There hasn’t been this much controversy in professional golf since Tiger Woods head and Escalade were hit repeatedly with a 9-iron from his former wife Elin. Those were the days seeing arguably golf’s greatest golfer fall from grace. Not even the reported 120+ women Tiger slept with during his marriage compares to what is unfolding between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
There are approximately 80 million golfers globally and only the top 175 (plus exemptions) can qualify to play on the PGA Tour. So the question is, why do we care how much they earn and who pays them? Why do we care if this very small percentage of professional golfers plays on the PGA Tour or with LIV Golf?
Maybe it’s the fact that golf is such a unique sport where anyone can compete and it doesn’t matter the age, background or body type to do so. Maybe it is also the fact that most of the 80 million golfers know exactly how hard it is to do what that incredible group of 175 players do on a weekly basis.
The controversy seems to lie in where the money from LIV Golf originates. Saudi Arabia is still under the shadow of what happened on 9/11 and their possible involvement. More recently the brutal murder and dismemberment of Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is front and center of the many human rights violations of this country. On June 22, 2022 a group of about 2,500 survivors of family members killed or injured during the September 11th attacks sent a letter to the golfers who have not accepted invitations to play for LIV Golf. The letter stated (in part) “Thank you for standing up for the decency and for the 9/11 By Jordan Mantz 35 families and for not allowing Saudi Arabia’s efforts for trying to cleanse its reputation.” The way the Saudi Arabian government treats women and other minorities in addition to everything mentioned above are all valid points to consider while judging their character.
Some are calling the involvement of Saudi Arabia and those who join the LIV Golf tour with accepting “blood money.” So where did all this money really come from? Reportedly the $347 billion held by a Public Investment Fund is where the money originated. Some of the top players in the world of golf where lured into LIV Golf with huge amounts of money they simply couldn’t refuse. However, some of the greatest players in the world have refused. Ten of the top fifty players in the world recently played at Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, NJ for an LIV Golf event. This, and the next group of players expected to be poached from the PGA Tour is causing some major problems for the 93-year-old institution.
Is the PGA Tour to blame? Some say the PGA Tour has been too greedy for too long. Others say look at the incredible amount of money the PGA Tour has raised for the various charities from the individual events as an incredible achievement. Also, do we need to look at the fact that is it fair for the PGA Tour to monopolize and try to stop competition? PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said that golfers who choose to play for LIV Golf would be barred from PGA Tour events.
Recently an amended complaint was filed in California that included LIV Golf as an addition to the lawsuit filed by ten former Tour players for an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour. Also, three other golfers filed a temporary restraining order to compete in the FedEx playoffs. The players argued that they qualified before joining LIV Golf. This injunction was denied in federal court, but what a disaster this is causing in the world of professional golf.
Is there hypocrisy in knocking LIV Golf when singers and entertainers from across the world accept huge amounts of money to perform at private events from questionable people? Actors accept a ridiculous amount of money to make appearances in movies. Who are we to criticize professional golfers for making as much money as they possibly can? I guess speaking for myself; I simply don’t care where the players make their money. I enjoy watching the greatest players compete at some of the best venues in the world. One question that does need addressed, if the LIV Golf players are not permitted to play at the Masters, the PGA Championship, the US Open and other similar events, are we really witnessing the greatest players in the world competing for some of the most coveted trophies?
