So I think the best course of action for the main tours is to concentrate on what you're doing and doing it to the best of your ability.. What hes said: I dont know whether I want to answer questions on that. Golf news Saudi International proves world's best will play anywhere for money Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Phil Mickelson will receive HUGE appearance fees. That Kevin Na can command a payment just for turning up tells all about the scale of this lucrative operation. . Enter Saudi Arabia, which has a long-time stake in that. A quick glance of Twitter proves that premonition right, with fans ripping the decision to shreds. David has covered the last 12 Ryder Cups and every Masters tournament since 1999. Derek Jeter Comes Clean, According to Players Poll: Dont Make Ernie Angry. The Saudi International begins February 3exactly 45 days from the date of the memo. What hes said: Im not a politician. Visit our corporate site. Part of that was down to a desire to withhold the heavy artillery at this stage, as well as the fact some players had contracts to see out from when the event was on the European Tour. No offence etc. Influencing her writing style is an extensive career writing for NFP charities, sporting organisations, and the NSW Parliament. McIlroy Defends Saudi Appearance Fees - 'It's Hard To Say No | Golf Monthly SPRING SAVINGS! Rory McIlroy, in discussing the Saudi International, the appearance payments that come with it, and the potential new tour, told reporters at the Dubai Desert Classic that while he couldn't. Thats my allegiance, I guess.. Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Is he interested? And McIlroy feels the PGA and DP World Tours need to be careful about placing restrictions on players who want to cash in. Yes, playing for a regime with human-rights issues is not a good look, especially after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. By no means am I saying anyone who doesnt speak out is morally bankrupt; its just that the majority of players arent concerned with geopolitics. GOLF DIGEST MAY EARN A PORTION OF SALES FROM PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR SITE AS PART OF OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH RETAILERS. It appeared Watson would be the surprise winner on Sunday, the two-time Masters champion playing a flawless round after starting the day six back of Varner. Punishing them could create resentment for the players and that creates a problem between the tours. He sits on the board of SoftBank which sponsors the European Tours annual visit to Saudi Arabia and is the chairman of Aramco, which recently announced backing of four $1m tournaments on the Ladies European Tour (LET) spread across New York, London, Singapore and Jeddah. Plus tips on how to play better and interviews with the biggest names. The tours have avoided a legal drama thus far by reluctantly granting releases for this weeks event in King Abdullah Economic City. Patrick Cantlay has opted to play in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am ahead of the Saudi International, despite the astronomical amounts of money on offer. Saudi golf league: Heres where top-ranked pros stand on the controversial breakaway tour, Lee Trevino is asked what its like being Lee Trevino. In order to get the Tour's Saudi International blessing, a player who has competed in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at least once in the past five years must commit to play at least once in the . The concept has been pitched for more than seven years but no player has yet signed on. As many know, Mcilroy has already missed two events which cost him a 3 million deduction from his PIP earnings. At the time, the PGA Tour confirmed that releases would not be granted for tournaments that arent co-sanctioned. Im a PAC member and I have a lot of belief in Jay Monahan and the product that theyre going to give us in the future. Golf Monthly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Its just not something I believe is the best for me and my future in golf, and I think the best legacy I can accomplish will be with the PGA Tour. The DP World Tour has not been as aggressive and has tried to avoid a fight with the players, but they will stand behind Monahan when it matters as part of their strategic alliance with the PGA Tour. It would be so naive to not factor in all of the complexities. My point is everything through this golf tournament that has made me get the chills as I talk about it and get the chills as I drive up here and think what the hell when I see my picture on things out on the golf course that I grew up to love, I would not be getting that anywhere else. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. So far Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tiger Woods, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas have either said or implied that they are not interested in the Saudi venture. ", Cantlay certainly seemed intrigued as to what a Saudi league might have to offer. Golf Podcast 473: Golf Ball Rollback: What You Need to Know About Bifurcation. On the mens side it is depressing that Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and others jet in and out of Saudi Arabia for their annual cash grab with barely a murmur of discontent, let alone decent explanation of why they golfers who already have more money than the Beatles believe this perfectly fair. The others are: Abraham Ancer, Lee Westwood, Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson, Kevin Na and Jason Kokrak, who is sponsored by Golf Saudi. It remains a long shot that the plan will come to fruition apart from anything else, there is little leeway for new competitions in a congested global schedule but Saudi representation in Florida as the PGA Tour undertakes its typical swing there has generated further speculation about the coaxing of players to the PGL. Golf has got itself to a table so lavish that a rival super league, the British-based Premier Golf League, has struggled to get people to take any notice. Homa appears to have no interest in the Saudi golf league. Everyone knows that. I hear you: Do players need the money? The Saudis have no apparent intention of backing away. Visit our corporate site. It clashes with the only mixed-sex tournament on the DP World Tour schedule in Sweden and releases are unlikely to be given again. The drama is certainly not a factor when were on site. Prior to that, he worked as a sports reporter for the Daily Mail. Plus tips on how to play better and interviews with the biggest names. On another trip, to Morocco, we were greeted by state militia, brandishing machine guns, at the airport, and they never left our side the entire week. | Sea Island Seaside Course. There may be no more polarizing topics in golf these days than those surrounding rumors of the controversial Saudi-backed super league. Johnson has won the AT&T Pro-Am twice and played every year of his career except 2021, when he withdrew two days beforehand, shortly after his victory in Saudi Arabia. I do. All that would do is dumb down one of the most intricate issues in sports. A popular and highly-respected name in the press tents around the world, David has built close relationships with many of the game's leading players and officials. James joined Golf Monthly having previously written for other digital outlets. You know, depending what your goals are in golf, I think the schedule is very appealing. The biggest thing [are] media rights and the way the players have been used for so long, he said. Game of poker: At Saudi International, players talk threat of rival golf leagues, reported that DeChambeau was offered over 100M, 2023 Mexico Open money: Total purse, payout breakdown, winner's share, 2023 Mexico Open tee times: Round 4 groupings for Sunday, GOLF's Subpar: Garrett Bradbury reveals his favorite professional golfers, Happy Gilmore-imitating pro makes first cut in 5 years in very Happy Gilmore style, 2022 Sanderson Farms Championship tee times: Round 1 groupings for Thursday, 2022 Sanderson Farms Championship: TV schedule, how to watch, streaming, tee times, Sanderson Farms Championship odds: Presidents Cuppers among betting favorites this week, After turning away LIV, Tom Kim is quickly becoming a PGA Tour superstar, Would Tour players play LIV in a team event? But then Majed al-Sorour bears gifts like few others. 1 Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy, have publicly rejected Saudi overtures. Elliott Heath puts the sneaker-style GrandPro AM shoes from Cole Haan to the test, By Elliott Heath What hes said: I dont know where things are headed, but I know I will be criticized Thats not my concern. Evidence gathered by Turkish authorities shows just how horrendous the Khashoggi situation was. Even when I started to get appearance fees back in 2009 or whatever, I struggled with that, going to tournaments in Korea and Japan feeling like I had already won before I teed it up and had to get over that mental battle of that as well. Is Phil Mickelson Actually About to Go on a Tear? Those of us afforded more cynical disposition can point towards the safe, controversy-free domain that golf provides for anybody seeking a reputational uplift. When you get a taste of it, you want more of it.. Notably, this is one of the highest prize money purses on the Asian Tour. Huge appearance fees have helped attract more than 20 of the world's top players . Register, Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout. DeChambeau is currently in Saudi Arabia for the controversial Saudi International and it . Morikawa made comments in early 2022 pertaining to growing the game, a popular talking point for the Saudi League, and it seemed as though he could have some interest in the breakaway league. The money for the Asian Tour investment and super league offers is coming from the kingdoms sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Golf Podcast 477: Is this the Future of Golf? His big concern is that bumper appearance fees could make players less hungry for success and admitted he had suffered from that problem himself early in his career. Sergio Garcia, who will be playing in Saudi Arabia next week, agrees that the Tours should not try to scare players off. I understand why some fans are upset. Growing the game, traveling to new spots, intrigued by the competition all baloney. Camilla Lennarth of Sweden and Sergio Garca of Spain have their picture taken by Majed al-Sorour, the chairman of Saudi Golf. Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress. Berger doesnt like to play many international tournaments his last overseas event, other than the Open, was the Scottish Open in 2015 so it seems hed like to continue his career stateside. TRAVEL: Horseshoe Bay Announces Spring Break Events & Activities, TRAVEL: Keswick Hall (VA) Offers Top-Tier Private Club Experience. Tilly also has a distinguished career in Athletics and currently sits as Executive Director on the Board of NSW Goalball. And it is the Tours obnoxious greed that has really opened the door for opportunities elsewhere.. Here are all the details on how you can stream the fifth LIV Golf event, taking place in Singapore. Tiger Woods warns his return to competitive golf remains 'a long way off' Read more However, he did an about-face in late February courtesy of a statement from his team which affirmed his commitment to the PGA Tour. Just a few years ago, a fellow caddie was shaken down by a Mexican police officer outside a tour stop. TRAVEL: Giants Ridge (MN) Should Be On Your Golf Trip Short-List! Yes in 2019, 2020. From that side of things, I would consider doing that, for sure. Ian Poulter is the latest star who has been asked to choose between Ryder Cup captaincy or the reported riches of the Saudi Golf League, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph. It is no mean feat to be instantly recognised by the worlds leading golfers. Whilst present at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this week, Cantlay refused to provide a definitive answer as to where his commitments sit. Bath Meet the U.S. and International teams, Tour Confidential: Presidents Cup mismatch, LIV recruiting, Augusta changes. I think with the amount of money they're talking about it's always very tempting. What hes said: I am officially declaring, lets say, my affiliation to the PGA Tour. Others, notably world No. To join the conversation, please Some, it must be noted, simply dont attend without attracting any attention over that decision. Call it his annual bonus. You obviously want to be loyal to the people who have supported you and helped you along the way. The rule gives relief to a player who has: Elliot confirmed to commentators that Koepka was receiving line of sight relief, as the TIO directly obstructed his sight of the green and hole. Is he interested? Im not saying that these leagues couldnt be great, and things may change. For most the tri-continental struggle is not a moral maze, but a crossroads. He is obsessed with all areas of the game from tournament golf, to history, equipment, technique and travel. We knew he could do this. After squandering his 54-hole lead with a double bogey on the 14th hole and bogey on the 16th, Varner was two shots back of Bubba Watson with two holes to play at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club. It may be telling there isnt yet a deal in place with the European Tour for future stagings of the Saudi International. We would not have an incentive program like the PIP for the top players without this type of competition. But at this point, I dont like what theyre proposing.. While details on the league are sparse, information about it has steadily trickled out over the past few years giving us a rough outline of what it may look like. James grew up on the east coast of England and is the third generation of his golfing family. It doesnt mean I am going to stop playing the PGA Tour and European Tour, because I love playing them. Tour players need to obtain a release to compete on other circuits. Saudi Arabia wants to be at golfs top table and has the resources to make that possible. The Saudi International is scheduled for Feb, 3-6 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, meaning players might not learn if they will be permitted to play until. BA1 1UA. A week of beers and cheers in Adelaide is being hailed as turning point for Saudi-backed LIV Golf, yet significant questions remain over the rebel tour, writes RICK BROADBENT. What hes said: I think if the idea of other competition and other tours or whatever happening, I think its a good opportunity for the Tour to kind of maybe sit back and us players sit back to realize what can we do better on our Tour and then make our product better, versus having two competing tours to me is not good because youre diluting the product on both sides and its just not, youre not going to get the best its not possible to get the best players in the world on both tours Theyre either going to be one or the other or a little bit of both.. Join InsideGOLF for only $20 - includes instant $20 Fairway Jockey credit! The Saudi International was created in 2019 by the regime's Public Investment Fund and offered lucrative appearance fees to attract PGA Tour stars like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, who all later jumped to LIV. But if players in the power struggle are now silenced by confidentiality agreements, they will have the final say in shaping the new landscape. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com. But then you have to think of other things as well, especially guys that are in their forties. #AGoodWalk: Eamon Lynch says great strolls are well remembered. When Sorour, the chief executive of. USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OURVISITOR AGREEMENT(UPDATED 1/6/23),PRIVACY AND COOKIES NOTICE(UPDATED 1/4/23) ANDCALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE. The journalist was dismembered, with investigative focus on a large oven where his remains were most likely disposed of. While many players controversially received lucrative appearance fees to compete in the Asian Tour event, the actually prize money payout for the tournament was $5 million, with Varner earning. Money does not talk in golf; it shouts through a megaphone. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. "It's like a game of poker where the European Tour [now the DP World Tour] and the PGA Tour have had the biggest hand. Theres a lot of money coming into the game from all around the world, and it's hard to go anywhere and not have something or someone involved that people won't agree with, he said. The 2022 Saudi International final leaderboard is headed by winner Harold Varner III, who earned the Asian Tour win at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City,. Who can blame them? Yes in 2022. Interestingly enough, TOUR players are allowedthree conflicting event releases per season which are typically used to go play overseas. There isnt anything happening out there that would say the guidelines are starting to get pushed by players in typically unique situations, Finchem said. To recap: Saudi Arabia wants a Super Golf League and has spent months trying to tempt 48 players to join a competition that will have individual and team elements and be staged around the world. It's not black and white. Spieth, like his buddy Justin Thomas, remains committed to the PGA Tour (hes playing Pebble Beach this week), but his comments make it clear he also wants to see some changes. He said that it came down to that evil word, money. Speaking before this weeks Saudi International, where players have been tempted by huge appearance fees, Westwood, 48, was still able to make one perceptive remark about the Saudis investment in the Asian Tour. Mickelson, 51, is competing in this week's Saudi International, where lucrative appearance fees are paid. That's the nice thing. What hes said: I just dont want to go over there Its a long way.. Since its inception in 2019, the Saudi International has been widely criticized as part of the governments effort to sportswash its human rights abuses. Thats my take on it. Theres a reason Roses Im a golfer, not a politician line became a refrain. Fans at the party hole in Adelaide had waited all week for a hole-in-one and when it happened they went berserk. In theory, that is. It remains to be seen whether the top golfers, especially those under the age of 40, are willing to test that assertion. When it comes to the Saudi Arabia-backed golf league, . Is he interested? Im just out here trying to play the best I can. Bubba leaves Augusta and instead of playing in Harbour Town and Texas, he flies to Shenzhen, China to play in the Shenzhen International. Is he interested? England and Wales company registration number 2008885. The worlds top golfers have found themself at a crossroads, as PGA loyalties are tested against individual paydays of up to $140 million for the Saudi-backed Super Golf League. According to ESPN, Woods turned down an appearance fee in the. There's a lot of grey areas and I've certainly thought about it and wrestled with it. GOLF DIGEST MAY EARN A PORTION OF SALES FROM PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR SITE AS PART OF OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH RETAILERS. The response from the two main tours has been defiant, led by Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner. Is he interested? My own views on the Saudi thing remain unchanged. Rapsodo MLM2PRO Launch Monitor Outdoor Accuracy Test (with Range Balls), Callaway Big Bertha and Big Bertha REVA Offer Ultimate Forgiveness, Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report 2023 Mexico Open at Vidanta, Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions 2023 Mexico Open at Vidanta, Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report 2023 Zurich Classic, Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions 2023 Zurich Classic, Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report 2023 RBC Heritage, Golf Digests Course Raters Struggle with Maps, Five Takeaways From The Opening Round At The Zurich Classic, LIV Allowed Koepka to Rise Like the Phoenix. Which, at first glance, looked like he was saying that Brooks hit 5-iron (Woodland had not hit yet). (DeChambeau denied the report in a one-word Instagram reply: wrong.) That kind of cash could be tough to turn down. Saudi Arabia has consistently denied any involvement from the crown prince, instead branding this a botched rogue extradition. a swing that is interfered with by the TIO, a player whose line of sight is obstructed by the TIO. Has he played in Saudi Arabia? PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has made clear that any member who joins the rival tour will face a lifetime ban. However, the alleged link to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who chairs the PIF, has bothered plenty beyond golfs bubble. The Tour previously said that it would deny waivers for its members to take part in the controversial event. Paul Casey did something similar. No players have publicly announced that they have signed on to be a part of the league, but according to Phil Mickelson, pretty much every player in the top 100 in the world has been contacted.. There are 3 more Tour events and 4 more majors until the FedEx Cup Playoffs commence. Niemann falls in the latter. A closing 64 included a 14-foot eagle of his own on the 18th to seemingly lock up the title before Varner, still searching for a PGA Tour win, pulled off his heroics. He now resides in Leeds and is a member of Cobble Hall Golf Club with a handicap index of 1.7. Koepka played the Saudi International for the first two iterations of the event, but then in early 2020 and, more recently, in 2020 he expressed he is not interested in a super league, saying the Tour does things the right way., What hes said: I, for one, have not signed an NDA, nor have I talked to anybody who would offer me an NDA. We would not have the increase in the FedEx Cup money. What hes said: I think the schedule theyre proposing is very appealing to probably most golfers, I would think. Has he played in Saudi Arabia? Is he interested? He addressed players at last years Wells Fargo Championship and told them that anyone defecting to a Saudi super league would face an immediate ban. One matter not being discussed by many is Saudis appalling human rights record. Italy's Matteo Manassero leads the Saudi International by two shots after an opening eight-under-par 62 at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club. If someone comes and offers you that sort of money, it's hard to say no. Im not going to hit you over the head with a grow the game rallying cry, but at a basic level, I think we can agree wed all like to see a bit more peace around the world. Eamon's Corner: PGA Tours embrace final proof the Koepka-DeChambeau feud is over. The Northern Irishman, who has always said he would not sign up to any proposed Saudi Super League, says players should not be punished for accepting life-changing amounts of money. Its not because they enjoy traveling around the world to play in a city where no one speaks their language for a chance to hold high a trophy theyve never heard of. It is little wonder players lined up to take part in a video message for Sorours birthday given appearance fees for the recent Saudi International totalled around $15m. I am fully committed to the PGA Tour.. With less than 50 days until the US Open, it will be interesting to see what players who have missed one or more events will do. We dont know for certain what has come of these closed-door negotiations, but we have accumulated commentary from many top pros in recent months and years. I believe the trumped-up charge was a seatbelt violation, and the cop threatened to take our boy to jail if he didnt hand over his wallet. While Cantlay chose to play in Pebble Beach over King Abdullah Economic City this week, he was candid with his comments about the potential of a super league. It is now the second time in recent memory that Koepka has been the subject of rules conversations, as the four-time Major winner also was the subject of some controversy at the Masters when Elliott appeared to indicate which club he used to Gary Woodland on the Par 5, 15th. The extreme travel requirements associated with the league also doesnt seem like something the aging and injured 15-time major winner would sign on for. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, There is still incredulity in some quarters about how much money players need, and Mickelson admitted that the Saudi threat had already benefited them. We all believed that he could do this. The Travelers Championship will be the week directly after the U.S. Open at Los Angeles CC, and typically, players enjoy a week of rest after a major. What hes said: Over the past several months, there has been a great deal of speculation about an alternative tour; much of which seems to have included me and my future in professional golf I feel it is now time to put such speculation to rest. Heres what the top pros in the world are saying about the league and their level of interest in getting on board. Westwood, meanwhile, accused the PGA and DP World Tours of hypocrisy. As an amateur golfer and writer, Michael loves playing the game and sharing his knowledge of what has made him such a great player in a short period of time. With a Graduate Diploma in Sports Management (UTS) and a Bachelor of International Studies (UNSW), Tillys writing pursuits extend beyond just the game, exploring the stories behind the athletes and their connection to the world around them. Rory McIlroy said he turned down a Saudi invitation out of principle; good for him. The American enjoyed his best season to date in 2021, where three PGA Tour victories (which included two FedEx Cup playoff events) culminated in him being crowned the FedEx Cup champion. This year, the total prize purse is a record $5m, up from the $3.5m it has been since its inception in 2019. The Newcastle United takeover saga illustrates the trouble Saudi Arabia has encountered with other sports. One source close to the tours said that it was heading towards inevitable legal cases. Your phone calls are being monitored, every lighthearted talk scrutinized. What hes said: I can only say from my point of view I think that its been beneficial to the players to have competition, and I think the Tour would say that they probably feel that theyre in a better position going forward by having to sit back and kind of take a look at things and make some changes.. Getty Images. Is he interested? Tiger Woods reportedly turned down an appearance fee that exceeded $3 million for this Saudi International event. The money is reported to start at $2 million and escalate up to $10 million. There will be more battles for player releases, more work for lawyers and a tipping point if enough players sign up. It will be good. All rights reserved. Ive got guys around me that think about that stuff. And aside from the week on social media, I didnt see Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose or any of the stars who were in the Saudi field last year become less popular with fans in the United States. The Saudi International may draw glances at present but it is not really a big problem for golf's ecosystem. Yes in 2019, 2021, 2022. t is no mean feat to be instantly recognised by the worlds leading golfers. log in. I hope it doesnt turn into some kind of line in the sand. In this review we give our verdict whether you should trust the Motocaddy Flightsafe travel cover to get your clubs safely from A to B, Carly Frost considers the simple ways in which golf clubs can be more female-friendly. Ever Wonder How Much a PGA TOUR Pro Makes to Wear All Those Logos? I hope that that changes.. Bath Ive never thought about anything else, its always been the PGA Tour Right now you look at the best players that I see and theyre all sticking with the PGA Tour and thats where I kind of stay and thats where I belong.. Phil Mickelson, who is believed to have been offered $US100 million (about $140m) to join the prospective Saudi-backed Super Golf League, said: Pretty much every player in the top 100 has been contacted at some point. They include Lee Westwood, who admitted that he has signed a nondisclosure agreement (NDA), suggesting that he also has an offer to consider. PGA Tour policy requires players seeking releases to specify the event they wish to play and not just a week on the calendar. I think theres two sides to every coin and if people want to be more interested in golf and want to put more money into golf, I think thats a good thing Its tricky because its not always in the fashion that people would have expected or wanted, and I would say at this point Im definitely a curious observer as to see what happens and who decides to play.. I think there's two sides to every coin and if people want to be more interested in golf and want to put more money into golf, I think that's a good thing.
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