Judge Beth Labson Freeman sets 2024 as date for LIV Golf players’ trial against PGA Tour

The lawsuit against the PGA Tour by a group of LIV Golf players will not be heard until 2024.

LIV Golf has disrupted the game, with the Saudi-funded startup wooing players with massive contracts.

A hearing before Judge Beth Labson Freeman took place on Thursday and she set a date of July 23, 2023, for a summary judgement hearing and a trial date of January 8, 2024.

Lawyers for the players sought a trial date of August 7, 2023. That is the Monday before the first event of the FedEx Cup play-offs, and the Tour’s lead attorney Elliot Peters said that was “not reasonable or realistic.”

“The commissioner and the other significant people from the Tour who will likely be subpoenaed; that’s a tough date for them,” Peters said.

Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Hudson Swafford, Talor Gooch, Matt Jones, Ian Poulter, Abraham Ancer, Pat Perez, Jason Kokrak and Peter Uihlein are the 10 who have filed the lawsuit, but the Peters suggested that number could fall as he referenced “dropping plaintiffs”. Carlos Ortiz was on the original lawsuit but later removed his name.

There have been three LIV events so far, with the fourth due to take place in Boston at the start of September.

LIV has confirmed a 14-event season for 2023, with dates and venues to be confirmed.