Camila Vega
Golfer Tiger Woods turned down an offer to participate in the LIV Golf series funded by Saudi Arabia. Greg Norman, former golfer and CEO of the competition told the Washington Post in June that the offer was “mind-bogglingly huge”.
Tiger Woods has opposed LIV Golf since late last year, and delivered his strongest comments at the British Open when he said the players who took the money funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund had “turned their backs” on the PGA Tour that made them famous:
I do not agree with that. I think what they have done is to turn their backs on what has allowed them to get to this position. I know what the PGA Tour represents, what we’ve done and what the tour has given us: the ability to pursue our careers, win what we get, the trophies that we’ve been able to play for and the history that has been part of this game.
The offer Tiger Woods turned down from LIV Golf
Norman himself confirmed that the offer made to Woods was in the nine digits and ”among the highest,” with reports suggesting that the total offered would reach between $700 and $800 million.
“That number was out there before I became CEO. So that number has been out there, yes,” Norman said in the Fox News interview, which took place Sunday at trump national in Bedminster, N.J., where the third annual LIV Golf Invitational was held. “And, look, Tiger Woods is a needle mover and, of course, you have to look at the best of the best,” Norman said.
Several reports from the UK have said that Phil Mickelson received a $200 million signing bonus, while Dustin Johnson received $150 million. The 48-man fields, which play 54 holes with no cut, offer $25 million in prize money in each event.
Norman announced a 14-tournament schedule for next year. LIV Golf currently has only one player, Johnson at No. 18, out of the top 20 in the world. The source of the funding has prompted harsh criticism of the series and the players who have signed up, as it is perceived as an attempt to divert attention away from its human rights record and links to the September 11 terrorist attacks.
When asked why his rival tour has caused such a stir among American golf fans, Norman replied bluntly, “I don’t know. I really don’t care. I love the game and I want to grow the game of golf and at LIV we see that opportunity not only for the men but for the women as well.”
The LIV Golf Invitational is off for a month during the FedEx Cup playoffs on the PGA Tour, returning during Labor Day weekend an hour west of Boston, and then two weeks later plays in the Chicago suburbs.
