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via Imago

via Imago

The PGA Tour has taken hit-after-hit of late. As if Rory McIlroy leaving his Player Director post was not enough, the Tour witnessed a further setback, with multiple pros announced to be participating in the LIV Golf Promotions event. Teeing up will be some well-known PGA Tour pros like Jason Dufner, Jeff Overton, and Victor Dubuisson.

Another name in the field is the 2017 Barracuda Champion, Chris Stroud. The veteran has been on the PGA Tour for the past 16 years and is now looking to move to the breakaway league. His reason? Stroud feels like the tour is not set up for the players who can’t make it to the highest ranks. And for that, he recently even called them out, saying “the Tour doesn’t care”!

Chris Stroud reveals the regular golfer’s struggle on the PGA Tour

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The LIV Golf Promotions will start next week. The 73-player field has golfers from all around the world, including multiple from the PGA Tour. Despite the suspension warning from the league, many have opted to try their luck at the 3-day event in Abu Dhabi on December 8th, and Stroud is one of them.

Speaking with Golf Channel recently about his choice to do so, the PGA Tour veteran explained why he chose to participate at the Saudi league’s Q School, and surprisingly, LIV’s lucrative deals are not the answer. Stroud, who himself once served on the Player Advisory Council, claimed that he was frustrated with “what the Tour’s done for years.”

“The Tour doesn’t care about you if you’re not in the top 30, and I learned quickly that I needed to take care of myself,” said the golf pro. Moreover, complaining about the Tour building a “bad culture,” he stated, “The Tour has never been set up to help its players.”

USA Today via Reuters

Despite him lashing out at the tour, Stroud clarified that he bore no ill will to chief himself. In fact, the golfer stated that he had nothing but Jay Monahan, and his fight was with how the entity functioned and nothing more. “I love [Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan], but the Tour has never tried to give back to the players; we’ve never had a voice,” he explained. His love for Monahan, however, is not enough to offset the many reasons why he sees LIV Golf as a better fit for himself.

 

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Other reasons for Stroud’s move to join LIV’s Q-School

Stroud was firm in his decision to join LIV, as he commented that the golfers on the other side were much happier than the pros on the PGA Tour. He shared that after having a conversation with Marc Leishman, he found that “players on the LIV are happy.”

The golf veteran is also unhinged by losing his PGA Tour card. He is more than willing to leave the Tour altogether, as he has found the past three years unimpressive and will give up the Tour membership “without a question.”

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In recent days, the PGA Tour has been under constant criticism by the public and players alike. Since the league backpedaled from its early LIV Golf stance and announced the merger, its golfers have felt betrayed, and perhaps more like Chris Stroud will lash out!

Watch this Story: As LIV Golf Promotions Unveils 73-Players Field, What Are Top 5 Biggest Surprises?