International Team Presidents Cup Captain Trevor Immelman has described LIV Golf as a "giant pain in my a**" amid the ongoing uncertainty that members of his team may soon be sanctioned if they defect from the PGA Tour.
In an interview on GOLF's Subpar Podcast, the South African said: "It's a giant pain in my a**." He added: "From a Presidents Cup standpoint it’s made it uber tricky. We’re talking about team rooms - how about if I’d gone ahead and put images up of different players and then all of a sudden those guys aren’t able to be there? That gives it a bit of a different vibe."
The former Masters champion will lead the International Team at Quail Hollow in September and if recent reports are true, may have to do so without World No.2 and recently-crowned Open champion, Cameron Smith. The Aussie has reportedly signed a deal worth in excess of $100m to join the Saudi-backed venture, which is expected to put an end to his Presidents Cup career.
The former Masters champion described the "divided" fractious state the game is presently in as "brutal" for both the Presidents Cup and both established Tours. "There’s no other way to put it. It’s been brutally difficult in many ways, not just for the Presidents Cup but also because I’m a member of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
“It’s been tough to see my sport get divided over the last year and see these cracks get made and the division it’s created. It’s been real tough, and I wish I could tell you it’s over. It’s not over," he said.
With the hint that more players are expected to join the Greg Norman-fronted venture, a recent report has indicated that Immelman may still have star man and fellow Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama in his camp.
The Japanese superstar had been subject to ongoing speculation that he was next in line to join the LIV Golf Series but as unveiled by No Laying Up, it seems Matsuyama is to commit hit future to the PGA Tour.
Golf Monthly understands that Greg Norman will announce at least five big name signings as soon as this week's Tour Championship has finished, with Immelman giving the indication that their identities are not yet known.
"I’m working the phones like crazy trying to learn as much as I can learn, speaking to players, caddies, agents, you name it, just trying to get a feel on where we’re going to be. It’s not great and it’s not been great for Davis [Love III]. He’s got a couple of guys he’s concerned about as well as me. It puts us in a tough spot and it puts the tournament in a tough spot."
Immelman will already be without International Team stalwarts Louis Oosthuizen, Abraham Ancer, Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel.
