The pga excursion has suspended the players taking part inside the inaugural saudi-backed liv golf invitational collection. This consists of phil mickelson, who counts six most important championships amongst his 45 pga excursion wins, former international primary dustin johnson and 15 others. A -web page memo issued by way of pga excursion commissioner jay monahan on thursday stated the suspended players are now not eligible to compete in all pga excursion activities, the presidents cup, and all tours sanctioned with the aid of the pga tour – which includes the korn ferry excursion, pga excursion championship, pga tour canada and pga tour latinoamerica.
“these players have made their desire for his or her very own monetary-based totally motives. However they are able to’t call for the identical pga excursion club advantages, considerations, possibilities and platform as you,” monahan said in the letter to pga excursion participants. “that expectation disrespects you, our lovers and our companions.”liv golfing, run by way of retired expert golfer greg norman and funded by saudi arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, replied to the excursion’s choice by using calling it vindictive and divisive.
“it’s troubling that the tour, an organization committed to growing possibilities for golfers to play the sport, is the entity blocking golfers from gambling,” liv golfing stated. “this simply is not the ultimate word on this subject matter. The era of loose business enterprise is starting as we’re proud to have a full area of players becoming a member of us in london, and beyond.”
at problem is players competing with out a conflicting event launch from the pga excursion. The 48-player liv golf occasion conflicts with the pga excursion’s rbc canadian open. Gamers generally obtain 3 such releases a year for tournaments remote places, however monahan denied releases for the liv golf invitational because it’s miles an 8-tournament series that has five occasions inside the united states of america. The excursion does no longer permit releases for activities in north the usa.
“we have observed the match regulations from begin to complete in responding to the ones players who have decided to show their backs on the pga excursion by way of willfully violating a regulation,” he wrote. Each the pga tour and dp global tour declined requests from participants who requested for releases to compete this week at centurion membership, where $25m is up for grabs, together with $4m for the winner. At a news conference to sell the new saudi-financed match, a reporter raised the query of the oil-rich country’s human rights document. The 2010 us open champion, graeme mcdowell, replied: “if saudi arabia need to apply the game of golf as a manner for them to get to where they need to be, and that they have the sources to boost up that enjoy, i think we’re proud to assist them on that adventure.”
