Bryson DeChambeau Slams 'Childish' PGA Tour Over Unpaid PIP Money

Bryson DeChambeau says a “childish” stand-off with the PGA Tour over unpaid Player Impact Program (PIP) money is the main reason he remains in the LIV Golf lawsuit against them.

DeChambeau, who finished fifth on the PIP list last season to win $3.5m, says “it’s more the principle” of not being paid rather than just missing out on the money.

LIV Golf launched a federal antitrust lawsuit on 3 August against the PGA Tour – accusing them of using their monopoly to prevent any competition – with 11 golfers named as plaintiffs.

Eight players have removed themselves from the suit, but DeChambeau, Matt Jones and Peter Uihlein remain, and now DeChambeau has revealed why.

The big-hitting American says that the reason he remains is because he is upset at not being paid PIP money he feels he is owed.

“There have been multiple opportunities for me to not be a part of it (the lawsuit), but considering the PGA Tour’s actions and the way they’ve handled certain situations…” DeChambeau said.

“One of the reasons I’m in the lawsuit is because they haven’t paid me my second half of the PIP money. The money isn’t the significant part, it’s more the principle.

“Over the last six years that I’ve had to deal with them, it’s just been consistently frustration after frustration from my perspective.”

Players have to fulfil certain obligations with the PGA Tour in order to qualify for the PIP money, but DeChambeau says he was blocked from attending one of these due to his suspension.

He says that after the Tour themselves told him he could not attend a junior golf event – that is now being used as a reason for him not receiving his payment.

“So I had an obligation this November, the last thing I needed to do to complete the whole thing and they said because I’m not in good standing with the Tour we’re not allowing you to help out junior golfers, that just blew my mind,” DeChambeau added.

“To me that’s childish and it just shows where they stand emotionally. I respect it and I understand it, but when you complete something and you provided entertainment for them last year and I completed that…that’s the reason why I’m in the lawsuit.”