This article first appeared in Forum, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on December 13, 2021 - December 19, 2021
Golf fans weren’t sure which was worse: confirmation that the game’s greatest player would never be the same again or the prospect of the sport itself facing a protracted civil war. Lingering hopes that Tiger Woods would somehow conjure yet another miracle comeback were finally dashed when the great man — still recovering from February’s near-fatal car crash — admitted he would be lucky to play at all next season and not at previous levels.
Compounding the loss, the threat of a mass exodus by the current elite to Saudi Arabia appeared to be real. That no less than 16 top names had agreed to play in the fourth Saudi International instead of a PGA Tour event in February did feel like the thin end of a very lofty wedge: a full-blown rival circuit now appearing inevitable.
The timing of the two announcements was coincidental as they are unrelated but for the gravy train now having a new line of lucrative stops opening up. Tiger made a generation of golfers rich; Saudi Arabia promises to make them obscenely so.
Partly funded by Aramco, the kingdom’s oil giant, the Saudi Super League of Golf will be a rival competition to the PGA and European Tours and the sums being whispered will ensure it is their most expensive “sports wash” yet. With the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Softbank also involved, it’ll make the Newcastle United takeover look like a drop in the barrel.
The plan is to stage 10 big tournaments in the Middle East, Asia and Europe and fronting it is Greg Norman, the former Australian great who has previous experience in rebel operations. According to reports, the Saudis are ready to stump up US$1 billion to bankroll the series and they are in for the long haul. Appearance fees alone run into hundreds of millions, with one US Ryder Cup star said to be mulling a US$150 million deal for a three-year commitment. Back when the Saudi plan was still a rumour, Europe Ryder Cup veteran Lee Westwood commented: “If someone offered me US$50 million when I’m 48, it’s a no-brainer.”
The Saudis knew they had to come up with mind-blowing sums to tempt the big boys. With official prize money on the PGA Tour topping US$800 million, golfers are among the richest sportsmen in the world. They pick up about US$2 million for winning a Major and even middle-ranking events offer US$1 million to the winner. A journeyman such as 100th ranked Matt Kuchar, who has never won a Major, has still amassed US$52 million in career prize money.
They lead a life of privilege and get to stroll around beautiful real estate, have someone carry their bags, measure their distances and tell them which club to use. That’s not to say what they do isn’t extremely difficult and they deserve to be rewarded, but the speed of their rush to the trough is unlikely to endear them to the rakyat.
As yet, it’s not known if the Super League will go head-to-head with marquee events in the US and Europe, but before that there is the thorny issue of what to do about February’s clash with the PGA’s AT&T Pro Am at Pebble Beach. To skip it for the Saudi International, players require official releases, which were granted to a handful when it was a single event and part of the European Tour. But attitudes have changed now there is an existential threat.
Both the PGA and the European Tours (recently renamed the DP Tour after a Dubai-based logistics company) have become implacably opposed to the idea of giving them. In fact, they formed a “strategic alliance” to resist the impending breakaway. But what looked like a line in the sand has the wind blowing over it.
When journalists asked about the releases for players to attend, the PGA Tour’s stance already seemed to have shifted. A text from an official stated: “We have not granted any conflicting event releases for the Saudi International tournament. Per PGA Tour regulations, a decision on conflicting event releases can be made up until 30 days before the event’s first round.” Sounds like it’s giving itself thinking time.
If the PGA Tour plays hard ball, the consequences hardly bear thinking about — and could see a split in the game. Threats to ban players from the Majors and Ryder Cup would no doubt be made but Westwood, for one, is not likely to waver. The nightmare prospect is one of seriously weakened fields in the Majors, sponsors pulling out and viewing figures dropping. And all while the best guys are playing in the desert in front of a couple of uninterested camels.
It’s a great pity as golf had been coping well with the loss of Tiger and the pandemic. Participation is up post-lockdown while this year’s Major winners hailed from three continents and all age groups. While down from their Tiger highs, viewing figures were still healthy. Nor did courses cower under the predicted “bomb and gouge” onslaught of Bryson DeChambeau. The game looked in good shape until greed took a hold.
Money talks and it’s pretty long off the tee. Yet Norman, 66, does not think the players get enough of it. “You look at that value that’s been generated through other sports, for other players and other franchises. Golf has never recognised that or had the ability to capture that market,” he told the Financial Times.
The former world No 1, known as The Great White Shark, tried to take an extra bite with his ill-fated World Golf Tour in 1994, until none other than the late Arnold Palmer reminded players that the PGA Tour had made a lot of people’s careers. He warned: “You should all do a lot of thinking before you decide to do anything.”
Perhaps it needs something similar today. Only Tiger would have the stature to do it and he has not taken the Saudi riyal. Rory McIlroy has spoken against it but also defended the right of players to choose where they play. Paul Casey declined to go when he was a Unicef ambassador but has since changed his mind.
It is an uncomfortable situation all round. Aramco sponsors four events on the Ladies European Tour and many top women’s players have played there. Yet it is only since 2019 that they have been allowed to drive a car or go out without a male escort there. As the late Australian media magnate Kerry Packer, who was behind a successful cricket rebellion, said: “There’s a little bit of the whore in all of us. Gentlemen, name your price.”
Bob Holmes is a long-time sportswriter specialising in football
Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.
P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's AppStore and Androids' Google Play.