Seems there’s an odor emanating from that LIV Golf Series and many are finding it has a certain stink about it.
Given the recent bozo-type-head-buried-in-the-sand comments from The Lamest Commissioner In The Land (aka Greg Norman), London’s Alexandra Palace has said thanks but no thanks to a request to host a “draft party” for the LIV Series.
Evidently the powers-that-be at Alexandra Palace came to their senses and just said no to Norman and his fledgling Saudi Golf Circus. Said circus, a 54-hole marathon, is set to begin in a bit less than two weeks from now at the Centurion Club outside London.
The statement from the good folks at Alexandra Palace to The Telegraph said this:
“I can confirm that the LIV golf series draw event is not taking place at our venue. We have a high number of organizations get in touch about holding potential events with us, but for commercial reasons we do not discuss details of these inquiries.”
And that is code for saying: “We slammed the door on them!”
And that’s not all the bad news for the LIV-ers. LIV Golf Investments Chief Operational Officer Sean Bratches has resigned and basically abandoned ship before this thing hits the proverbial iceberg.
Word from those who know is that Bratches bailed out after Norman’s ridiculous comments, especially when he responded to the Jamal Kashoggi assassination with the phrase: “We all make mistakes.”
Norman has created a lot of outrage, especially back in Australia.
Aussie Karrie Webb, a World Golf Hall Of Famer and multiple major champion said this about Norman:
“The little girl in me just died well and truly!! Has anyone’s childhood hero disappointed them as much as I am now?
Former PGA Tour player Wayne Grady, who has known Norman for more than 50 years, made this declaration:
“From someone who has known Greg for 50 years, Greg is only about Greg, The admiration I had for him for what he has achieved and what he did for Australian golf is gone. For him to try and trivialize what the greats before him did to grow and create what the PGA Tour is today is an absolute disgrace.
“You should hang your head in shame Shark. I went to Jack Newton’s memorial service yesterday and was surrounded by true professional golfers who believe in loyalty and history. GFY Shark.”
Jamal Kashoggi’s widow said this:
“Would you say that if it was your loved one? How can we go forward when those who ordered the murder are still unpunished, and continue to try to buy back their legitimacy? We should not fall for their wealth and lies, and lose our morals and common humanity. We should all be insisting on the truth and justice; only then can we look forward with hope and dignity.”
As for the LIV Series itself, DP World (European) Tour player Mike Lorenzo Vera observed:
“If you go to the players’ lounge at any time, at least one table is speaking about (the LIV Series). Even me, I’d love to play for that amount of money as well for my family, my passions, but there is a time when you need to stand up a little bit and be a human being. I know there are players who are uncomfortable with it but it feels like they are staying quiet just in case there’s a piece of the cake coming to them one day. Some players will speak but the crowd needs to boycott it as well, don’t go there.”
He also called the 54-hole format with a shotgun start a “comedy show.” Then added: “If you play like shit, you still take a hundred grand. The guys at the top will be fighting but for the rest, it’s like a paid holiday. The format is not golf. It’s just a show.”
On top of all of that, reports are still simmering that Norman won’t be in charge too much longer.
Doesn’t matter.
The “comedy show” begins June 9 and you can look for such stars as Lee Westwood, Richard Bland and Sergio Garcia keeping everyone on the edge of their seats with their stellar play and getting hundreds of viewers on U-Tube.
Whup-pee.
10 Comments
forky76
What do you think the PGA tours reaction to LIV would be if this was say, Norwegian oil money instead? My guess exactly the same, because that is how dictators behave when their power is threatened.
Lets not forget the tour has a development tour in China, who’s human rights record is way worse than anything the Saudis ever did.
Plus the tour has inadvertently been in bed with the Saudis for years anyway.. one of the biggest holders on the FEDEX share registry is none other than the saudi sovereign investment fund. Are all those taking the moral high ground against LIV going to return all their fedex cup bonuses?
I by no means condone the Saudis human rights record, but they are far from alone in their atrocities. Perhaps a few more eyeballs on the kingdom from their attempts to open up to the world, via golf, F1 or any other means, might mean they get their act together somewhat.
Tom Edrington
You are throwing out what-ifs that aren’t the case with the “Norwegian” argument; Bottom line is major companies do not want to align themselves with the fledgling series, first event starts shortly and they themselves don’t even know who is showing up; You are leaving out the PGA Tour does use it’s events to help local charities generate hundreds of millions of dollars to help them aid their communities. This Saudi deal has no such component AND, keep in mind it’s a pension fund that is putting up the dollars for this — in this country a pension fund would not be allowed to invest is something so speculative that is guaranteed to lose money……perhaps you’ll be among the hundreds watching the action on U-Tube!
forky76
You are right, the tour does do a lot for local charities. But jon rahm, cam smith, sung jae im etc don’t care about building hospitals in hicksville alabama. What is the tour doing for charities in spain, australia, south korea? Absolutely nothing! Golf is a WORLD game and is partly why Norman has been trying to get a world tour up and running for 30 yrs.
Maybe if the tour wasn’t a shady not for profit, they would pay hundreds of millions in taxes for the local communities. Ah that’s right, you don’t get to pat yourself on the back on the back and feel good by paying taxes. Much better to call yourself a philanthropist and put your name on a hospital ward somewhere..
Tom Edrington
Actually there are Tour events in Japan that raise money and South Korea as well; Spain is the DP World Tour’s territory; Australia is territory for the Austral-Asian Tour; As for hospitals, the Tour raises enormous money at Jack’s Memorial event for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital; AP Invitational raises huge money for the Arnold and Winnie Palmer hospitals….
baxter cepeda
The Norwegian argument is a good argument because it’s not about Norway. It’s about the pga tour openly working with the Saudis until they want to start their own tour. The pga tour does not have a moral issue with Norway. But the thing is until recently they didn’t have one with the Saudis either.
All people are clearly saying is stop with the moral guilt trip argument. The pga tour has new competition. Sure because of pga tour pressure the new tour don’t know who will play and where they will be seen and all that. But they are competition none the less. Of nothing else they definitely are going to be Legal competition with a capital L.
Tom Edrington
I don’t recall the Saudis sponsoring a PGA Tour event; The PGA Tour gave permission for players to play in the Saudi event when it was a DP World Tour event, the PGA Tour has an alliance with the DP World Tour. Also, I’m reading a lot of articles from lawyers regarding any impending litigation by the LIV Series, that will be a tough haul for them.
baxter cepeda
The players are the ones who have legal arguments to settle with the tours.
What a lot of people feel is that if players are indeed independent contractors they need to be just that. If not independent contractors they need to be treated like employees.
Imo It’s time the pga tour fly players, house them and feed them. Contracts. Benefits. The whole 9 yards.
For the pga tour it seems Something has to give.
If nothing else it seems they will need to further change their current practices. As someone said on Twitter (in a Golf article) the top 5 in that university list will likely become full tour cards soon. And I wouldn’t be surprised if that becomes 10 or more full membership cards.
All of this competition is indeed good for players. Good for fans. Even good for the tours. One thing is clear, people increasingly want to invest in golf.
It’s more important than ever the players know all of their rights.
Tom Edrington
Okay, I’ll give you a perfect example about Independent Contractors as I am one; When you have a Florida real estate license you place it with a company/broker and you sign an agreement to abide by all the rules of the company and other rules governing licensees. You CANNOT place your license with two different companies — when PGA Tour players join the Tour, they do indeed sign agreements that they will abide by the Tour’s rules and regulations regarding it’s independent contractors….every company has rules and the Tour has its rules. If you don’t want to abide by those, then leave that company and go elsewhere, you’re an independent contractor and have the right to do that, BUT, if you stay with the company, you abide by the rules; I don’t know why you can’t grasp that, Baxter.
baxter cepeda
The guilt trip argument is strong in this case. But so is the maneys!
Mrs kashoggis comments are no doubt powerful. But at the end of the day whether it’s Greg Norman or PREMIER or whom ever, competition is coming at the pga tour from all sides.
There’s many moral issues with where Liv gets it’s funds, but it’s also completely legitimate. So professional golfers will take advantage.
As with Norman many players will know it’s not the most good place but will be a bit out of it regarding the news drama details. Frankly many simply won’t care. It’s only natural.
54 hole shot gun is not a joke. It’s one of the many concepts the pga tour should try sometimes. The coverage will have no shortage of content all the way to the end of tournaments.
This is happening. Fledgling shmefling. The players whom play Liv are good people. I really hope people don’t try to cancel players just for playing LIv.
There are a lot of talented golfers in the world. Money comes into the sport from many shady sources. Often the sport goes to shady places. The euros directly took money from this country’s investment fund and literally held events there. This Liv is no different than all that, only now it’s for incredible amounts of Maneys! That’s why As strong as the moral-legal issues are it’s hard to argue with that.
Tom Edrington
Baxter, I’m sure U-Tube is excited that you will be one of the “hundreds” tuning in to watch! Also keep in mind that the PGA Tour helps the local charities raise HUNDREDS of millions to help them with their good work in their communities……as for the Saudi tour, there is no such charitable component; Also, in this country and many other common sense countries around the world, a public pension fund would not be allowed to pour hundreds of millions into a speculative venture that is guaranteed to lose money.