The PGA Tour is facing another lawsuit as the legal battle with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit continues.
Attorney Larry Klayman has filed a Second Amended Class Action Complaint against the PGA Tour, DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour), and the Official World Golf Rankings in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Klayman accuses PGA and DP World Tour executives Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley of violating competition law in his filing.
The PGA Tour declined to comment, and the DP World Tour and OWGR did not respond immediately to inquiries.
The filing claims that “a collusive, coordinated effort is underway to destroy LIV Golf and its players in their infancy.”
Klayman stated on his website ‘Freedom Watch’ that the OWGR was “alleged to be a major part of the conspiracy to restrain trade in violation of Florida’s antitrust laws.”
He claimed that “LIV Golf players are being denied world ranking points in order to prevent them from competing in major and other tournaments, thereby harming consumers.”
Klayman also claims in the filing that the quality of golf on the PGA Tour has been “diluted and destroyed by a deterioration of the talent level” as a result of LIV Golf player suspensions.
The PGA Tour has barred more than 30 players from participating in one of LIV’s 48-man, 54-hole tournaments, prompting 11 LIV Golf players to sue the PGA Tour in August.
Eight of the original plaintiffs in that suit, including vocal LIV supporter Phil Mickelson, have since dropped out, while Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Jones, and Peter Uihlein remain as plaintiffs, as does LIV Golf.
The PGA Tour filed a countersuit against LIV Golf in September, accusing it of interfering with its player contracts.
In August, a US judge denied three LIV Golf players’ request for a temporary restraining order, which would have allowed them to compete in the FedEx Cup playoffs on the US PGA Tour.
However, the US Department of Justice has launched an anti-trust investigation into the PGA Tour’s actions in suppressing the upstart circuit.
The DP World Tour’s efforts to suspend LIV Golf participants have also sparked litigation in Europe.
Klayman is also representing LIV player Patrick Reed in two defamation lawsuits against various members of the media, seeking a total of $750 million.
LIV Golf, which has signed several top players such as American Phil Mickelson and Australian Cameron Smith, plans 14 events for next year after wrapping up its inaugural season last month.
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