Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy given fresh legal headache

Attorney Larry Klayman says Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are 'not above the law' after he moved a step closer to speaking to the golfers under oath as part of his antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour. 

Whilst the litigation between the LIV Golf League and the PGA Tour was brought to an end as part of the 6 June framework agreement, Klayman's case continues. 

He launched his class action lawsuit against the Tour in June 2022. It was brought before the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County. 

The attorney, who represented Patrick Reed in his failed $450m defamation bid against members of the golf media, has accused the North American circuit and the European-based DP World Tour of being part of, "an anticompetitive scheme to restrain trade though monopolization, attempted monopolization, group boycotts and other antitrust violations to destroy the new LIV Golf Tour and its players to the detriment of golf fans in Florida."

Now the court has given Woods and McIlroy deadlines to sit for depositions. Woods has until 30 January and McIlroy 23 February. 

Woods has previously been accused of deliberately avoiding attempts to be served notice of a subpoena. 

McIlroy was given his during his off-season which angered the Northern Irishman and was the primary reason why he ignored Reed on the driving range before the Dubai Desert Classic. 

"I was subpoenaed by his lawyer on Christmas Eve," McIlroy previously explained.   

"So of course, trying to have a nice time with my family and someone shows up on your doorstep and delivers that, you're not going to take that well.

"So again, I'm living in reality, I don't know where he's living. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't expect a hello or a handshake."

Klayman's Freedom Watch released a statement which read: "Woods and McIlroy are not above the law and their frivolous and now failed multiple attempts to avoid being deposed creates more than a presumption of liability for their efforts to harm LIV Golf and its players.

"The testimony and the full production of documents ordered by the court in Palm Beach of both Woods and McIlroy will be most revealing, as both were heavily involved in attempts by the PGA Tour to maintain its monopolistic hold over professional golf, as members of the PGA Tour Players Advisory Council."

 

 

 

 

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The statement continued: "Both professional golfers assisted commissioner Monahan in defaming and disparaging LIV Golf and its players after the new league came into existence, all of which were intended to scare sponsors and television rights contracts away from LIV Golf and its players, to restrain its entry into the professional golf tour market."

"As just the latest example of the anticompetitive acts and unfair trade practices of the PGA Tour and Monahan, after what most golf fans believe to be the number one professional golfer and independent contractor, Jon Rahm, recently decided to also play professional golf on the LIV Tour, he was immediately suspended from playing on the PGA Tour and is now likely to also be suspended and fined by its joint venture partner the DP World Tour, aka the European Tour."

Read more:

• LIV Golf pro files for divorce after nine years of marriage
• Brooks Koepka wife has four words for Rory McIlroy after LIV Golf confession
• McIlroy hails Rahm's LIV move: "Who am I to say any different at this point?"
• LIV Golf star Cameron Smith marries Shanel Naoum on Tiger Woods' birthday