The PGA Tour is the gold standard in golf. The best players in the world competing on a global stage weekly. Golf stars like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Ian Poulter and Bryson DeChambeau belting 330 yard drives or sinking 25-foot putts.
For many average Joe’s, golf is the preferred sport. It’s also difficult to master, which makes our admiration of the PGA Tour’s superstars understandable. That said, the celebration of these stars has dampened over the last several months. Why? LIV Golf.
A professional tour financed by the Public Investment Fund (sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia), LIV Golf launched earlier this year and has recruited some of the PGA’s best golfers to compete in its tournaments. LIV Golf is also criticized as a form of sportswashing and has come under fire by the media, human rights activists and the families of 9/11 victims and survivors. Saudi Arabia doesn’t have an outstanding human rights record and golf – along with its superstars – are being used to divert attention away from that fact. This is sportswashing.
Why then are PGA Tour players flocking to LIV Golf knowing this truth? Money. While several PGA Tour players make a tremendous living, it’s a continuous uphill battle to earn that purse each weekend. Golf’s stars are being promised millions, via contracts, to just participate in LIV Golf tournaments. No need to win. Just play. That’s tempting.
Look, golf isn’t my thing. I’ve tried it. It’s frustrating and I’ve spent more time in the sand than David Hasselhoff (Happy Gilmore reference). However, PR is my thing and I’m floored at how unprepared these professionals are to address fair, difficult questions, while justifying their reasoning for joining LIV. You have to know these tough questions are coming and you must be better prepared to answer them. Here are a few examples:
- LIV’s CEO Greg Norman was asked about Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record and said, “we’ve all made mistakes.” He also claimed that he doesn’t “look into the politics of things.” Yikes.
- Ireland’s Graeme McDowell was asked about Jamal Khashoggi – a reporter assassinated by Saudi Arabia operatives. While claiming the Khashoggi “situation” was “reprehensible,” McDowell quickly transitioned to “we’re golfers and speaking personally I feel golf is a force of good in the world.” McDowell is literally defining sportswashing.
- Britain’s Lee Westwood claimed, “we could stand here and argue all day, but it’s a [media thing].” No, no it’s not a media thing.
- America’s Talor Gooch was asked about sportswashing and responded with “I don’t think that’s fair. Also, I’m a golfer. I’m not that smart. I try to hit a golf ball into a small hole. Golf is hard enough.” Poor response. Golf’s difficulty doesn’t equate to the seriousness of the sportswashing topic.
- And, of course, we can’t forget comments made by Phil Mickelson. Mickelson detailed Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record to Alan Shipnuck (the reporter writing his biography), before claiming those thoughts were supposed to be off the record. In those comments, he also said he’d never consider joining LIV. He is now participating in LIV events. Wildly poor thinking here from Phil. Also, c’mon Phil. Nothing is off the record anymore.
These are tough questions, but they are fair questions. Several golfers and LIV executives – including those listed above – have been unprepared to answer them. As a result, the public perception of LIV continues to fall and it will continue to come under fire.
I’m not here to tell you how to think. LIV Golf is polarizing and it’s okay – in my opinion – to support or oppose. That said, each golfer is aware of how LIV Golf is funded and they’ve elected to join. That’s their choice. However, these stars are demonstrating a PR Disaster Class and need to be better prepared to address the challenging questions they face. Take accountability, understand the opposing point of view and deliver an honest response. At the very least, you’ll be credited with telling the truth.
