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Martin Kaymer says he wonders what the response will be from those who criticized him for joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf – in the wake of a proposed bomb deal between the Saudis themselves, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.
“I’m really looking forward to the reaction now of all the people who said, ‘We don’t want to play for blood money. “We don’t want to sell our souls,” Kaymer said. telegraph In a story published on Saturday – and that You can read here.
“Well now they need to move to Japan [and play on the Japan Tour], in order to stay true to their word. “
Kaymer’s comments come after the deal announced Tuesday that it would create a new for-profit foundation that will be managed by the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, ending pending litigation between the parties. At the very least, the agreement came as a shock. Since LIV began play a year ago, the series has attracted many pros with guaranteed deals and big money, the tour has responded with a revamped schedule and bolstered portfolios, and lawsuits have been filed by each side.
Criticisms have also been made, with one attacking those who joined LIV because they were playing for a group whose country has a poor human rights record and has links to 9/11 – and that golfers were “sport-washing”. In the interview with telegraphKaymer, a two-time major winner and former world number one from Germany, said he had heard these thoughts.
“I stood by my values and I stood by the feeling in my heart,” Kaymer said. telegraph. “I was brave enough and stood up for myself in front of a lot of people, also here in Germany who criticized me and gave me embarassment.
Funny enough, they sent me cute messages [since the announcement]. It’s a hypocritical world we live in…so, it’s more important that you make your own decisions. Don’t judge too much because when all is said and done, you might as well do the same.”
On the PGA Tour side, perhaps LIV’s biggest critic is Guy Monahan, the tour’s commissioner. To that end, Rory McIlroy, himself also outspoken against the rival league, was asked on Wednesday: “During this back and forth over the last year, Guy Monahan at one point said a deal like that would never happen out of respect for the victims of 9/11. You obviously I’m not responsible for what Mr. Monahan says, but you can see why this stirred up so many feelings in the fans, right?”
McIlroy did.
He said, “You said it to Jay yesterday: You turned everybody against something and this thing you pitted everybody against you were now participating in.” So, yeah, of course I understand that. It’s hypocrisy. It sounds hypocritical.
“The only thing I would say is, again, like it or not, the PIF and the Saudis want to spend money on golf. Which I’ve always thought about, how do we get that money into the game, but use it the right way. And I think that’s what this will do in the end, I hope. I mean, that’s my hope.”
Also in telegraph In an interview, Kaymer believes LIV golfers should be allowed to play in the upcoming Ryder Cup, and said he received a call on Tuesday from Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund.
Kaymer is a captain on LIV, and it’s not entirely clear what’s going to happen with the series.
“[Al-Rumayyan] He congratulated me on making the right decision and trusting the entire product,” Kaymer told telegraph. “And I’m so proud of myself for doing that. For PIF to come in now and buy the PGA Tour, support the PGA Tour, everybody’s surprised, I guess.”