Former US President Donald Trump on Monday urged golfers to “take the money” and signal with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series amid studies extra gamers have been poised to join the controversial circuit.
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Trump, who’s internet hosting LIV occasions at two of his golf programs this yr, stated in a put up on his Truth Social community that gamers mustn’t hesitate to abandon the PGA Tour, which he branded “disloyal”.
“All of those golfers that remain ‘loyal’ to the very disloyal PGA, in all of its different forms, will pay a big price when the inevitable MERGER with LIV comes, and you get nothing but a big ‘thank you’ from PGA officials who are making Millions of Dollars a year,” Trump wrote.
“If you don’t take the money now, you will get nothing after the merger takes place, and only say how smart the original signees were,” he added.
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Donald Trump concluded the put up with a message of congratulations to newly minted Open Championship winner Cameron Smith, the Australian who stormed to victory at St Andrews on Sunday with an excellent last spherical.
Smith is amongst the newest record of names who’re reportedly poised to signal with LIV Golf, which has already recruited a slew of high names with jaw-dropping contracts which in some instances are reported to have run into the a whole bunch of tens of millions of {dollars}.
LIV Golf, which is fronted by Australian nice Greg Norman, is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
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Human Rights teams have criticised the enterprise saying it exists solely to enhance Saudi Arabia’s worldwide fame, a phenomenon labelled “sportswashing”.
Reports have linked Cameron Smith with a transfer to LIV Golf Invitational Series
Smith bristled – however didn’t problem an outright denial – when requested about studies linking him to LIV following his victory in the Open on Sunday.
“I just won the British Open, and you’re asking about that. I think that’s pretty not that good,” Smith stated.
“I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
As effectively as Smith, LIV are additionally reported to be on the brink of signing Swedish star Henrik Stenson. Stenson is anticipated to be stripped of Europe’s Ryder Cup captaincy if he if he indicators with LIV.
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Donald Trump in the meantime didn’t tackle criticism of his involvement of his golf properties with LIV occasions by kin of these killed and injured throughout the September 11, 2001 assaults on New York and Washington. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers concerned in the atrocity have been Saudi nationals.
In an open letter to Trump launched on Sunday, the 9/11 Justice group urged Trump to lower ties to LIV Golf. Trump National Golf Club at Bedminster, New Jersey is ready to host a LIV occasion on July 29-31, whereas his Trump National course at Doral in Florida will stage the October 27-30 event.
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“We simply cannot understand how you could agree to accept money from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s golf league to host their tournament at your golf course, and to do so in the shadows of Ground Zero in New Jersey, which lost over 700 residents during the attacks,” the group wrote in its letter.
“It is difficult for us to fully express the extreme pain, frustration and anger this upcoming tournament at Bedminster causes our community…it is incomprehensible to us that a former President of the United States would cast our loved ones aside for personal financial gain.”
By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
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