Tiger Woods turned down a price within the area of $800m to show his again on the PGA Tour and be a part of the controversial LIV Golf, the collection’ CEO Greg Norman has confirmed.
LIV Golf, financed by Saudi Arabia’s public funding fund, has created an infinite scission in golf because it started poaching gamers from the PGA Tour by making enormous funds to rivals. Gamers who've already signed up embody Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.
Henrik Stenson was additionally stripped of Europe’s Ryder Cup captaincy for agreeing to hitch the collection, and golfers who've accepted presents from Liv Golf have been roundly criticised by fellow gamers, pundits and followers.
46-year-old Woods might have solely received one main since 2008 however he stays essentially the most recognisable title within the sport and the Saudi PIF was determined to legitimise its collection within the eyes of the general public by securing his signature.
Now, Norman has confirmed the staggering determine Woods turned down.
‘That quantity [$800m] was on the market earlier than I turned CEO,’ Norman advised far-right commentator Tucker Carlson in a Fox interview. ‘In order that quantity has been on the market, sure.’
‘And, look, Tiger is a needle-mover and naturally you need to have a look at the most effective of the most effective. So they'd initially approached Tiger earlier than I turned CEO. So, sure, that quantity was someplace in that neighbourhood.’
When requested why followers had responded to LIV Golf with such negativity, Norman was bemused.
‘I don’t know… I actually don’t care,’ Norman replied. ‘I simply love the sport a lot and I wish to develop the sport of golf and we at LIV see that chance not only for the lads however for the ladies.’
LIV Golf occasions see 48-man fields compete throughout 54 holes, with as much as $25m being paid to the winner, however solely Johnson has signed up from the world’s present prime 20. Stenson received the collection’ third occasion at Trump Nationwide in Bedminster final weekend.
The PIF’s sports activities investments are extremely controversial. It bought an 80 p.c stake in Newcastle final autumn from earlier proprietor Mike Ashley, in a contentious takeover which types a part of the gulf nation’s plan to ‘sportswash’ its worldwide picture.
Sportswashing is a extensively used time period which describes a nation with a poor international fame attempting to launder its fame by associating itself with profitable sporting establishments and cultural touchstones. Saudi Arabia has held Components 1 races since 2021 for a similar purpose, and the United Arab Emirates and Qatar’s possession of Manchester Metropolis and Paris Saint-Germain respectively types a part of related plans in these nations.
The PIF’s leisure and know-how investments embody Fb, Disney, and Nintendo.
The Center East nations primarily make their earnings from oil, however with the world needing to go away oil behind and make use of extra sustainable vitality sources in future with a purpose to keep away from devastating local weather change, they're attempting to bolster their economies by rising tourism and worldwide affect by way of sport.
The general public funding fund’s sports activities investments have drawn widespread criticism from human rights teams, with Saudi Arabia among the many worst performing nations on this planet on points together with freedom of the press, LGBTQ+ and ladies’s rights, and the dying penalty.
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