Former U.S. President Trump says Saudi-funded golf tour creates ‘gold rush’ for players
Former President Donald Trump performed one other spherical at his dwelling course Thursday, this one completely different from so many others. He was a part of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational pro-am, placed on by a breakaway league he says is making a “gold rush” for gamers.
The third LIV Golf occasion, which begins Friday at Trump Nationwide Bedminster, added 4 new gamers to the 48-man subject that illustrated how the disruption goes past the PGA Tour.
Henrik Stenson of Sweden is among the many newcomers, which led the European tour to strip him of the Ryder Cup captaincy for the 2023 matches in Italy.
“I do not really feel like I’ve given it up,” Stenson mentioned. “I made each association potential right here to have the ability to fulfill my captain’s duties, and I’ve had nice assist right here from LIV to have the ability to try this. And nonetheless, the choice was made that I used to be to be eliminated. I am clearly upset over the scenario. However it’s what it’s, and yeah, we transfer on from there now.”
By including Stenson — the opposite three had been Paul Casey, Charles Howell III and Jason Kokrak — LIV Golf now has 12 former main champions on its roster, although solely 5 among the many high 50 on this planet rating.
“You’ve actually one of the best gamers on this planet, most of the greatest gamers, and shortly you will in all probability have all of them,” mentioned Trump, who performed within the pro-am with Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, alongside together with his son, Eric.
There isn’t a dialog on the PGA Tour a couple of potential merger. Commissioner Jay Monahan mentioned final month that whereas the tour welcomes wholesome competitors: “The LIV Saudi golf league shouldn’t be that. It is an irrational risk, one not involved with the return on funding or true development of the sport.”
Trump felt slighted when a World Golf Championship left his Trump Nationwide Doral course close to Miami after 2016 when a substitute title sponsor couldn’t be discovered.
Backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, LIV Golf has been awarding large cash — varied reviews put complete signing charges at round $1 billion to date. The PGA Tour has suspended gamers who be part of for violating laws that require a launch to play abroad. It doesn’t grant releases for tournaments held in North America.
“Now they’ve another and no one would have ever identified there was going to be a gold rush like this,” Trump mentioned.
Trump and his senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, cultivated very shut relationships with the Saudi crown prince whereas Trump was in workplace.
And the administration’s response to human rights considerations was criticized by many as not being robust sufficient, notably after the homicide of Washington Submit columnist Jamal Khashoggi and repeated considerations expressed about civilian deaths within the Saudi-led conflict in Yemen towards Iran-backed rebels.
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman has mentioned it will assist any participant who selected to problem the suspension in courtroom. That hasn’t occurred on the PGA Tour but, although Ian Poulter and Branden Grace had been amongst 4 gamers allowed to play within the Scottish Open when a British decide issued a short lived keep towards European tour suspensions.
No readability from European tour
Poulter and Lee Westwood mentioned they nonetheless haven’t any readability from the European tour on future tournaments or their eligibility for the Ryder Cup.
Europe’s factors system usually begins in September.
“I am nonetheless eligible to play on the European tour. I do not assume I have been banned from taking part in any occasions,” Westwood mentioned, including the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth remains to be on his schedule. “I’ve had no correspondence on that. That is an occasion, a qualifying occasion, for the European Ryder Cup group.”
The European tour’s flagship occasion is Sept. 8-11 south of London, held per week after a LIV Golf occasion exterior Boston and per week earlier than the LIV occasion within the Chicago suburbs.
