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The PGA Tour and LIV Golf argued over the existence of an alleged meeting at The Match between the sport's main organisations in a hearing on Friday.
As reported by Rex Hoggard of Golf Channel, Rachel Brass, a member of LIV Golf's legal team, said "this case is still about players who are being excluded from the opportunity to play golf."
Brass referred to a meeting that allegedly took place last week at The Match between the PGA Tour, the R&A, the USGA and the PGA of America, perhaps taking the opportunity while Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth were in the area.
Elliott Peters, from the Tour's legal team, denied that any meeting took place at Pelican Golf Club on December 10. "The meeting last week - they are relying on a press story they planted in the press - it is complete fiction," he said.
US District Court Judge Beth L. Freeman agreed to adjustments in the antitrust case that was first filed by 11 plaintiffs (golfers) in August, including moving deadlines for written discovery and witness depositions.
The Tour's legal team warned that disputes over discovery, adding the potential involvement of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, could make a precise schedule difficult. The trial is set for January 2024, but Freeman alluded to a potential pushback to April.
The litigation name has also changed from 'Mickelson et al vs. PGA Tour' to 'Jones et al vs. PGA Tour'. Matt Jones, Bryson DeChambeau and Peter Uihlein, along with LIV Golf itself, are the only remaining plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that LIV Golf accused the Tour of orchestrating protests from 9/11 groups and creating "anti-Saudi sentiment" working with a Washington DC-based PR firm.
"The Tour has secretly directed, coordinated, and funded public protest, defamatory advertising, and other tactics to stir up anti-Saudi sentiment directed at its first-ever global competitor, all in an effort to maintain its unlawful monopoly," the filing read which was submitted on Tuesday.
David Polyansky, the president of Clout Public Affairs LLC, confirmed that they represent the PGA Tour and that they have also helped "some 9/11 victims and families get their voices out there."
LIV Golf is seeking information from Clout and its communications with 9/11 Justice and 9/11 Families United and also its communications with the PGA Tour on the subject of these groups.
