$4.75M: Schwartzel wins richest event amid outcry

ST. ALBANS, ENGLAND » Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel banked $4.75 million on Saturday by winning the richest tournament in golf history, while the event’s Saudi backers faced renewed backlash after a 9/11 victims’ group called for American players to withdraw from the rebel series.

Schwartzel held on for a one-shot victory at the inaugural LIV Golf event outside London to secure the $4 million prize for the individual victory — along with another $750,000 from his share of the $3 million purse earned by his four-man Stinger team for topping the team rankings.

Schwartzel collected more prize money from winning the three-day, 54hole event than he had from the last four years combined. Not that it could match the sense of sporting achievement that he felt after his win at Augusta National in 2011.

“Money is one thing but there you’re playing for prestige, history,” he said. “Winning a major will always top anything you do.”

Pressed in the news conference, he dismissed criticism of the windfall coming from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.

“Where the money comes from is not something ... that I’ve ever looked at playing in my 20 years career,” the South African said. “I think if I start digging everywhere where we played, you could find fault in anything.”

Twenty players have now defected from the PGA Tour, with Patrick Reed the latest former Masters champion confirmed on Saturday as signing up to LIV Golf as the final round was being completed.

For many in the United States, Saudi Arabia will forever be associated with the collapse of the World Trade Towers and the deaths of nearly 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001. All but four of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi citizens, and the Saudi kingdom was the birthplace of Osama bin Laden, the head of al-Qaida and mastermind of the attack.

Terry Strada, the national chairperson of 9/11 Families United, has sent a letter to representatives of LIV Golf stars calling on them to reconsider their participation in the series. Her husband, Tom, died when a hijacked plane flew into the World Trade Center.

Finau, McIlroy tied for lead

TORONTO » Tony Finau birdied the final hole for an 8-under 62 and a share of the RBC Canadian Open lead with defending champion Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy had a 65 to match Finau at 11-under 199 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club.

PGA champion Justin Thomas (63), Colonial winner Sam Burns (65), Wyndham Clark (68) and Alex Smalley (67) were 9 under.

Thongchai, Jimenez share lead

MADISON, WIS. » Thongchai Jaidee shot a 7-under 65 for a share of the secondround lead with Miguel Angel Jimenez in the PGA Tour Champions’ American Family Insurance Championship.

Thongchai birdied Nos. 14-16 and closed the bogey-free round at University Ridge with two pars. The 52-year-old Thai player is winless on the 50-and-over tour. He has 19 international victories.

Jimenez shot a 68 to match Thongchai at 10-under 134, rebounding from a bogey on 15 with birdies on 16 and 17.

Kinhult takes 1-shot lead

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. » Frida Kinhult birdied the par-5 18th for a 4-under 67 and the second-round lead Saturday in the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

Seeking her first tour victory, the 22-year-old Swede starred at Florida State and was the top-ranked amateur in the world in 2019.

Kinhult also birdied Nos. 8, 12 and 13 — all par 4s — in a bogey-free round in overcast and mostly calm conditions at Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.