(St Albans) ST Patrick Reed is the latest Masters Tournament champion to defect to join the LIV circuit, which is funded by Saudi interests, and activists have expressed their disagreement with the players’ decision to promote sporting ambitions of this Middle Eastern country.
Posted at 1:44 p.m.
It became Saturday the 19the golfer to make the choice, which was announced during the final round of the Tour’s first-ever tournament at Centurion Golf Club in suburban London. Pat Perez followed him a few hours later, to become the 20e to leave the PGA Tour.
The South African Charl Schwartzel took the honors of this tournament, which allowed him to pocket the jackpot of 4.75 million us.
Schwartzel held on to his one-shot lead to clinch the win, and in the process get his share of $750,000 from the $3 million purse awarded to the winning quartet of the ‘Stinger’ team.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could play golf for that much money,” said Schwartzel, who hadn’t won a PGA or European Tour tournament since 2016.
His compatriot Hennie Du Plessis, who was selected by Stinger captain Louis Oosthuizen in the repechage, earned 2.875 million for his second place finish.
These hefty amounts weren’t enough to convince the world’s top-10 players to join the LIV circuit, however.
Reed, who has earned nearly $37 million in a decade on the PGA Tour, is ranked 36e in the world. The American won his only career Grand Slam title at the ‘Masters’ in 2018.
Reed said he will begin his journey on the Saudi-funded tour on the second scheduled stopover in Portland, Ore., from June 30 to July 2.
PhotoDarron Cummings, Associated Press
Pat Perez
Perez, who is 46, is ranked 168e in the world. He said he wants to cut back on his travels after 21 years on the PGA Tour. He did not discuss the financial details of his deal with the LIV circuit during his on-air appearance.
The specter of September 11 hangs over the LIV circuit
Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record has angered many groups, including Amnesty International, which accuses the country of ‘sculpting its image’ through sport, by signing up with star athletes .
For many Americans, Saudi Arabia will always be associated with the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York and the 3,000 deaths that resulted from it on September 11, 2001. Four of the 11 hijackers involved in this tragedy were Saudi citizens, and Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Osama bin Laden, the architect of the attack and the top leader of al-Qaeda.
Terry Strada, president of the Association of Relatives of 9/11 Victims, sent a letter to representatives of golfers who joined the LIV Tour to reflect on their decision to leave the PGA Tour. Her husband, Tom, died when his plane crashed into the World Trade Center.
“Because of Saudi Arabia’s role in the deaths of our loved ones and those injured on 9/11 – your fellow Americans – we are angry that you are prepared to help the Saudis regain their respectability,” Strada wrote, accusing golfers of betraying American interests.
Strada’s letter was forwarded to Reed’s agents Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Kevin Na.
“When you partner with the Saudis, you become complicit in their whitewashing and help give them the reputational cover they desperately need,” Strada wrote. Saudis don’t care about golf’s deep-rooted sportsmanship or its origins as a game based on values of mutual respect and personal integrity. They care about using professional golf to whitewash their reputation and they pay players to help them do it. »
Families of the victims are trying to hold Saudi Arabia accountable in New York, despite its government’s insistence that any allegations of complicity in the terror attacks are “categorically false”.