Australian Open champ Matt Jones slams suggestions Greg Norman’s LIV Golf is just an exhibition

The Aussie Open champion who defected to LIV Golf and takes the PGA Tour to court has criticized “keyboard warriors” who claim the Rebel tournament is nothing but a series of “exhibition tournaments.”

Jones is a two-time Australian Open champion and one of the most prominent Aussies to leave the PGA Tour to join Greg Norman’s Saudi Arabia-backed rebel league, along with Adam Scott and The Open champion Cameron Smith.

Jones, 42, has competed in all seven LIV Golf tournaments and, after his final round at Royal Greens and Country Club on Sunday, lamented the judgment of ‘keyboard warriors’.

“I’d say don’t speak until you’ve been here and experienced it,” Jones told AAP.

“There are plenty of keyboard warriors who sit in front of a computer and judge everything people do for a living without getting out and experiencing it.

“If there are people who judge this based on what they see on YouTube and LIV TV, you better come here and experience it.”

Jones added that he’s seen fellow players work harder than they did on the PGA Tour.

“I’ve seen guys grind harder here than on the PGA Tour because we have the time. You can spend more time in the gym getting fit because our bodies aren’t getting crushed week after week.

“And there is so much to gain financially by playing well here. Livelihoods are at stake. There are guys with a one-year contract who play for next year.

“No one comes out for a slap and a giggle. It’s serious and guys want to win every week,” Jones said after pocketing A$203,000 by finishing 45th in the 48-man field.

Jones is one of three remaining LIV golfers to file an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, which is set to go to trial in January 2024.

Jones, Bryson DeChambeau and Peter Uihlein are the last three LIV golfers to sue the original 11 after Phil Mickelson and three other golfers withdrew in late September.

The players allege that the PGA Tour harmed their careers by suspending them from PGA events and also created barriers that prevented LIV Golf from entering competitive competition.

“I am focused on moving forward and very happy to be a part of LIV while also being grateful for my time on the Tour,” Mickelson said in a statement.

“I am pleased that the players on the Tour are finally being heard, respected and appreciated and are benefiting from the recent changes. With LIV’s involvement in these cases, players’ rights are protected and I no longer find it necessary for me to be part of the proceedings.’

Recently, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that LIV Golf, including Jones, must release a log of all communications between themselves and outside advisers about the Saudi-backed competition after originally seeking to be exempt from logging this information.

Lawyers for LIV Golf have argued that logging this information would be “expensive, time-consuming and unnecessarily burdensome.”

Jones’ comments come as an LIV rebel golfer became the first to claim a PGA-aligned event over the weekend, with Spain’s Adrian Otaegui claiming the Andalusian Masters of the DP World Tour.

The DP World Tour and the PGA Tour formed an alliance in June this year to combat the threat of LIV Golf, giving DP World Tour members direct and formal access to PGA Tour events.

“I’m very proud,” Otaegui said. “I’m so happy to get my first win in Spain, in front of all those crowds, on my favorite golf course in Spain. Just unbelievable.’

Swede Joakim Lagergren (68) came in second, three shots ahead of third place Min Woo Lee from Australia (70).