“I differ with it [the players’ decision to join LIV Golf], ” the 15-time-major winner said upon Tuesday. “I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on which has allowed them to are able to this position. ”
The questionable series has created sections in the game. Several gamers, including major champions Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, have became a member of the LIV Golf series, accepting suspension from the PGA Trip as a consequence.
Fronted by former world No . 1 Greg Norman, the LIV Golf series is funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) — a sovereign wealth fund chaired by Mohammed bin Salman, the Overhead Prince of Saudi Arabia.
A US cleverness report named Rubbish bin Salman as accountable for approving the procedure that led to the 2018 murder associated with journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Bin Salman has denied involvement within Khashoggi’s murder.
The PIF offers pledged to prize $250 million in total prize money, however the source of the money for the lucrative series has led to criticism targeted at organizers and gamers about choosing to play for money from the country, given its human rights record.
Human legal rights groups have belittled the country for conducting mass executions as well as for its treatment of homosexual people.
‘It’s the perfect thing’
The Royal & Ancient Club of St . Andrews, which hosts the Open this year, declined to invite Norman, a two-time Open champion, to Monday’s Celebration of Winners event or Tuesday’s Champions’ Dinner.
In an job interview with Australian Golf Process, Norman called the decision “very petty. ”
“The R& A obviously have their opinions and their rulings and their particular decision, ” Forest said. “Greg has been doing some things that I don’t think is in the very best interest of our video game, and we’re coming back to probably the most historical and traditional place in our sport. In my opinion it’s the right thing. ”
Golfers participating in the particular LIV Golf series have said that it really is an opportunity to break the particular monopoly of, plus reform, the PGA Tour.
The PGA Tour and the DP World Tour — formerly the European Tour — have got long been where gamers have plied their trade across the golfing calendar, outside of the 4 majors.
While the US plus European based Excursions have banned and fined anyone becoming a member of the LIV Series, the majors possess so far allowed golf players who have qualified to continue to compete in golf’s most renowned events.
Woods said: “Who knows what’s going to occur in the near future with world-ranking points, the criteria to get entering major championships? ”
Woods, who will end up being playing the third event in his comeback from the career-threatening car crash that will nearly resulted in the American losing his right leg, additional: “It would be unhappy to see some of these small children never get an opportunity to experience what we’ve got a chance to experience plus walk these hallowed grounds and perform in these championships. ”
Rory McIlroy, the particular 2014 Open Champion and another critic of the LIV Golfing series, observed that will Woods’ career and legacy has been built on a platform offered by the PGA Visit.
“Those traditions and the history of the game are very important to him, ” McIlroy said in the pre-tournament press meeting. “And I think he doesn’t want to see that go away. I think that’s a big part of the reason why his position is what it is. ”
CNN provides reached out to LIV Golf for remark but has not immediately received a reply.