LIV Golf transfer talk is a "giant pain in my ass" - Trevor Immelman
Trevor Immelman and Davis Love III express their concern over all the LIV Golf movement ahead of the Presidents Cup.
International Presidents Cup captain Trevor Immelman has told GOLF's SubPar podcast hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stolz that all the LIV Golf rumours have proven a "giant pain in the ass" ahead of his preparations for the biennial contest next month.
As it stands, Immelman will be without Louis Oosthuizen, Abraham Ancer, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace - four LIV Golf Tour players that would have all walked into his 12-man International team that will face United States at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte from September 22-25.
Then of course there is Open champion Cameron Smith, who is seemingly just days away from confirming his place on LIV Golf.
It is understood Smith will line up in the next LIV Golf Boston event in early September, which would rule him out of the Presidents Cup from September 22 to 25.
He has reportedly been offered north of $100 million to join LIV Golf.
Smith's compatriot and good friend Marc Leishman is also expected to join him on Greg Norman's circuit, which would also rule him out of the team.
Hideki Matsuyama has been linked with a move to LIV Golf in a reported $400 million move, but it seems as though the PGA Tour is doing everything it can at the moment to hold on to his services.
The Presidents Cup is backed by the PGA Tour, who have issued tournament bans for all players competing in LIV Golf tournaments.
Masters champ, Presidents Cup captain, lead analyst for @GolfonCBS, and now @golf_subpar guest! @TrevorImmelman joins us on this weeks episode! Out now!! https://t.co/75NYKFT1r5 pic.twitter.com/oskhNDws7K
— Colt Knost (@ColtKnost) August 23, 2022
"It's been a giant pain in my ass, Colt... there's just no other way to put it," said a frustrated Immelman.
"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 the DP World Tour, and it's been tough to see my sport get divided over the last year and start to see these cracks get made, and the division it's created. So that's been very, very difficult to observe.
"But yeah, from a Presidents Cup standpoint it's made it uber tricky because for instance, we're talking about team rooms and locker rooms and stuff like that, and if I'd gone ahead and put images of different players up and then all of a sudden if those guys aren't there or are unable to be there, that gives a little bit of a different vibe in the locker room and in the team room.
"So yeah, it's been real tough, man. I wish I could tell you it's over, but it's not over. I mean I'm working the phones like crazy, trying to learn as much as I can learn speaking to players, caddies, agents, you name it. I'm just trying to see where we are going to be."
Immelman, who won the 2008 Masters, also confirmed that United States captain Davis Love III is "concerned" about some of his players moving to LIV Golf ahead of the Presidents Cup, too.
"It's not great, not been great for Davis, either," said the South African.
"We were just talking yesterday and he's got a couple of guys he's concerned about as well as me. It just puts us in a tough spot and it puts the tournament in a tough spot.
"In many ways I feel bad for the Harris family, for Quail Hollow and Charlotte, because they have gone all out. This event is going to be incredible. It's going to be spectacular. The build up, ticket sales are through the roof, the hospitality is sold out, it's going to be so amazing this event, and so I just hope we get the right players to pitch up."
While difficult to know exactly who Love III could be worried about on his US side, there has been talk that Cameron Young, who finished runner-up at The Open last month, has been offered a substantial figure to join LIV Golf.
Patrick Cantlay, who looks to become the first player to defend the FedEx Cup this week, has ruled himself out of joining LIV Golf after the comments he made after winning last week's BMW Championship.
Cantlay is said to be buzzing with excitement about the prospect of once again teaming up with his good friend Xander Schauffele in the Presidents Cup.
Love III recently hinted at a mass PGA Tour player boycott over LIV Golf.
Meet the that will be representing the #USTeam#PresidentsCup pic.twitter.com/THrhtoSlic
— Presidents Cup (@PresidentsCup) August 21, 2022
Confirmed players in the US Team: Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Sam Burns, Justin Thomas, Tony Finau.
Love will then have six captain's picks.
Introducing the for the #IntlTeam#PresidentsCup pic.twitter.com/oYK9z7MgAd
— Presidents Cup (@PresidentsCup) August 21, 2022
Confirmed players in the International Team: Cameron Smith (for now), Hideki Matsuyama, Sungjae Im, Joaquin Niemann, Tom Kim, Corey Conners, Adam Scott, Mito Pereira.
Immelman will have four captain's picks.
Love and Immelman will announce their captain selections on September 6 and September 7 to round out their 12-man teams.
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE
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