Could world’s No. 2 and defending FedEx Cup champion Dustin Johnson be heading for a showdown with PGA Tour Commish Jay Monahan (aka The Sheriff Of Nottingham)?
That just might be the case.
Reports came out last week that the PGA Tour along with the European Tour will not grant releases to their respective members to play in the 2022 Saudi Invitational, or whatever they might choose to call it.
Biggest reason is that the Saudis won’t back off their plans for a Super Golf League that would be in direct competition to both established tours.
One of the Sheriff Of Nottingham’s sinister henchmen even confirmed that the PGA Tour is down on the Saudis event saying when asked: “You are correct. This follows a PGA Tour longstanding policy of not granting releases to unsanctioned events.”
D.J.’s agent, David Winkle, was not a happy man when faced with the loss of D.J.’s big, fat appearance fee (well past $1,000,000) and the potential loss of his commission on said appearance fee.
Johnson, as of now, is looking to play. Winkle didn’t sound happy about the possible ban: “Given that Dustin has played in the event the past three years and would be returning as their defending champion, I have no doubt he would be quite disappointed if the Tour potentially denied his release. I also think it is important to note that he is in a unique position, having played in the tournament since its inception and has, without question, helped put golf on the map in the Kingdom,” Winkle added. “In doing so, I hope he has helped grow the game in a region where golf is still a relatively new thing.”
Golf may be “relatively new” but the Saudis have gone full bore with what’s been labeled: “Sport-washing” meaning they’re using sports to try and escape their poor record on human rights.
D.J.’s not the only man in a jam, so to speak. Jason Kokrak has signed a deal that makes him a paid ambassador for Saudi Golf.
Can you say “awkward?”
It’s that and more.
Stay tuned, this could get very interesting later in the year.
5 Comments
baxter cepeda
IMO the pga tour is going too far.
DJ has a chance to do his own Leading here. Yes the Saudis have done some things but may the first country who hasn’t done some things cast the first stone…
If the pga tour is doing this because of the competition from a rival golf league, that is even worse.
It would be terrible for golf leaders to ruin careers because players are doing what they have always been able to do as independent contractors. If the pga tour is going to do this they need to do a lot more for players; specifically financially.
There’s a lot of shadiness involved in this story, a lot of bad characters, but the tour is being the worst character of all by affecting its athletes so negatively simply because they are threatened by a competitor.
The pga tour has a lot of pull clearly, but they need to uphold some of the values they dislike about their rivals, such as freedom and autonomy.
Unbelievable irony really.
Tom Edrington
You may recall that the USFL was crushed by the NFL back in the 80s (before your time, Bax); This is about Human Rights issues and the Saudis are pretty darn bad when it comes to that, it’s a monarchy and a tough one with a very tough royal ruling class; I’m with both tours on this.
baxter cepeda
I get all that but The tours are not nearly as concerned with human rights as their wallets.
The pga tour wants to basically do what they criticize the new leagues of : controlling the players schedule… Their lives. That’s not cool IMO.
I just don’t see the point. There are so many good players in the world and so many good tournaments. Just let it be.
Tom Edrington
Talk about control, if one were to sell their soul to the Saudis, their schedule would be TOTALLY dictated to them in a Premier Golf League…..you play when and where they tell you…..
baxter cepeda
But they also be rewarded in ways the traditional tours cannot come close to matching.
It’s a tough one but the tours have enough going for them; even with smaller purses; to keep the status quo without having to threaten players so much.