Golf Week reported on the 12th (Korean time) that the US Professional Golf (PGA) Tour allowed several players, including last year’s Rookie of the Year, Cameron Young (USA) to compete in the Asian Professional Golf Tour PIF Saudi International. ) reported.
The media reported that the PGA Tour approved the request to participate in the PIF Saudi International, submitted by Young, 2021 Bermuda Championship winner Lucas Herbert (Australia), and long hitter Cameron Champ (USA), who won three career victories.
However, he added that the PGA Tour refused to disclose how many players were permitted to play and who they were.
A PGA Tour player must obtain approval from the PGA Tour to compete on another tour during a PGA Tour event.
The PIF Saudi International, held at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Economic City from February 2-5, coincides with the PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The reason why the participation in PIF Saudi International became a sensitive issue is that LIV golf, which continues to be in an extreme confrontation with the PGA Tour, sprouted at PIF Saudi International.
As the title sponsor of the PIF Saudi International Tournament, PIF is the de facto owner of the money for LIV Golf.
PIF, a sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, conceived of LIV golf in the process of hosting the tournament, paying a large amount of invitation fees to the top players of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour (formerly the European Professional Golf Tour) to participate, and is currently the signboard of LIV golf. He formed relationships with players such as Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau (above USA).
For this reason, since the beginning of LIV Golf, the PGA Tour has been sensitive to the participation of its players in the PIF Saudi International.
I suspect that LIV Golf is using PIF Saudi International as a channel to steal players.
In particular, Young, who is expected to be the next star of the PGA Tour, once confessed that he was shaken by the offer from LIV Golf. 온라인카지노
The reason why the PGA Tour allowed Young and other players to participate in the PIF Saudi International International this time seems to be an attempt to find a compromise with the PIF while appeasing the players.
PIF Saudi International was originally a DP World Tour event, but with the launch of LIV Golf, the relationship between the title sponsor PIF and the DP World Tour deteriorated and it was changed to the Asian Professional Golf Tour.
PIF invested 200 million dollars (approximately 24.9 billion won) a year from last year on the Asian Pro Golf Tour and in effect bought the Asian Pro Golf Tour.
The PGA Tour will fight LIV Golf, but the strategy is to refrain from confrontation with the Asian Professional Golf Tour.
Unlike LIV Golf, which blatantly steals players even if the same PIF is the owner, and competes for the same market as the PGA Tour, the Asian Professional Golf Tour has an attitude of treating it as a partner.
It seems to mean that it will allow players to participate in the PIF Saudi International International, which pays a large amount of invitation fee, and prevent the complete transition to LIV golf.