Martee Still don't understand PGA allowing players to play in past Saudi sponsored tournamennts and now they don't, even though nothing has really changed regarding human rights

I think I read that the PGA Tour was okay with just 1 or 2 individual events, but once the word "league" was brought up they were not happy. Clearly the PGA doesn't care that it's the Saudis, they just care that it could be competition. It's business, but if stirring moral outrage helps their business then they'll get their (we've donated $3B!!) marketing guys on it.

      KCee I think I read that the PGA Tour was okay with just 1 or 2 individual events, but once the word "league" was brought up they were not happy. Clearly the PGA doesn't care that it's the Saudis, they just care that it could be competition. It's business, but if stirring moral outrage helps their business then they'll get their (we've donated $3B!!) marketing guys on it.

      Exactly. I don't blame the PGA Tour one bit. Their very existence could be at stake. They're going to use what Putin calls the "useful idiots" to fan the outrage so long as it's going in their favor. I don't blame them at all, it's a smart move. Looks like the Euro Tour is caving and is now considering a deal with LIV. So much for their morals

        Sneakylong As for your continued concern that sportswashing doesn’t work. How do you know it’s not working?

        I can't even imagine how obtaining that proof might go? "Were you at one point aware of SA's human rights atrocities, but are no longer aware based on SA hosting golf events? yes/no" 🤪

        Sneakylong There’s a lot people who are ignorant of world affairs and couldn’t tell you who MSB is or Saudi Arabia’s history on human rights / atrocities.

        It sure seems like a waste of money (to me, Finance 101) ... to be spending hundreds of millions to try to wash away their reputation from the minds of people who are already unaware of that reputation.


            I'm not really seeing this whole thing about the PGA being against what happens politically in Saudi Arabia. They have allowed players to play other tournaments all over the world. I think we need to know the 'rest of the story', as Paul Harvey used to say.
            imo, what we are seeing is more of a CNN vs. Trump type thing going on.

            The PGA vs. Greg Norman.
            But, they can't call him out, so they are doing a coverup/making excuses.
            I've paid more attention to the golf being played, and played it myself, through the years, so I really have no clue what the beef is with Norman and the PGA. and I really do not see any problem with guys playing more than 1 tour/circuit, as they have been allowed in the past/still do.

            Perhaps it is not even the PGA that has the problem, maybe it is just 1 man. The dictator, as he appears to be.😉

              Par4QC

              I said this before. The PGA Tour looks at LIV Golf as a direct threat to them. And it is. The PGA Tour cannot compete with the money the Saudi’s are willing to spend. Again, the Saudi fund is worth $600 billion and they make $1 billion a day in oil.

              So for the PGA it’s the threat that is the salient point. The morality issue is secondary for them imo. For me it’s the morality issue first.

              As I said before, if Elon Musk wanted to spend some of his $500 billion on starting a golf tour then that is the free market at work. No morality issue or sportswashing issue there. Have at it.

                  Sneakylong They really should just let it go, and get out of the headlines, and let people calm down and just play golf! It's making both sides look bad in public, and really is taking a lot from the game.
                  After all, exactly who is going to LIV, and with their limited field, how can many more go? Let the older fellas have another choice, and some of the others are no big loss, just 'news fodder' that is now meaningless as they slide down the depth charts. And some of the others have never won, never will on the PGA, and this is a good time for them to 'grab the loot'.

                  Regardless of the pocketbook. That's for them to think about, not us, or the PGA. Free country/free thinking, and all that.

                  And, there is a lot more "washing", of different types, going on in THIS country, if everyone opens their eyes. 🤨

                      Par4QC

                      I respectfully disagree. They needed to take a tough stand early like they did and treat it like the serious threat it is. If they had been wishy washy and taken a more lenient stand there may have been more defections. And the flood gates could’ve burst open. Trying to nip this in the bud was the smart play imo.

                      Time will tell how it all plays out. But if Greg Norman is right and the Saudi’s are in it for the long haul then the time to have acted is now.

                          Sneakylong I don't know if they had to take a tough stand, but they might as well. They wrote those contracts for a reason and so far no anti-trust lawsuits have hurt them. I think the FTC concluded wrong doing on the Tour's part like 30? years ago, but the Tour wasn't penalized. They easily dodged the caddies lawsuit. No one has ever even slapped them on the wrist for anything as far as I know so they might as well stick to their policies until it stops working.

                            https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/rumours-ramp-up-over-next-liv-golf-signings

                            "A number of high profile players could be announced by LIV Golf in the coming days as rumours ramp up ahead of the Series' second event in Portland, which starts later this month.

                            The rumoured names involved - Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele - would send shockwaves through the golfing world as the amount of star names leaving the PGA Tour could turn from a trickle to a flood.

                            The Saudi-backed Series was written off by some as offering final pay days to golfers who were slightly past their best, but all that could be about to change with rumours that multiple members of the world’s top 20 are about to sign up, including one four-time Major winner."

                              Sneakylong the amount of star names leaving the PGA Tour

                              Really? Why does anyone think they are leaving, just because they may play in a different tournament. Have they said they 'are leaving'???

                              Thought you were a JB supporter, not a DT rumormonger. 😉

                              You are much better than this. 👍 C'mon man!

                                  Par4QC

                                  Don't shoot the messenger. 😏 Brooks Koepka's press conference was pretty coy. Rumors sometimes prove to be true. We'll see. My money would be on these rumors coming to fruition.

                                      Sneakylong Well, if it is true, I hope they don't announce it before the end of this tournament.
                                      Can't imagine what JT would look like on course, with any further distractions in his mind. He's already got twisted bowels, from watching him. 🤣 And look, a leaf fell off that tree down there.....

                                          Sneakylong My guess is Monday.

                                          I'm sure there will be some gag-worthy, obfuscated, eye rolling announcements early next week. No surprise.
                                          More interesting will be how the big boys handle it. 🙄

                                            Don't know if many more will leave, but the temptation has to be enormous with the up front money and larger purses. Sponsor deals come and go, particularly in these cancel culture days where you can say something that was acceptable yesterday and it will get you dropped in an instant today. No need to travel here and there just to represent the sponsors and no need to worry about who's recording your conversations to use for blackmail, outrage, or click bait. It all sounds too good to be true, and it probably would be if it wasn't for the heavy front money.

                                              johnnydoom but the temptation has to be enormous with the up front money and larger purses.

                                              Temptation is only there, if offered.

                                              If they were really looking to disrupt the PGA, all members would be getting offers. Not just some.

                                                Sneakylong wow, that's like 7 majors right there. And Morikawa is a rising star. Surprised as he seems a traditionalist.
                                                Despite my support for guys that go, if I were a legitimate major winner and future contender I'd stay with the PGA.

                                                  Sneakylong
                                                  If that is true, sounds like FIGJAM got in (paid$$$$$$$$$) while the gettin' was good!

                                                    azgreg

                                                    And he gets to play 2 full seasons getting preferred lies.🤣