Former world number one Ernie Els said the PGA Tour board should step down over the decision to merge their commercial operations with the LIV Series and described the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit as "circus golf".

Els said the way the PGA Tour went about the merger without player input was an "absolute shambles" and that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan would not still be in the role if it was up to him. "If this happened in my day, in my prime, there's no way he is around. No way. And the board has to change," the 53-year-old told reporters at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, where he shot a 75 in the first round of the British Open.

"I'm sorry, it's not right. Talk to us, tell us what you're going to do, plan on negotiating. Don't just go rogue as a member of the board and come back with a deal and think we're all going to say 'yes'. "You're affecting people's lives. You're affecting the professional game. It's just so bad."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl-confirms-sale-of-washington-commanders-to-harris-group-for-whopping-605-billion-617989">NFL confirms sale of Washington Commanders to Harris group for whopping $6.05 billion</a>

Els said he was no fan of LIV's team aspect or its 54-hole, no-cut format. "This is circus golf. Team golf doesn't work," added Els, who won the British Open in 2002 and 2012. "It works maybe in a two-month, three-month happy season. "Get these guys together, get teams together and play around the world. But then play real golf.

"That's what this thing is all about. That's what I prided myself on, like Tiger (Woods) and some of these guys, getting yourself into majors and grinding."

Former world number one Ernie Els said the PGA Tour board should step down over the decision to merge their commercial operations with the LIV Series and described the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit as "circus golf".

Former world number one Ernie Els said the PGA Tour board should step down over the decision to merge their commercial operations with the LIV Series and described the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit as "circus golf". Els said the way the PGA Tour went about the merger without player input was an "absolute shambles" and that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan would not still be in the role if it was up to him. "If this happened in my day, in my prime, there's no way he is around. No way. And the board has to change," the 53-year-old told reporters at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, where he shot a 75 in the first round of the British Open. "I'm sorry, it's not right. Talk to us, tell us what you're going to do, plan on negotiating. Don't just go rogue as a member of the board and come back with a deal and think we're all going to say 'yes'. "You're affecting people's lives. You're affecting the professional game. It's just so bad." Also read: NFL confirms sale of Washington Commanders to Harris group for whopping $6.05 billion Els said he was no fan of LIV's team aspect or its 54-hole, no-cut format. "This is circus golf. Team golf doesn't work," added Els, who won the British Open in 2002 and 2012. "It works maybe in a two-month, three-month happy season. "Get these guys together, get teams together and play around the world. But then play real golf. "That's what this thing is all about. That's what I prided myself on, like Tiger (Woods) and some of these guys, getting yourself into majors and grinding."

Former world number 1 Ernie Els blasts PGA Tour board over merger with 'circus golf' LIV series

Local favourite Billy Hurley III moved one step closer to a first PGA Tour victory as he seized a two-shot lead after Saturday&#39;s third round of the Quicken Loans National in Bethesda, Maryland. 
 
The 34-year-old American, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who calls nearby Annapolis his home, fired a flawless four-under-par 67 on a rain-softened layout at Congressional to post a 15-under total of 198. 
 
PGA Tour veteran Ernie Els, seeking a 20th win on the U.S. circuit but his first in four years, was alone in second after shooting a bogey-free 65 with joint second-round leader Jon Rahm of Spain (70) a further stroke back at 12 under. 
 
Hurley, who had been tied for the lead overnight with Rahm, stormed ahead with three birdies on the front nine before picking up another shot after the turn, sinking a 15-footer at the par-four 14th. 
 
Though he failed to reach the green in two at the par-four last after his tee shot found the left rough, he very nearly holed out with a near-perfect chip from 55 feet and tapped in for par to remain two ahead. 
 
South African Els, whose most recent PGA Tour victory came at the 2012 British Open, holed out from 157 yards to eagle the par-four 12th, then sank a 24-foot birdie putt at the par-four 14th to surge up the leaderboard. 
 
&quot;I enjoyed it,&quot; Els, 46, told CBS Sports. &quot;I&#39;m not the straightest driver but I kept it in play for the most part. The misses I did have weren&#39;t too far off and the putter was hot for most of the round. 
 
&quot;I missed those short ones on 15 and 16,&quot; he said, referring to a six-footer and a four-footer, &quot;but just overall solid golf and that&#39;s what you&#39;ve got to do at Congressional.&quot; 
 
Els has recorded just one top-25 in 15 starts on the 2015-16 PGA Tour, a tie for 14th at the RBC Heritage in April, but has come a long way since his mind-boggling six-putt on the first green at the Masters in April. 
 
&quot;Obviously when we&#39;ve played this game long enough, there&#39;s a lot of things that&#39;s going to happen to you,&quot; he said. &quot;Playing the game for 25 years as a professional, everything just about has happened. 
 
&quot;And obviously that happened at the first hole of the Masters which is not great, so it&#39;s been a kind of a re-set since then and I&#39;m enjoying putting.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The 34-year-old American fired a flawless four-under-par 67 on a rain-softened layout at Congressional to post a 15-under total of 198

Local favourite Billy Hurley III moved one step closer to a first PGA Tour victory as he seized a two-shot lead after Saturday's third round of the Quicken Loans National in Bethesda, Maryland. The 34-year-old American, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who calls nearby Annapolis his home, fired a flawless four-under-par 67 on a rain-softened layout at Congressional to post a 15-under total of 198. PGA Tour veteran Ernie Els, seeking a 20th win on the U.S. circuit but his first in four years, was alone in second after shooting a bogey-free 65 with joint second-round leader Jon Rahm of Spain (70) a further stroke back at 12 under. Hurley, who had been tied for the lead overnight with Rahm, stormed ahead with three birdies on the front nine before picking up another shot after the turn, sinking a 15-footer at the par-four 14th. Though he failed to reach the green in two at the par-four last after his tee shot found the left rough, he very nearly holed out with a near-perfect chip from 55 feet and tapped in for par to remain two ahead. South African Els, whose most recent PGA Tour victory came at the 2012 British Open, holed out from 157 yards to eagle the par-four 12th, then sank a 24-foot birdie putt at the par-four 14th to surge up the leaderboard. "I enjoyed it," Els, 46, told CBS Sports. "I'm not the straightest driver but I kept it in play for the most part. The misses I did have weren't too far off and the putter was hot for most of the round. "I missed those short ones on 15 and 16," he said, referring to a six-footer and a four-footer, "but just overall solid golf and that's what you've got to do at Congressional." Els has recorded just one top-25 in 15 starts on the 2015-16 PGA Tour, a tie for 14th at the RBC Heritage in April, but has come a long way since his mind-boggling six-putt on the first green at the Masters in April. "Obviously when we've played this game long enough, there's a lot of things that's going to happen to you," he said. "Playing the game for 25 years as a professional, everything just about has happened. "And obviously that happened at the first hole of the Masters which is not great, so it's been a kind of a re-set since then and I'm enjoying putting." (Reuters)

Golfer Hurley moves two ahead at Congressional, Els lurks

ernie-els

Ernie Els, News on Ernie Els, stories on Ernie Els, articles on Ernie Els, Ernie Els stories at Wion, Ernie Els news, Ernie Els latest news

ernie els

Former world number 1 Ernie Els blasts PGA Tour board over merger with 'circus golf' LIV series

Golfer Hurley moves two ahead at Congressional, Els lurks