joining LIV, and he didn’t shy away from speaking about the money.
“The opportunity to join LIV Golf is simply too good of a financial breakthrough for me to pass by. I know what it means to grow up without much. This money is going to ensure that my kid and future Varners will have a solid base to start on – and a life I could have only dreamed about growing up,” Varner wrote in a post on his Instagram account. “It’ll also help fund many of the programs I’m building with my Foundation. I’ll continue to forge pathways for kids interested in golf. This note is a receipt for that.”
While Varner never earned that elusive first win on the PGA Tour, the North Carolina native qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs for the seventh consecutive season this year. He also won the 2022 PIF Saudi International, which stirred rumors that he was fielding interest from LIV Golf.
“I’m obviously not going,” Varner told SI in June after receiving what he called a “nuts” offer from LIV Golf. “I’ve spoken with (PGA Tour commissioner) Jay (Monahan), I’ve spoken with a lot of people I look up to and it just wasn’t worth it to me for what it was worth. That’s pretty simple.”
Varner will make his LIV Golf debut this week at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts.
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Story originally appeared on GolfWeek