Chairman Rory McIlroy In Favor Of Exemptions For Saudi Invitational

As the 2021 golf year is ending, there’s still a major bruhaha simmering up there in the palatial PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra.

We all know that the Sheriff Of Nottingham (aka Tour commish Jay Monahan) is digging in against the proposed Saudi Golf League or whatever Greg Norman wants to call it.

Didn’t take long for The Sheriff to declare:  “It’s them or us” as far as the PGA Tour is concerned.

The first round of this simmering mess will soon be decided.  Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele, Phil Mickelson and a bunch of other pretty high-profile Tour players have requested waivers from The Sheriff to play in the Saudi Invitational the first week of February, 2022.  Note that D.J. is the defending champion, has won the event in Saudi Arabia two of the last three years and probably commands a big, fat appearance fee — maybe as high as $3,000,000 — which is pretty good grounds to request a waiver.

The Saudi Invitational used to be a European Tour (now the DP World Tour) stop, with said Tour happily embracing the Saudi money.  But Keith Pelley, the DP World Tour boss, has joined his counterpart (The Sheriff) in poo-pooing anything the Saudis have to offer.  In turn, the Saudis have thrown a small fortune at the Asian Tour and the Saudi Invitational is now an Asian Tour event — thus Official World Golf Ranking points become available.

Anyway, back to this upcoming waiver situation where the Tour must make a decision within 30 days of the Saudi event.

You may or may not recall that Rory McIlroy has risen in the ranks and is now Chairman of the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Committee.  Now young Rory has taken a stance that’s sure to give The Sheriff (aka Tour commish Jay Monahan) a bout of indigestion.

Rory’s all in favor of the Tour granting D.J. and the rest, the appropriate waivers to go over and claim that dirty Saudi money.

“I think we’re independent contractors and we should be able to play where we want to play,” said Rory.  “So in my opinion, I think the Tour should grant releases.  It’s an Asian Tour event that has world ranking points.  I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t.”

Oh boy.

On the opposite end of the PGA Tour-Saudi spectrum, Rory has gone on the record in full support of the PGA Tour, joining the We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Saudi Tour movement.

Make no mistake about it, there’s a dispute, perhaps a war coming, if you will.

Callaway CEO Chip Brewer (aka Oliver Brewer III) put it this way:

“I’m not sure it’s a cold war (with Saudis).  I think it’s a hot war.”

To date, no players have had the gumption to actually throw their caps in with the Saudis.  And that’s what it’s going to take if Norman ever expects to get his proposed show out of its deep, dark basement.

Obviously any player who signs up for the Saudi Golf League might face immediate suspension from the PGA Tour.  At that point, said player would have to file a lawsuit against the Tour and that could drag on for years.  If the Saudis try and throw an anti-trust suit against the Tour, well, they would first have to gain standing in American courts.  Courts frown on situations where someone wants to build a business by stealing assets from another business.  That’s basically looked upon as a “hostile maneuver.”

So the first salvo will be fired at the start of 2022.

We know where the Sheriff Of Nottingham (aka Tour commish Jay Monahan) and his Band Of Sinister Henchmen stand on this one.

Then there’s the voice of Chairman McIlroy, speaking on behalf of his fellow players.

Then there’s The Outlaw Greg Norman and his Sinister Band Of Saudi Henchmen.

A war brewing?  Well, the boss of Callaway golf says there is.