Golf Saudi CEO Majed Al Sorour: "The majors are indeed the best platform where LIV golfers and other tours golfers can compete, despite the PGA Tour's suspension of our players."
Friday 21 October 2022 11:16, UK
The CEO of Golf Saudi has spoken out to clarify “misrepresented” reports that the breakaway LIV Golf circuit could create its own major championships.
LIV Golf members are currently banned from competing on the PGA Tour, while the lack of Official Golf World Ranking (OWGR) points available in the Saudi-backed events means it is becoming increasingly difficult for their members to qualify for majors.
The governing bodies running the four men's majors - The Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and The Open - have yet to clarify their stance on whether LIV Golf players will be eligible to feature, with Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson among the members holding exemptions to play in those events.
Golf Saudi CEO Majed Al Sorour was reported in the New Yorker this week suggesting that LIV Golf would create their own majors, should its members be banned from competing, although insists he has the "upmost respect" for those currently in the calendar.
In a statement on social media, Sorour said: "I had a casual conversation with a New Yorker reporter at LIV's Boston event a few weeks ago, during which I expressed my frustration at the unfortunate blackballing of LIV Golf players by the PGA Tour.
"When it comes to the majors, tournaments that stand alone and are independent of LIV, I have the upmost respect for the majors. The majors are about history, heritage, true competition and honor. The story wrongfully expressed and misrepresented my views.
"The majors are indeed the best platform where LIV golfers and other tours' golfers can compete, despite the PGA Tour's suspension of our players.
"As a LIV Golf Board member and managing director, I am here to accomplish our LIV Golf investment chairman and the board's strategic direction by building a team, growing the game and defending player rights. That is my only interest."
Rory McIlroy said he did not agree with Mickelson's assertion that the PGA Tour is "trending downwards" and added that golfers who joined LIV Golf have thrust the sport into a state of flux.
Six-times major winner Mickelson said last week that he was happy with his decision to join LIV and that he had picked the "winning side".
"I don't agree with what Phil said - I certainly don't see the PGA Tour trending downward at all," McIlroy said ahead of his CJ Cup title defence. "I don't think anyone that takes a logical view of the game of golf can agree with what he said.
"The guys that went over to LIV, they're the ones that have made the disruption, they're the ones that have sort of put the golf world in flux right now. I guess for them to be talking the way they are, it's bold and I think there's a ton of propaganda being used and all sorts of stuff."
