It was a damn good sports weekend if you ask me. Of course it was dominated by the Super Bowl as it always is and the game didn’t disappoint. The NFL rules all on their showcase weekend.
But I spent a good part of the week watching the Australian Open into the wee hours of the morning and there was plenty of golf broadcast all weekend too. The Waste Management Open finished with Webb Simpson out putting Tony Finau’s balky stroke just about at kickoff. Good timing.
And if you were game there was the Golf Channel’s early morning coverage of the Saudi International with Graeme McDowell continuing his mid-career resurgence with his win. Gmac got back in the winning mode for the first time last year at Puntacana and his good form has followed him on his trip back to the European Tour.
There has been plenty of controversy surrounding the Euro Tour continuing its relationship with the Saudi government. Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been the defacto leader of this oil rich country and he has been trying to portray himself as a reasonable, liberal leader who is trying to modernize his country while changing policies on what the rest of the world calls “human rights violations.” It’s all show and no substance. The CIA has said that he ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 and the subsequent cover up. This is a guy who cares for nothing but enriching himself…at any cost.
It’s obvious that it is a public relations scam as he continues to violate his citizens human and civil rights and by no means should be considered anything but a ruthless dictator.
So while, this site never pretends to be the New York Times or the Washington Post I have to ask G-Mac and all the big names that teed it up in King Abdullah Economic City… Why?
Why play in such a place? Why make the trip to the oilfields? Why show support for such a government? Why showcase a murderer?
McDowell isn’t the only big name that choose to spend the week there. Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Shane Lowry, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Ernie Els were all there and it is shameful that they were.
Now, I can understand a journeymen Euro Tour member struggling to earn a living on that Tour playing there. Of course I have an issue with the European Tour itself partnering with the Saudis but that’s another rant. I can understand players trying to support their own tour and of course their families but why would an established, successful multimillionaire choose to play at such a despicable place?
It all boils down to one thing,,,money.
Gmac and Phil and Brooks and all the rest certainly had options if they wanted to play golf this week. The WMO was right there and all of those names listed have entry into it. But The PGA Tour doesn’t pay appearance fees and the European Tour does. So any golfer that draws a crowd can head over to the Euro Tour event and cash a check without even making the cut. Upfront money, paid regardless if you shoot 62 or 90 gets plenty of attention. Six figure payouts are common and millions to one or two particular players are what is rumored to land in the bank accounts of lucky players.
The common refrain among golfers is “I am just a golfer” and “I don’t get into politics.” And frankly that’s bullshit. These guys are some of the most visible athletes in the world and to jet around the globe cashing checks with no conscience and no thought for the world in which they earn it is wrong.
I like Gmac and many of the players who were in Saudi Arabia and good luck to them all. But the world in which we live is in a downward spiral where civility, decency and kindness are all rapidly disappearing. In a small way if players would boycott tournaments like this maybe our descent into indecency and incivility would slow a bit.
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