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Saudi Golf chief Majed Al Sorour issues statement after making claim about launching own majors for LIV Golf
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Published 21/10/2022 at 20:36 GMT+1
The row between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour continues to rumble on and is likely to end up being fought out in court in 2024. In the meantime, players continue to play golf and while it is heading towards the end of the year, focus is turning to next year's majors. Will LIV Golf's players be allowed to compete in the big four events in the sport? The CEO of Saudi golf hopes so.
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The head of the Saudi Golf Federation has rowed back on his claims he would launch his own majors if LIV Golf players were banned from competing in golf’s four biggest tournaments.
Golf has been fractured by the emergence of LIV Golf, with a host of star names lured by mega contracts and huge prize funds.
The PGA Tour opted to suspend all players who made the move to LIV, with the battle between the two organisations heading for the courts.
The majors have kept their own counsel, and have months before they need to make a decision as the Masters does not take place until April 2023.
If the majors elect to take a neutral stance and allow LIV players to enter, the likes of Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed can play in the Masters on account of their status as past champions.
For others such as Talor Gooch, Abraham Ancer and Ian Poulter, to name but three, their route into the Masters and US PGA Championship would be through their world ranking.
LIV is not yet recognised by the Official World Golf Rankings and all its players are shedding ranking points, and dropping down the standings.
Those who are outside the top 50 in the world by the cut-off point would not be invited to play - the Open and US Open are, as the names suggest, opens and they could enter qualifying and play their way in.
Saudi Golf Federation CEO Majed Al Sorour gave a wide-ranging interview with the New Yorker, and said if LIV players were denied the chance to play in the majors his organisation would fund its own.
He said: "If the majors decide not to have our players play? I will celebrate. I will create my own majors for my players.”
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His comments were met with widespread scorn, given the history behind the sport’s major championships, and he has moved to water down what he said - albeit not completely retracting them.
“I had a casual conversation with a New Yorker reporter at LIV’s Boston event a few weeks ago, during which I expressed my frustration at the unfortunate blackballing of LIV Golf players by the PGA Tour,” Sorour said in a statement.
“When it comes to the majors, tournaments that stand alone and are independent of LIV, I have the utmost respect for the majors. The majors are about history, heritage, true competition and honour.
“The story wrongfully expressed and misrepresented my views. The majors are indeed the best platform where LIV golfers and other tour golfers can compete, despite the PGA Tour’s suspension of our players.
“As a LIV Golf board member and managing director, I am here to accomplish our LIV Golf investment chairman and the board’s strategic direction by building a team, growing the game and defending player rights. That is my only interest.”
The row is set to rumble on and LIV players, and the wider golf community, will await the announcements from the majors and the world ranking board with interest.
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