The Centurion Membership in St Albans will host the primary occasion of the profitable and controversial Saudi-backed Tremendous League of golf from June September 11, with 4 occasions scheduled in the US forward of two different tournaments in Asia.
By Ali Stafford
Final replace: 3/22/17 at 9:39 pm
Greg Norman is CEO of LIV Golf Investments
Greg Norman admits it might take a while to draw star names to the brand new Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Collection and insists Phil Mickelson will all the time be welcome to compete in occasions.
The previous world #1 participant introduced, Wednesday, that Centurion Membership in Hertfordshire will host the primary eight 54-hole tournaments, to be performed throughout three continents over a five-month interval, with prizes larger than any at present accessible within the skilled recreation.
Norman will likely be sending a letter to all the highest 250 folks on the planet inviting them to take part within the occasions, introducing a draft-style crew component in addition to particular person competitors, though event organizers are at present not sure who will seem within the event. Introductory sequence.
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After PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan stated the tour was about “legacy, not affect” following rumors of a Saudi-backed golf league, Jaime Diaz is wanting into what golf must maintain followers .
“We’ll know, in a really brief time, as soon as the invites are out, who’s approaching board and who’s going to need to play,” Norman stated. BBC 5 Dwell.
“Simply assume how cool it might be if there was a child of about 200 years previous on the planet who was a driver, who may simply have the ability to make ends meet. The entire alternative to develop golf is giving gamers a brand new alternative and alternative.
“I hope, someplace within the first yr, we’ll have somebody with no identify are available and win themselves $3 million, $5 million or $8 million and everybody simply sits within the again and thinks ‘Oh, wow.’ His life has modified, his associate’s life has modified, His youngsters’s lives modified.
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Brooks Koepka says we’ve not heard of the top of a proposed Saudi-backed golf league and that somebody would “promote it and go for it”.
“That is what the great thing about golf is all about. Giving them the chance to develop and evolve and that is going to occur. The beauty of it’s all the nice gamers are going to look on the market and go ‘Oh my God, this man simply received $8 million, I do know I can beat him, I need to be there’ ‘.
“It is a gradual course of and we absolutely perceive that it’ll take time, however now we have to begin someplace. We’re a startup and as we speak is the second day of our journey.”
The vast majority of the world’s prime gamers have distanced themselves from any potential breakaway circuit, with Rory McIlroy saying final month that the potential league was “useless in water” after Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau issued statements to decide to the PGA Tour.
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Rory McIlroy stated a proposed Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway golf league has ‘died within the water’ following Dustin Johnson and Bryson Deschamps’ dedication to the PGA Tour.
PGA Tour members have to be given particular editions to finish in alternate rounds, with a number of experiences indicating that penalties and bans will likely be imposed on those that follow the Saudi-funded sequence.
“There isn’t any doubt that obstacles have been positioned in our path,” Norman added. “The PGA Tour, little doubt, got here out swinging and put an enormous redwood tree throughout the highway for us.
“We’re a startup, we’re right here for the lengthy haul, and we perceive the method going ahead. Now we have an unimaginable mannequin for permitting that to maneuver ahead and I believe we have proven that very clearly with our launch.
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Golf author Doug Ferguson joins Nick Dougherty to debate the Saudi Golf League’s proposal and whether or not it might pose a menace to the PGA Tour.
“What’s the PGA Tour and DP World Tour afraid of about coming into the LIV and providing a brand new alternative for unbiased contractors to play? We’re 100% added to the world of golf and gamers can play each rounds.
“We’re not asking to play with them to select to play one or the opposite, they’ll play each. We are able to play one in every of us and the remaining is there, or they’ll play seven or eight of us and the remaining are there.”
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Nick Dougherty and Wealthy Beam look to the Genesis Invitational and talk about Rory McIlroy’s response to the proposed Saudi Golf League.
Phil Mickelson has not performed since apologizing final month for his “reckless” feedback in regards to the breakaway Saudi-backed league, accusing the PGA Tour of “hateful greed” and behaving like a “dictator”.
Mickelson described the Saudi authorities as intimidating “announcers” and that he was solely utilizing the brand new tour as leverage for more cash from the PGA Tour, though Norman would nonetheless be joyful to see a six-time main champion – or any participant – participate in his tournaments.
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PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan stated it was as much as Phil Mickelson to contact him to debate his controversial feedback in regards to the Tour that led to the PGA Championship winner being knocked out of the sport.
“We’re not saying you need to play right here and play there, we’re simply giving them [players] Alternatives to decide on the place to play,” Norman stated.
“In the event that they need to play, the door is vast open and the door can be vast open for Phil Mickelson. I spoke to him final evening and had lengthy dialog. There isn’t any particular person on this planet who has not stated something that they want her again.
You want to have the ability to let people and gamers select and we’ll give them the choice to take action. If they do not need to come so be it. I am not stopping them nor saying they are going to be banned for all times in the event you do not – it is their selection.”
