Lets talk about the new proposed LIV International Golf Series and the current reactions to what is going on. In previous tweets I have talked about people drawing their own moral compass just at that point which suits them and their opinions. I will be no different.
I would say I am shocked at the reaction to all that has gone on and what has been said but I am not. Lets be really clear about it. The double standards that are going on atm are insane. Lets talk about the Saudi International which was first played in 2019 in Saudi Arabia.
This was a fully co sanctioned event between the European Tour and Asian Tour. The PGA Tour whilst not necessarily approving it, was complicit by releasing players to play in it and suggesting players can play if they reciprocate by committing to other events.
I struggle to see how people can be so outraged by what is currently being proposed and on the table, compared to what has gone before. Is the issue really about Saudi Arabia and its human rights? Well the ET and Asian Tour have already shown they were happy to take the money before when it suited them. Where were the Human Rights issues then?
They have also shown that they were happy to take money from all manner of different Emirates in the UAE and continue to do so. More than $30m in prize money this year alone on the ET. We are treading into very murky territory to suggest one country’s behaviour is so much worse than another. The Tour is sponsored by Dubai effectively. Maybe it is the WGC and Rolex events in China and Turkey. Clearly lots of money is involved. Are people saying that they are ok based on those countries human rights records? Is what is going on in Saudi Arabia any worse than what is happening to the Uighurs in China? How people are able to quantify such things and suggest one thing is ok and the other isn’t bewilders me. None of it is ok. Should we be encouraging tours with regimes like Saudi Arabia. Of course not. The horse has bolted though in terms of being moralistic and the moral outrage. If these Tours hadn’t taken money from a whole manner of questionable countries over the years then I think they would have an excellent case.
That’s not the case though. In that respect it is no different to all those in uproar about the Newcastle takeover. People didn’t blink an eye when the likes of Roman were involved for so many years. Yes he is at the centre of attention now but it has always been clear that his money has come from questionable sources. Usmanov. Moshiri. King Power. Abu Dhabi. Fosun International. Etc etc. Take your pick. We are suddenly sure and clear in our minds that money from Saudi Arabia is so much worse than where that other money was acquired from.
The time to question things was when Roman took over. Once he has effectively been legitimised then its too late. You cant suddenly develop a conscience now because it suits you and jumping on some moralistic bandwagon about how outrageous it is/just blood money.
I have some sympathy for these players like Lee Westwood. They would have been insane to turn down what was on offer. This argument about how much money does one person need? Nonsense. No one has any idea what a players financial situation might be. Just ask Phil.
Where do you draw the line? He has $10m in the bank so this is all just blood money. Oh he only has $1m so that’s ok. It makes no difference. Every penny these guys earn on any of these tours are tainted in someway. Do you think the companies sponsoring events have such morals?
RBC who sponsor multiple events and multiple players had their fingers all over the IPO of Aramco the largest Saudi company and one of the largest in the world. People wont like how interwoven all these companies are to Saudi Arabia in some shape or form.
If it is the amount of money involved that upsets people, then people have to realise the money in golf is nothing compared to other sports. It should be noted that the ET players don’t have these huge pension provisions like the PGA Tour.
The PGA Tour is notorious for having underpaid its players for many years relative to other sports. Why shouldn’t they get paid what they feel they are worth? Or more importantly what someone is willing to pay them. Not these nonsense FEDEX/PIP bonus payments.
Its okay for Rory to win millions in China, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Turkey etc. Accept huge appearance fees in those countries. Did he need the money then? Of course not. He already had more money than the likes of Westwood will ever have. Yet he is the first to criticise this new tour.
Why? He is the chairman of the PGA Tour players advisory board after all. Incentives incentives incentives. It was ok for him to take the money when it suited him. Now everyone is morally outraged and he is the poster boy for where that moral compass is.
I am not saying they should be playing for Saudi money but the stench of hypocrisy and double standards goes to the very top. The PGA Tour is in for a very rude awakening. This new tour isn’t going anywhere and other players will eventually jump ship.
ProPunting 