FILE PHOTO: Jul 17, 2022; St. Andrews, SCT; Scottie Scheffler tees off on the 17th hole during the final round of the 150th Open Championship golf tournament at St. Andrews Old Course. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
(Reuters) - World number one Scottie Scheffler said he was frustrated by a lawsuit brought by three LIV Golf players against the PGA Tour as they want to compete in the lucrative FedExCup playoffs even though they knew they would be banned if they joined the breakaway circuit.
Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones have all been suspended from the PGA Tour for joining the Saudi-backed league but are hoping for a ruling that will allow them to tee it up at the three-tournament event, which begins in Memphis this week.
A hearing on the matter was underway on Tuesday.
"I'm definitely curious to see what's going to happen," Scheffler told reporters on Tuesday at TPC Southwind.
"Those guys made their decision to go join another tour and they broke the rules and regulations of our tour and now they're trying to sue us, which is definitely a bit frustrating."
Scheffler, who won the Masters in April, said he will be ready to compete regardless of the U.S. District Court judge's decision.
"If they win, come out here and play, that's something that's up to the courts, I can't control what's going to happen in a court case," he said.
"Definitely interested, but at the end of the day it has no effect on my preparation for the week."
The $255 million LIV series is being bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, with critics calling it a means to "sportswash" the country's human rights record.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles)
