PGA Tour Suspends Golfers Joining LIV Golf Event
2022-06-10
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1The PGA Tour, the sports organization that runs golf events for professionals, mostly in the United States, has suspended all golfers who joined LIV Golf events.
2LIV Golf is a competing golf organization financed by Saudi Arabia.
3PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan sent a letter on Thursday to the members.
4It said that those golfers will not be permitted to play in any PGA Tour events.
5The announcement came as several well-known golfers said on Wednesday that they would play in the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
6Among them were Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.
7Johnson was a former world number one player and Mickelson has won six major championships along with 45 PGA Tour events.
8"These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons," Monahan wrote.
9"But they can't demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities..."
10LIV Golf is run by former golfer Greg Norman of Australia.
11The events receive financial support from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
12LIV Golf said the PGA Tour's decision "is vindictive and it deepens the divide between the Tour and its members."
13The group added, "This certainly is not the last word on this topic.
14The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond."
15Money is the center of the dispute between the PGA Tour and some of the players.
16PGA Tour players usually receive three releases a year to play in overseas tournaments.
17But Monahan denied the releases for the LIV Golf Invitational competition because it is an eight-tournament series that has five events in the United States.
18The tour does not permit releases for events in North America.
19The first of eight LIV Golf events is being held at Centurion Club this week outside of London.
20There is $25 million in prize money, including $4 million for the winner of each event.
21This week, the Canadian Open, a PGA Tour event, offers $8.7 million in prize money.
22And the richest PGA Tour event, The Players Championship, offers $20 million.
23Well-known players like Mickelson and Johnson reportedly have received additional money for competing in LIV Golf.
24The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that Johnson received $150 million just for signing up.
25That is more than Tiger Woods' career PGA Tour earnings.
26Mickelson did not deny reports that he got $200 million.
27The Washington Post reported that Norman, who oversees LIV Golf, said Woods rejected an offer described as "high nine digits."
28Human rights activists say LIV Golf is an example of "sportswashing."
29The term is used to describe how a country tries to improve its image by setting up sporting events with well-known sports competitors.
30Sacha Deshmukh is head of Amnesty International UK.
31He said, "Rather than acting as the willing stooges of Saudi sportswashing, we'd like to see golfers at the LIV Golf Invitational speaking out about human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia."
32The first reports that Mickelson would compete in the Saudi-backed event came out in February.
33At the time, he said: "I'm certainly aware of what has happened with Jamal Khashoggi, and I think it's terrible. I've also seen the good that the game of golf has done throughout history."
34Khashoggi was a writer and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
35He was killed on October 2, 2018, at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
36Turkish officials said that Khashoggi was killed and then cut into pieces by security officers and individuals who worked for the crown prince.
37The prince also heads Saudi Arabia's state investment arm which supports LIV Golf.
38However, Mickelson, Johnson and several others are welcome to play at the U.S. Open to be held near Boston next week.
39The U.S. Open is one of golf's four major championships.
40It is independent and open to all golfers who qualify.
41I'm Dan Friedell.
1The PGA Tour, the sports organization that runs golf events for professionals, mostly in the United States, has suspended all golfers who joined LIV Golf events. 2LIV Golf is a competing golf organization financed by Saudi Arabia. 3PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan sent a letter on Thursday to the members. It said that those golfers will not be permitted to play in any PGA Tour events. 4The announcement came as several well-known golfers said on Wednesday that they would play in the LIV Golf Invitational Series. Among them were Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson. Johnson was a former world number one player and Mickelson has won six major championships along with 45 PGA Tour events. 5"These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons," Monahan wrote. "But they can't demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities..." 6LIV Golf is run by former golfer Greg Norman of Australia. The events receive financial support from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. 7LIV Golf said the PGA Tour's decision "is vindictive and it deepens the divide between the Tour and its members." The group added, "This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond." 8Money is at the center 9Money is the center of the dispute between the PGA Tour and some of the players. 10PGA Tour players usually receive three releases a year to play in overseas tournaments. But Monahan denied the releases for the LIV Golf Invitational competition because it is an eight-tournament series that has five events in the United States. The tour does not permit releases for events in North America. 11The first of eight LIV Golf events is being held at Centurion Club this week outside of London. There is $25 million in prize money, including $4 million for the winner of each event. 12This week, the Canadian Open, a PGA Tour event, offers $8.7 million in prize money. And the richest PGA Tour event, The Players Championship, offers $20 million. 13Well-known players like Mickelson and Johnson reportedly have received additional money for competing in LIV Golf. The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that Johnson received $150 million just for signing up. That is more than Tiger Woods' career PGA Tour earnings. Mickelson did not deny reports that he got $200 million. 14The Washington Post reported that Norman, who oversees LIV Golf, said Woods rejected an offer described as "high nine digits." 15"Sportswashing" 16Human rights activists say LIV Golf is an example of "sportswashing." The term is used to describe how a country tries to improve its image by setting up sporting events with well-known sports competitors. 17Sacha Deshmukh is head of Amnesty International UK. He said, "Rather than acting as the willing stooges of Saudi sportswashing, we'd like to see golfers at the LIV Golf Invitational speaking out about human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia." 18The first reports that Mickelson would compete in the Saudi-backed event came out in February. At the time, he said: "I'm certainly aware of what has happened with Jamal Khashoggi, and I think it's terrible. I've also seen the good that the game of golf has done throughout history." 19Khashoggi was a writer and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He was killed on October 2, 2018, at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Turkish officials said that Khashoggi was killed and then cut into pieces by security officers and individuals who worked for the crown prince. The prince also heads Saudi Arabia's state investment arm which supports LIV Golf. 20However, Mickelson, Johnson and several others are welcome to play at the U.S. Open to be held near Boston next week. The U.S. Open is one of golf's four major championships. It is independent and open to all golfers who qualify. 21I'm Dan Friedell. 22Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English with additional reporting from Reuters and The Associated Press. 23Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. 24_______________________________________________________________________ 25Words in This Story 26benefits -n. (pl.) extra things given by an employer in addition to regular pay 27vindictive -adj. having or showing the desire to hurt someone who has hurt or caused problems for you 28topic -n. something that people talk or write about; a subject 29release -n. permission to be freed from a normal responsibility usually called for by a contract