Masters 2023: Harold Varner III unloads on fellow LIV golfers, claims they are ‘full of s**t’

A LIV golfer has slammed the idea that the Saudi-backed tour wants to grow golf, saying that he tells fellow players all the time ‘you didn’t come here to f***ing grow the f***ing game’.

Harold Varner III, one of the 18 players from LIV Golf competing at the Masters this week, unloaded on the Saudi-backed rival tour that’s paying him millions in guaranteed money.

Varner’s primary target was his issue with LIV’s claim that it wants to grow the game, an agenda that LIV Golf and its CEO Greg Norman has been pushing since it began last year.

“They’re full of s—. They’re growing their pockets,” Varner said in an interview with the Washington Post of his fellow LIV players.

“I tell them all the time, all of them: You didn’t come here to f—ing grow the f—ing game.”

Harold Varner III. Picture: Getty Images

When Varner left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf last August, he said it was “too good a financial breakthrough” to pass up.

“The truth is, my life is changing,” he wrote in a statement posted in Instagram. “The opportunity to join LIV Golf is simply too good of a financial breakthrough for me to pass by. I know what it means to grow up without much. This money is going to ensure that my kid and future Varners will have a solid base to start on.

“Your opinion of me may change because of this announcement. No lie, that’ll be a tough thing to deal with. But I haven’t changed – I’m still me. I promise you that.”

Varner with his family. Picture: Getty Images

He said when he joined LIV it’s public relations officials sent him the same talking points, and he ignored them.

“I play golf so I can change the direction of my family’s life,” Varner said. “And that’s it.”

Varner, too, dispelled any notion that there would be any bad blood between LIV players and those from the PGA Tour.

“These f—ers aren’t mad,” he said of the PGA Tour players. “They’re just mad that you’re f—ing with their money. I think some people are jealous, and that’s just the way it is.”

LIV RIFT? WHERE SMITH, SCOTT STAND IN GOLF’S CIVIL WAR

Brent Read

Adam Scott insists that his relationship with Cameron Smith hasn’t been affected by being on opposite sides of golf’s civil war after the pair played a practice round with amateur star Harrison Crowe in preparation for the opening round of the US Masters.

Scott rejected the opportunity to join Saudi-backed LIV Golf when Greg Norman came knocking with a fat pay cheque, a decision that meant he and Smith went their separate ways.

They have been reunited this week at Augusta National, where fears of friction between the warring factions have proved unfounded.

Old friendships have been rekindled, sniping has been non-existent and while players aren’t exactly holding hands and singing Kumbaya, the air is relatively free of tension heading into the opening round.

Despite peace breaking out, tournament organisers are taking no chances after keeping the loudest voices from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf well apart when they announced their pairings for the opening two rounds – the Masters starts on Friday morning (AEST).

Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed have been separated while Smith was paired with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Korea’s Sungjae Im.

Scott will play the opening round alongside American Patrick Cantlay and Kurt Kitayama, while Crowe and Min Woo Lee will play with 1987 winner Larry Mize.

Cameron Smith and Adam Scott on the greens together at Augusta. Picture: Getty Images

Asked whether he had any concerns over playing a practice round with Smith – PGA Tour and LIV golfers have largely practised with their tour teammates in the lead-up to round one – Scott said: “No, look, Cam and I are good mates.

“You know, none of this has had any affect on our relationship at all. We often play practice rounds at majors, so I’m glad we got to have a hit today.

“As far as he and I are concerned, we’ve shared our thoughts on it. He’s obviously said he’s at peace with where things are and I am too.

“We have all made our decisions and going about our business and we’re just out here playing and trying to get ready for the Masters.”

Scott was one of the key retentions for the PGA Tour while Smith has been among the LIV players in the crosshairs after accepting the big money on offer to switch camps.

“It’s interpersonal relationships, that’s just how it goes,” Rory McIlroy said.

“But this week and this tournament is way bigger than any of that, I feel, and it’s just great that all of the best players in the world are together again for the first time in what seems to be quite a while.”

Scott, meanwhile, arrives at Augusta National on a high. A decade ago he became the first Australian to win the tournament and his affection for Augusta National only grew when he played a practice round last week and had a hole in one.

“Yeah, it’s always good vibes coming back,” Scott said.

There are no hard feelings between the duo. Picture: Getty Images

“I think it is amazing in some ways it’s been 10 years, but in other ways I feel really good about where I’ve managed to keep myself over these 10 years.

“At least physically, very healthy and ready to go again. You know, I feel like if I can put myself in a good position, I can lean on …. those memories of getting it done 10 years ago.”

Scott has lost count of the number of hole in ones he has had over the years, but that makes it two at Augusta National – he had one at the 16th in 2012.

This time, it was on the 6th.

“I just hit a 7-iron and it landed perfect,” Scott said.

“Actually while it was in the air the member I was playing with said that will land past and spin back and go in.

“It did, so he knows the course well. But that was fun. I was playing with my dad and playing with Patrick Cantlay and he made a two, so I managed to win that hole off him.”

Originally published as Masters 2023: Harold Varner III unloads on fellow LIV golfers, claims they are ‘full of s**t’