04/24/24
May 12, 2022
Greg Norman: LIV and Let LIV: "Look, we've all made mistakes." -- Greg Norman on Saudi Arabia and the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi
Well, I think what he meant to say was that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman won't be repeating his past mistakes. Sure, he had a journalist murdered and dismembered for being critical of his oppressive regime but that was almost 4 whole years ago! And the next time he has a critic murdered, he's going to be much more careful to cover his tracks! So c'mon guys! Let's all go play in Saudi Arabia and lend our tacit approval to the actions of a spoiled tyrant (who keeps the diesel flowing to our yachts)!
posted by tahoemoj at 04:43 PM on May 12, 2022
Mickelson and Norman have really done a great job of making their new league the loveable upstart.
It is quite a feat to have their enormous career incomes and still want to sell their principles to the Saudis.
posted by rcade at 05:02 PM on May 12, 2022
For some nothing else matters but money.
"He only ordered 1 journalist dismembered .. that I know of", "He only tried to overthrow the government of 1 country after losing an election", and on and on.
Reality is anyone who aligns themselves with people like these end up paying for it dearly at some point.
posted by cixelsyd at 07:40 PM on May 12, 2022
Mickelson is in a Putin-esque pickle.
He needs money. He crossed the line and endorsed the Saudi tour.
He lost all his sponsors - that income stream is gone.
Then he became unwelcome at PGA events.
He's in a position where if he wants to be cash ahead at the end, his best and maybe only option is to try to become top dog on the Saudi tour at his age and win some of the big purses that they'll be awarding.
posted by beaverboard at 07:47 PM on May 12, 2022
And maybe stop gambling so much? LOL. We all know that ain't gonna happen. And we all also know that he's going to blame all his money woes on big gubmint
posted by NoMich at 07:50 PM on May 12, 2022
Phil--damn. Almost $100M in prize money and about $800M in endorsement money and the dude wants to cry poor. I used to really like Phil--remember when he defended playing golf with that goofy-ass smile on his face by saying "I get to golf for a job, and have a beautiful family-you'd be smiling, too"? I miss that Phil, even if it was just a veneer. Gambling is a hell of a drug.
posted by tahoemoj at 01:28 PM on May 13, 2022
...and Phil just pulled out of next week's PGA Championship.
posted by Ufez Jones at 09:46 PM on May 13, 2022
Phil may have fine company on the Saudi tour.
Purportedly including Lee Westwood, one of the most sleep inducing golfers I've ever seen.
However, Westwood will probably do well on the LIV tour, having been the 54 hole leader in a ton of 72 hole tournaments, including majors. (That he didn't win.)
And then there's Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson. What's not to like?
As the teachers in our school used to say about elections for student government - it's not supposed to be a popularity contest.
posted by beaverboard at 10:44 PM on May 13, 2022
When I first read this, I thought, man that must have been taken out of context. The more and more I look at it, I can't figure out how it could have been, as there is no context that would make his statement appropriate.