Legendary golf champ Tiger Woods declined a virtually $1 billion deal to play in a controversial new event circuit bankrolled by Saudi Arabia, the CEO of the operation has instructed The Washington Put up.
“Woods turned down a deal that was mind-blowingly huge; we’re speaking about excessive 9 digits,” LIV Golf Investments commissioner and CEO Greg Norman instructed the Put up in an article earlier this week.
Norman stated that each Woods and Jack Nicklaus, who he claimed was provided some $100 million, rejected the offers as a result of neither needed to jeopardize what the Put up known as “generational legacies.”
Woods — who's already one of many world’s few athlete billionaires, in line with Forbes — couldn't instantly be reached for remark.
The LIV Golf tour enterprise has been slammed as a “sportswashing” operation aimed toward boosting the status of Saudi Arabia amid human rights violations and the 2018 slaying and dismemberment of Washington Put up columnist Jamal Khashoggi. American intelligence decided that Khashoggi’s killing was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Mickelson stated the Saudis are “scary motherfuckers to get entangled with” throughout an interview earlier this yr with journalist Alan Shipnuck, his unauthorized biographer.
“We all know they killed Khashoggi and have a horrible file on human rights. They execute individuals over there for being homosexual. Figuring out all of this, why would I even think about it?” Mickelson requested. “As a result of this can be a once-in-a-lifetime alternative.”
Mickelson took a golf break this yr within the wake of his feedback, however he’s now within the inaugural event of the LIV Golf Invitational Sequence in London.
Mickelson was selling the event at a press convention on Thursday when guards ejected Shipnuck, who was there to confront the golfer once more.
However different reporters pressed Mickelson about his participation. “Finally, you might be seen as a Saudi stooge,” one stated.
The PGA Tour on Thursday indefinitely suspended all 17 golfers within the LIV circuit from its tour, together with Mickelson, who reportedly made the change for $200 million.
Sponsors have additionally dropped a number of the golfers who've joined the LIV circuit.
The Saudis plan to maintain one of many LIV tournaments at former President Donald Trump’s course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
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