'Definitely Not Something We Want Our Membership To Do' - Scheffler On Saudi League

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has reacted to the news of the PGA Tour declining players' release requests for the opening LIV Golf Invitational Series tournament, saying he "kind of figured" the Tour would make that decision.

"I guess first thoughts would be I kind of figured that was something that would happen," Scheffler said ahead of the AT&T Byron Nelson in Texas, reiterating Justin Thomas who also said he expected the Tour to decline the release requests.

The Masters champion then said that playing in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series is "definitely not" something "we" want the PGA Tour members to do, citing RBC and the Canadian Open and how it would hurt the PGA Tour tournaments and their sponsors. The RBC Canadian Open will be up against the first LIV Golf event in the second week of June.

"If you're playing here on the PGA Tour, playing in something that could be a rival series to the PGA Tour, being a member of our Tour, it's definitely not something where we want our membership to do because it's going to harm the tournament that we have opposite that and that's, I'm sure that's why they did not release the players," the Texan said. "Because if we have 15 guys go over there and play that hurts the RBC and the Canadian Open."

Scheffler joins the likes of Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka in publicly supporting the PGA Tour. Players such as Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia had requested releases for next month's $25m LIV Golf opener at the Centurion Club along with dozens of other PGA and DP World Tour players. It remains to be seen what the next move is for the players and the tours.