Casey: I’ve had an epiphany on the Saudis
IT ALL became rather awkward yesterday morning, as golf’s latest LIV rebels described the epiphany that allowed them to reconcile defection with concerns over human rights and homophobia in Saudi Arabia.
England’s Paul Casey recounted the tale of a 17-year-old girl he met there this year, who spoke of how change had come, how doors had opened for her and her family and how she was even ‘looking forward to driving’.
Then came American Jason Kokrak. ‘I also got to play with that young girl,’ he said. Alas, it turned out, after a brief conflab, to be someone else. That girl was only 15.
Remarkably, however, both teenagers proved very eloquent and convincing. Not on gay rights — neither player claimed to know enough to discuss the subject. But on golf’s power to do good? Plenty.
‘I’ve been to the Kingdom a couple of times. I can confidently say that change is happening and what we do is having a positive effect,’ said Casey (right), who makes his LIV Golf debut this week at Donald Trump’s Bedminster course.
‘I played with a young girl in the pro-am at the Saudi Invitational earlier this year. I played with her father and another lady who’s a human rights lawyer and they were brilliant company. That girl spoke of how things have changed and that just in the last couple of years — since she took up golf — how things have radically changed for her and her family.’
It has been a dizzying turnaround for Casey, a former UNICEF ambassador who in 2019 claimed he would be a hypocrite to accept money to play in the Kingdom given their human rights record and the war in Yemen.
Before teeing it up at Trump National in this Saudi-funded tournament, the Englishman, 45, insisted: ‘It’s not where you’re at, it’s where you’re going. There are many places on the planet I’ve been paid to go to where I’m not sure I can say the same thing, but I can honestly look you in the eye and say I see a positive trajectory in the Kingdom.’
Casey claimed his change of heart was not influenced by LIV’s deep pockets. Instead, he said, the chance to spend more time with his family was decisive. Even if defection could spell the end of his Ryder Cup career.
Casey has represented Europe five times — and would love to do it again. That seems unlikely, however, with rebels expected to be banned. Deposed European captain Henrik Stenson is also making his debut this week and the Ryder Cup has rarely appeared more vulnerable. Casey admitted it would be a ‘massive shame’ if the event became collateral damage in golf’s civil war. But he accused the European Tour of moving the goalposts and said questions over how this mess will be resolved should be aimed at golf’s decision-makers.
‘It seems as if the chief executive (Keith Pelley) kind of has discretion, and I think it’s a very murky situation,’ he said. ‘The rules that are going to be put in place are out of my hands. Right now we’re all in limbo, which is frustrating.’
Casey added: ‘The players are not trying to damage the game. We leave this to those in charge of the Tour. In this case, with Mr Pelley, Mr (Guy) Kinnings (deputy chief executive and Ryder Cup director). We’ve got a lot of questions but right now they all seem to be coming our way, not his.’
As if it all hadn’t been uncomfortable enough, Casey stopped at the end of his press conference to discuss the protests from families of those killed on 9/11, who have accused the players of ‘sportswashing’ for Saudi Arabia.
The Englishman said his heart goes out to the victims... before he was cut off and whisked away for a photoshoot.
BUBBA WATSoN is expected to become the latest high-profile player to join the LIV rebels. The two-time Masters champion, 43, will play the next £20million event in Boston in September.