One of the overriding controversies at the Saudi International and indeed the proposed LIVbacked tour cites Saudi Arabia’s poor record and restrictions on freedom of the press and human rights violations within the country. It would be fair to point out however no details of Norman’s new tour have been disclosed, nor have details of any discussions with players. The Saudi International field has 21 of the top 50 world ranked players, including three in the top 10, Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau. Their appearance gave Norman attentive candidates for his pitch. A few of the rumors making the circuit in addition to the supposed non-disclosure agreements include: – Norman is talking with current stars, not those approaching the end of their careers. – Phil Mickelson said, “pretty much every player in the top 100 has been contacted at some point”. – Englishman Ian Poulter, member of both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, reportedly was offered a $30 million signing bonus. – Mickelson perhaps as justification for his talking with Norman said in a social media post, “The media rights are but a small fraction of everything else. And it is the [PGA] tour’s “obnoxious greed” that has really opened the door for opportunities elsewhere.” – Bryson DeChambeau denied being offered $135 million to ink a deal. Famed British golfer and European Ryder Cup star, Tony Jacklin has stated, “The PGA Tour and DP World Tour enjoy a monopoly on professional golf right now and they obviously don’t want to let that go. We are heading into a very complex, messy situation.” Jacklin is correct, and it looks as though it will get much worse before it improves. Professional golf is heading toward a very slippery slope, the mud will splatter everyone. Players must decide if they want to play for history…their legacy in the game, or for the money. Publisher’s Take on Greg Norman’s SaudiBacked Asian Tour By Fred Altvater Once players abandon the PGA Tour for the greener pastures and guaranteed money on the Asian Tour, the PGA TOUR will definitely take a hit with television ratings and fan approval. However, there are still quality players throughout the Top 500 players in the world and new stars will emerge. The Asian tour, even with $300 million, can only grab a handful of top name players. Will it be worth it to a Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, or Collin Morikawa to walk away from the history and prominence of the American Tour? I think not. It is much easier for a young man with a young family to jump on a plane and play events in the United States instead of Ohio Golf Journal
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