LIV Golf

[Depreston]

There's more Newcastle fans on this board than i first thought

 

[Golfnut1957]

Why was there not widespread condemnation of the people competing in the recent Winter Olympics? Where is the difference?* Or for playing in the US which itself is no stranger to human rights issues. The US might not be as bad as the Saudis but China is.

You’ll all turn a blind eye as long as your pension is doing well and you can buy cheap stuff from China.






* Money

This all day long. Let's all condemn a golfer, but we'll turn a blind eye to the Saudi Air force which has the third-largest fleet of F15s in the world, a fleet of Tornados and will soon own a fleet of Typhoons. I wonder where they got that lot from.

I'm no lover of tyrannical governments, but while the world continues to do business with them, including individuals working in these countries, then I find this condemnation of these individual golfers all very hypocritical.

Chinas ethnic cleansing of the Uyghurs is a fact, but the best golfers in the world regularly turn up there, and as for the (most corrupt organisation in the world) IOC, they practically condoned it.

 

[Barking_Mad]

This all day long. Let's all condemn a golfer, but we'll turn a blind eye to the Saudi Air force which has the third-largest fleet of F15s in the world, a fleet of Tornados and will soon own a fleet of Typhoons. I wonder where they got that lot from.

I'm no lover of tyrannical governments, but while the world continues to do business with them, including individuals working in these countries, then I find this condemnation of these individual golfers all very hypocritical.

Chinas ethnic cleansing of the Uyghurs is a fact, but the best golfers in the world regularly turn up there, and as for the (most corrupt organisation in the world) IOC, they practically condoned it.

This is all well and good, and true - but following this logic there's just zero personal responsiblity for anyone (in this case very rich golfers) because "everyone else is ignoring something worse". I mean that's a pretty handy free pass to do what you want. Westwood can't control what weapons are sold to Saudi, but he can take a personal decision on whether he should accept money from them. He's done that and will be judged for it. Im sure he'll sleep like a baby.

Edited to add: I can watch F1 and not point out the hypocrisy, but it doesn't change the fact bad stuff is happening and people are taking money from repressive regimes. These same people would have made excuses for apartheid.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Good on Bob MacIntyre calling this out for what it is…

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/golf...obscene-money-to-be-throwing-at-sport-3680460

 

[Deleted member 15344]

 

[Newtonuti]

View attachment 42561

Here we go then! This is going to court ALOT quicker then I thought it would.

 

[Mel Smooth]

So reading that, I'd say the PGA are going to get absolutely shafted by the lawyers.

 

[howbow88]

What makes you say that? There seems to be this really strange view recently that the PGA Tour have no control over who can and cannot play in their tournaments, but they really do.

This letter is effectively saying 'if you go and play at a rival competition, you risk your chance of playing with us again.' And I have to say that to me, that doesn't sound particularly unreasonable. If you went to your boss and asked if you could take a couple of weeks off to go and work at a rival firm, I'm sure that they would deny that request.

Now whilst the players aren't employees of the PGA Tour, that same principle applies. Saudi Golf is effectively trying to kill/devalue the PGA Tour and if any golfer is helping them to accomplish this, there clearly needs to be some sort of public deterrent in place to warn them and anyone else considering jumping ship.

 

[Mel Smooth]

What makes you say that? There seems to be this really strange view recently that the PGA Tour have no control over who can and cannot play in their tournaments, but they really do.

This letter is effectively saying 'if you go and play at a rival competition, you risk your chance of playing with us again.' And I have to say that to me, that doesn't sound particularly unreasonable. If you went to your boss and asked if you could take a couple of weeks off to go and work at a rival firm, I'm sure that they would deny that request.

Now whilst the players aren't employees of the PGA Tour, that same principle applies. Saudi Golf is effectively trying to kill/devalue the PGA Tour and if any golfer is helping them to accomplish this, there clearly needs to be some sort of public deterrent in place to warn them and anyone else considering jumping ship.

Well their press release states that players can't be released to play events in North America. The players have requested a relase to play in North London.

Hopefully there's more in the conracts that tie the players to the PGA than what is in that press release, because if there isn't, then they are going to get hammered by the legal teams of the LIV series.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Greg Norman gives an extended interview and still trying to justify the money https://www.skysports.com/golf/news...-tour-and-dismisses-links-to-saudi-government

 

[howbow88]

They have a massive handbook - probably not too dissimilar to ones found in most workplaces - and I imagine that there will be a section on rival tours and releases. The PGA Tour has seen off rival bids in the past pretty easily, but the issue here is that of money - the Saudis have a pretty much unlimited supply compared to the PGA Tour. But in terms of denying players releases, I don't think that they're doing anything wrong.

I think this will be a long drawn out battle and I don't see who wins in the long term. The Saudis can bankroll it for a long time, but if in 5 years time their biggest stars are still just the like of Westwood and Poulter, I think they'll pull the plug.

 

[Mel Smooth]

They have a massive handbook - probably not too dissimilar to ones found in most workplaces - and I imagine that there will be a section on rival tours and releases. The PGA Tour has seen off rival bids in the past pretty easily, but the issue here is that of money - the Saudis have a pretty much unlimited supply compared to the PGA Tour. But in terms of denying players releases, I don't think that they're doing anything wrong.

I think this will be a long drawn out battle and I don't see who wins in the long term. The Saudis can bankroll it for a long time, but if in 5 years time their biggest stars are still just the like of Westwood and Poulter, I think they'll pull the plug.

I expect it will have been resolved before 5 years is up, either the PGA accomodate the request for releases, or the guys who want to go to the LIV series won't renew their contracts with the PGA. Lets be honest, less work for more money - and more family time will appeal to plenty of them.

The PGA want to move to 12 hole courses I believe, golf is about to change one way or the other.

 

[Barking_Mad]

Here come the internet lawyers ?

 

[BubbaP]

Have 'PGA Tour' players had to make these requests to play on what was the European tour, or was there some in place agreement?

 

[Imurg]

Have 'PGA Tour' players had to make these requests to play on what was the European tour, or was there some in place agreement?

I could be wrong but as long as the requested event doesn't directly conflict with a PGA event ..ie another event in USA/Canada then the request is normally granted.
The problem with the Saudi League is that it's a series of events, half of which are in the USA and will directly conflict with the PGA.
Hence the denial
If the Centurion event was standalone then it wouldn't have been an issue.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Here come the internet lawyers ?

Not at all, but in their own statement they've admitted the event can't be in North America - it isn't, and that they've allowed it before.

If you were making a judgement on whether the PGA can refuse to release players, you'd want a bit more reasoning than that.

 

[Jason.H]

It could be a case of playing LIV and falling back in with DP World events if PGA are going to be so devisive.

 

[AussieKB]

Think the PGA must be worried, can see the Lawyers eyeing a big pay day.

 

[Slab]

It could be a case of playing LIV and falling back in with DP World events if PGA are going to be so devisive.

Do you reckon with the PGA declining first, the European Tour will follow the PGA lead and decline release because of their 'special relationship'

 

[Depreston]

What even is the format going to be