‘Lost respect for them personally’ – Eddie Pepperell admits friendships have soured over LIV Golf moves

Eddie Pepperell has admitted his friendship with Laurie Canter has suffered due to the latter’s move to LIV Golf.

Canter jumped ship from the DP World Tour to the LIV Golf before the opening event at Centurion Club in June.

Pepperell has been an outspoken critic of LIV’s move into the sport, being concerned that it is condensing the wealth in the hands of too few people.

Canter had a close friendship with Pepperell, with the latter’s social media profile often filled with images of the pair spending time together.

Canter refused to discuss his friendship with Pepperell prior to the opening LIV event and while the latter did not want to go into too much detail, he admitted it had been soured.

“It is his career and we all make our own career decisions, I fully understand that.

“It is not a decision I would have made, it is not something I would have done.

“I have an opinion, and Laurie falls into this group of players as there are a number of them, and I have expressed opinions on that, what it means and what it shows. And it is disappointing.”

Pepperell, who has found form in recent weeks after a lengthy spell in the wilderness, conceded there are faults with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, but said the way to fix them is not by jumping ship.

“There are things that can be improved on both tours,” the two-time winner on the DP World Tour said. “But the way to improve them isn’t to go and play LIV Golf.”

Players such as Phil Mickelson and Graeme McDowell have joined LIV for huge money with their careers on the wane. Pepperell can understand that choice, but questioned the decision of players who have their best years in front of them.

The 31-year-old said: “Laurie does not fit into the group of players, in my mind, who have gone. That was the surprising element to me.

“It is not something I would have thought anyone in Laurie’s position would have done. He is very much on the up, there’s lots to look forward to.

“I could not quite fathom making that choice, but I can recognise it is a decision he can make, and they can all make.”

Pepperell feels the agenda is being driven by a couple of agencies who have taken their clients across to LIV.

“He (Canter) is part of a management group and they have all gone,” Pepperell said. “This is something that is a feature of LIV Golf. You have a significant minority who have come from two management companies.

“I think there is an element of groupthink going on. Ironically, the criticisms are all the same whether it is of (DP World Tour chief executive) Keith Pelley or the tours. So how original are those thoughts? You are all saying the same thing.

“I don’t know why you are saying those things as it relates to a couple, as a couple of players have benefited enormously from the tours. And I do not respect those opinions on Keith or the Tour.

“I have definitely lost respect for them personally for going.”

Pepperell is hopeful his relationship with Canter can be repaired, and feels some LIV players may have lost respect for him for the things he has said.

“That does not necessarily have to mean a friendship is over,” he said. “If that relates to Laurie or whatnot but I do think they have lost as much respect for some of the things I have said as I have for the actions they have taken. That is the reality.”

Pepperell feels the LIV project means too much money is being funnelled to a small group.

“To a person there is nothing more to it than the money,” he said. “There are a group of people here who are going to make a ton of money and do not have any care or regard for golf as a whole.

“That’s why I keep asking if it is a good thing or not. On balance, I think it is not.”