Woods Turned Down $3m to Play in Saudi Arabia
Tiger Woods turned down a large appearance fee of more than $3 million dollars to play in a European Tour event in Saudi Arabia. Woods likely doesn’t want to deal with any negative backlash similar to what the WWE has dealt with after journalistJamal Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
Woods has turned down his biggest ever potential overseas pay cheque to play in the European Tour’s inaugural event in Saudi Arabia next year amid the international outcry over the recent murder of a journalist.
In the past, Woods has travelled to such countries as China and the United Arab Emirates. Yet it is understood he deemed Saudi Arabia to be an excursion too far – even for at least £2.5m – an amount that apparently dwarfs anything he has received before for an official overseas tournament.
Woods hasn’t commented publicly on why he turned down the pay day, but he doesn’t need the money, nor does he need the bad press. The event also takes place a week after the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines which is generally a regular stop on his PGA Tour schedule.
Woods won the Tour Championship in August and is competing in a head-to-head event with Phil Mickelson with a $9 million dollar purse this month. He’s also climbed to 13th in the world rankings, which is one spot ahead of Jordan Spieth.
According to the Telegraph, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, and Paul Casey have signed up to play in the event, but that could change if they feel that the backlash is not worth the payday.
Roger Federer has heaped the pressure on rival Novak Djokovic by claiming the Serbian can win the ATP Tour Finals easily.
Djokovic is the pre-tournament favourite after winning four of his last six events - including titles at Wimbledon and the US Open.
However, the Serbian suffered a blip in his most recent outing, a Paris Masters final defeat to Karen Khachanov.
But Federer has not won the ATP Finals since 2011 and he cannot foresee that drought coming to an end this time around.
“Dominating the field is not something that comes very easy,” Federer said.
“I think only Novak can say ‘if I play as well as I have the last few months, maybe I can also win the World Tour Finals.
“The best of three set matches indoors, the margins are slimmer. It can slip fast.
“I have played well. Since 2011 I have not won the World Tour Finals but I have done well.
“It does not feel like that long ago, there were always just a couple of other guys who were a little bit better during that week.
“I think it just didn’t happen because of my opponents, maybe a little bit.
“Maybe I wasn’t out-right dominating the season as well.”
Federer also played down his chances of winning the ATP Finals.
However, he insists he does not want to finish his season off with three defeats.
“If I would have known last year that this would have been the season then I would have taken it,” Federer said.
“I am very happy with the season so far. We have one more (tournament) left.
“I hope I don’t go on vacation with three losses, put it that way.”
Federer gets his campaign underway against Kei Nishikori on Sunday evening