LIV Golf has opened up on a legal front, challenging the DP World Tour’s CEO, Keith Pelley, to be deposed.
In the lawsuit reported on November 16, golfers who had joined the rival series sought discovery from the European circuit. In return, the defense lawyer tried to quash a subpoena requested by the LIV Golf officials.
The Saudi-backed series claimed that the DP World Tour and PGA Tour have an “unlawful conspiratorial agreement” after the two series allied and suspended the golfers who joined the LIV Golf series.
In an extension of the lawsuit, the lawyer for the newly formed series asked the officials to remove Keith Pelley from his position and asked for a subpoena.
Pelley’s lawyer defended the case by citing a federal rule that limits the court’s jurisdiction to those ‘within 100 miles of where the person resides, is employed, or regularly transacts business in person.’
Their motion reads:
“The mere presence of one of its directors (PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan) near Jacksonville does not somehow transform the European Tour’s overseas business operations as physically transacted within 100 miles of the place of compliance.”
In response, the LIV Golf Series also claimed:
“(Pelley) is scheduled to return to this district in a mere two weeks for another conspiratorial meeting with the PGA Tour (and others who are) targeting LIV.”
Keith Pelley to discuss LIV Golf threats with the other officials
The battle between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour is getting more intense as the days pass. It all started in August when the LIV Golf players filed a lawsuit against the PGA Tour.
In response, the PGA Tour sued the rival series for offering lucrative contracts to their golfers.
Last month, LIV Golf filed a second lawsuit to depose DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley and claimed he was planning strategies against LIV.
Keith Pelley is said to have met with PGA Tour CEO Jay Monahan, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers, and other officials to discuss LIV Golf’s warning threats.
They are rumored to meet at the exhibition series “The Match,” which is scheduled for December 10, where Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, and Jordan Spieth will play in a team match. However, the PGA Tour has denied any rumors about the official meeting.
Recently, Rory has also talked about LIV Golf’s CEO, Greg Norman, and said he needs to leave the position.
It is important to note that The Match is a television golf series that began in 2018. Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods played against each other in the tournament’s first season.
Mickelson, who has been a part of the series since the beginning, has been suspended from playing on the PGA Tour and will not be playing at The Match.
Notably, Phil Mickelson joined the LIV Golf Series and also sued the PGA Tour earlier this August.
The seventh edition of The Match will take place at the Pelican Golf Club this Saturday, where Woods and McIlroy will take on Thomas and Speith.
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