Don says go chase big bucks with LIV
FORMER US President Donald Trump has urged golfers to “take the money” and sign with the Saudi-backed LIV series, amid reports more players were poised to join the controversial circuit.
Trump, who is hosting LIV events at two of his golf courses this year, said in a post on his Truth Social network that players should not hesitate to abandon the PGA Tour, which he branded “disloyal”.
“All of those golfers that remain ‘loyal’ to the very disloyal PGA, in all of its different forms, will pay a big price when the inevitable merger with LIV comes, and you get nothing but a big ‘thank you’ from PGA officials who are making millions of dollars a year,” Trump wrote.
“If you don’t take the money now, you will get nothing after the merger takes place, and only say how smart the original signees were.”
Trump concluded the post with a message of congratulations to newly minted British Open champion Cam Smith, who stormed to victory at St Andrews on Sunday with a superb final round.
Smith is among those reportedly poised to sign with LIV Golf, which has already recruited top players with contracts that in some cases are reported to have run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
LIV Golf is fronted by Greg Norman and bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Human Rights groups have criticised the venture, saying it exists solely to boost Saudi Arabia’s international reputation, a phenomenon labelled “sportswashing”.
Smith bristled – but did not issue an outright denial – when asked about reports linking him to LIV following his victory in the Open on Sunday.
“I just won the British Open, and you’re asking about that. I think that’s pretty not that good,” Smith said.
“I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
As well as Smith, LIV is also reported to be on the brink of signing Swedish star Henrik Stenson. Stenson is expected to be stripped of Europe’s Ryder Cup captaincy if he does sign with LIV.
Trump, meanwhile, did not address criticism of the involvement of his golf properties with LIV events by relatives of those killed and injured during the September 11, 2001, attacks. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers involved in the atrocity were Saudi nationals.