"These guys are so idiotic"- $80 million worth basketball player slams LIV Golf and PGA Tour, asks them to 'stop screwing around'
Charles Barkley weighed in on the controversy between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour on Tuesday, October 22. The former basketball star, worth $80 million (via Celebrity Net Worth), called both tours "idiotic."
Barkley was a guest on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio's Gravy and the Sleeze program. Among the topics he discussed was the current split in men's professional golf.
Here is a portion of what Charles Barkley had to say (via NUCLR GOLF):
"I wish these fools would quit screwing around, LIV and the PGA Tour. I don’t know what the hell they’re doing. They’re so stupid. These guys are so idiotic. They need to be playing against each other [more than] the majors."
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia (which provides financial support to LIV) and the PGA Tour have been negotiating an agreement since 2023. To date, they have not been able to close the deal.
Charles Barkley had a 16-season career in the National Basketball Association and is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards in the history of the sport. He played for three teams (Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets) and won numerous awards.
After retiring as a player, Charles Barkley pursued a career in broadcasting as an NBA analyst. He currently works for TNT Sports and CBS Sports.
Charles Barkley and golf
It is no coincidence that Charles Barkley has a strong opinion on the controversy between LIV and the PGA Tour, as he is a well-known golf fan. Barkley began playing during his NBA days and has remained involved in the sport ever since.
The former NBA star was known for his poor performance, but has made a remarkable effort to improve his game over the years, especially his swing. His work in this regard included taking lessons from Hank Haney, an important coach who has trained Tiger Woods, among others.
Barkley is a regular at the annual celebrity tournament, the American Century Championship. He also participated in the 2020 edition of The Match, where he teamed up with Phil Mickelson to defeat renowned amateur golfers and fellow sports stars Stephen Curry and Peyton Manning 4&3.
"Sir Charles" was even on the verge of getting involved in the sport on a professional level, not as a player, but as a broadcaster. A Forbes report claims that Barkley was in talks with LIV to join their television broadcast team, but ultimately decided not to take the plunge and stay with TNT.
However, Barkley has experience in broadcasting, such as The Match 2024, where he was one of the commentators on the production team. He was joined by professionals such as Ernie Johnson, Trevor Immelman and Christina Kim, among others.