Donald Trump has thrown his support behind the Saudi-backed LIV golf competition.
With a number of big-name stars' futures still up in the air, the former United States president has now urged pro golfers to “take the money” and sign with controversial series.
Not only that, he has also dubbed the PGA "disloyal", warning people that they will "pay a price" for staying with the organisation.
“All of those golfers that remain ‘loyal’ to the very disloyal PGA, in all of its different forms, will pay a big price when the inevitable MERGER with LIV comes, and you get nothing but a big ‘thank you’ from PGA officials who are making Millions of Dollars a year,” Trump told Truth Social.
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“If you don’t take the money now, you will get nothing after the merger takes place, and only say how smart the original signees were.”
It's understood Trump is hosting LIV events at two of his golf courses in New Jersey and Florida later this year.
The former president has been widely condemned for his involvement in the rebel competition with the 9/11 Justice group leading the calls for him to cut ties with the Saudis.
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“We simply cannot understand how you could agree to accept money from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s golf league to host their tournament at your golf course, and to do so in the shadows of Ground Zero in New Jersey, which lost over 700 residents during the attacks,” the group wrote in an open letter to Trump.
“It is difficult for us to fully express the extreme pain, frustration and anger this upcoming tournament at Bedminster causes our community... it is incomprehensible to us that a former President of the United States would cast our loved ones aside for personal financial gain.
“We hope you will reconsider your business relationship with the Saudi golf league and will agree to meet with us.”
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So far, the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau have all defected.
And the PGA's mass exodus looks set to continue with rumours swirling that recently-crowned Open champion Cameron Smith could join them.
According to multiple reports, the No.2 ranked golfer in the world is nearing a deal to join his fellow countryman Greg Norman at LIV Golf.
That said, the Aussie remained very tight-lipped about it when he was questioned by reporters just moments after winning The Open.
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“I just won the British Open and you’re asking about that. I think that’s, pretty, not that good,” Smith said.
He added: “I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
Max Sherry