LIV Golf critic blasts LPGA star Lexi Thompson for "distasteful" comments
LPGA Tour superstar Lexi Thompson's comments in her winning interview at the Aramco Team Series event were labelled "distasteful" by a LIV Golf critic.
The comments of LPGA Tour Lexi Thompson after she claimed the Aramco Team Series event in New York were labelled "distasteful" by prominent LIV Golf critic and Golf Channel co-host Eamon Lynch.
Thompson, 27, ended her three-year wait for victory by winning the individual title at Trump Golf Links last week at Ferry Point in The Bronx on the Ladies European Tour.
The American, who is ranked No. 8 in the world, saw off Canada's Brooke Henderson, Swede Madelene Sagstrom and the Olympic champion Nelly Korda.
Related: Nine players who changed their mind about LIV Golf
It was her first victory since the 2019 ShopRite Classic which was her 11th win on the LPGA Tour. What has followed is a string of painful near misses, particularly in the majors.
Of those disappointments included completely collapsing at the U.S. Women's Open when she saw a five-stroke lead evaporate before her eyes in 2021.
Thompson and the aforementioned Korda faced the media last week where they responded to questions about a potential LIV Golf Tour for women.
The LPGA Tour commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan have previously addressed this topic, suggesting she would engage with Greg Norman providing a number of criteria were met.
Understandably, both Korda and Thompson deflected questions about this, which was in contrast to England's Charley Hull, who also recently ended a long wait for a victory on the LPGA.
Related: Charley Hull takes a tumble as tee box collapses
Yet chatter about a LIV Golf for women just won't go away.
Prominent LIV Golf critic Lynch, who has recently lambasted Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson, described Thompson's comments in her post-win press conference as "distasteful".
Related: PGA Tour pro reveals strategy to avoid LIV Golf temptation
Lynch told Golf Channel when asked about LIV Golf for women: "There's a certain element of controversy to that and you can make a nuanced argument that there's a difference between sponsorship and ownership of a tour, but that argument only takes you so far.
"It's still ... it's soft sportswashing by another name what the Aramco Team Series are doing. And it's easy prey because the Ladies European Tour runs on fumes.
"So, it's an easy thing to throw money at and get attention for but they did get attention from a lot of top LPGA Tour players this week. The LPGA Tour was off [and] a lot of players showed up and it's not uncommon to see appearance fees paid to top players on the Ladies European Tour.
WATCH:
Talk of a #LIVGolf ladies league continues to pick up. pic.twitter.com/hHR7SOKVTr
— LIV Golf Latest (@LIVGolfLatest) October 18, 2022
"Whether any were paid this week has not been disclosed. What I was struck by was Lexi's comments afterwards where she said, of the sponsors, what they are doing is 'amazing' and they 'are giving girls opportunities' they are 'growing the game' and we're 'very grateful' which seems to me a little bit distasteful to lay it on when you are talking about a regime with a record of Saudi Arabia and its state-owned oil company sponsoring the event."
He added: "All it does is prove, I think, if there is ever some kind of alignment between Golf Saudi or LIV Golf and the LPGA Tour, if that threat arises, anyone who expects to see more evidence of a moral compass on the LPGA Tour is probably going to be disappointed."
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