Michael Kim responds to Stephen A Smith’s ‘horrendous take’ on LIV Golf

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LIV Golf’s potential collapse has sparked fervent debate as to whether the players should be allowed to return to the PGA Tour.

Now the Saudi Public Investment Fund has withdrawn funding for next season, LIV Golf is scrambling for new investment. If they cannot find it then the league will likely fold.

Bryson DeChambeau is among the LIV players reportedly seeking an off-ramp. The two-time US Open winner was spotted speaking to PGA Tour officials at The Masters to explore his options for a potential return.

Some feel LIV golfers should face repercussions if they want to return, as Brooks Koepka did this year. But ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith thinks differently.

Speaking on First Take, he said, “”f the PGA decides to punish these (LIV) golfers, we should stay in their a– like white on rice…the players didn’t want to leave the PGA, they were forced to.”

But PGA Tour player Michael Kim passionately disagrees with this, and took to X to respond.

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Michael Kim responds to ‘laughable’ Stephen A Smith’s take on LIV Golf

Kim, who is always keen to share his thoughts on the state of golf on his popular social media accounts, responded to Smith’s claim about LIV Golf.

Posting to X, the PGA Tour winner said, “What a horrendous take.

“Players were ‘forced’ to take massive multi-million dollar checks and then sue the very tour that gave them the platform to make names for themselves, mostly because they weren’t paid their PIP money.

“Was everything perfect? Obviously not but to say they were forced? That’s laughable.”

Kim is right. There was a tradeoff for taking the millions of dollars that LIV Golf was offering. These players knew they would no longer be allowed to play on the PGA Tour if they joined LIV, and they did it anyway, trying to have their cake and eat it too.