Johannesburg — How do you say no to a guaranteed R1.8m per event if you’re a South African golf professional coming up through the ranks? And that’s just per event in the Saudi-funded LIV golf series which begins in London on Thursday.
On Tuesday, SA’s top-ranked Louis Oosthuizen confirmed he has quit the PGA Tour — and according to reports so have fellow PGA Tour members Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel. This is to avoid heavy sanctions from the PGA Tour, which currently do not allow its players to compete on both tours.
Oosthuizen and Schwartzel are both major champions, while Grace has won nine times on the DP World Tour (DPWT) (formerly European Tour).
Without disrespect to the other five South Africans (Hennie du Plessis, JC Ritchie, Justin Harding, Oliver Bekker and Shaun Norris) signed up to play in the first LIV event, Oosthuizen, Schwartzel and Grace are by far the best golfers of the current generation of SA professionals.
The trio have already earned the big bucks in their careers, and could safely retire in luxury with their earnings to date.
Schwartzel has earned $20 912 493 or R308m on the US PGA Tour and 17 672 195 Euros or R291m on the DPWT. Oosthuizen has pocketed $28 124 759 (R432m) on the US PGA Tour and 19 334 034 Euros (R313m) on the DPWT. Grace has made $12 223 147 (R188m) on the PGA Tour and 14152358 Euros (R233m) on the DPWT.
It’s clear to see then, that Oosthuizen, Schwartzel and Grace would not be swayed easily unless vast sums of money were on offer by the Saudi-funded LIV golf series. However, that’s exactly the case.
The format for the tournaments will be just three rounds (54 holes), with 48 players and no cut. There will be both an individual event and a team event. The team event will be split into 12 groups of four golfers.
The season will feature eight events, with the final tournament being a purely matchplay team event according to seedings from the first seven events. Each regular season event will offer a first prize of 20m US dollars or an incredible R309m. Last place, or 48th position, will receive 120 000 US dollars or R1.8m.
'I feel so good about LIV Golf.' ⚡
Phil Mickelson explains a recent break from golf and his excitement at joining the new series. pic.twitter.com/0PCWJlRjUX
If any of Oosthuizen, Schwartzel and Grace won a LIV golf series event — it would effectively double their career earnings on a single tour. And there are seven opportunities to do just that, and that’s excluding the final event which is purely a team competition for which they will also be paid handsomely. For Du Plessis, Ritchie, Harding, Bekker and Norris - the money will have an infinitely greater sway.
And that is how you say yes to an incredible paycheque or series of guaranteed paycheques. As a golf writer, I certainly can’t say what it’s like to be one of the best professional golfers in the world. But providing for your family, and future generations is something everyone can identify with.
Of course many will argue you can’t separate politics and sport, which is true. However, when you put yourself in the position of one of those top golfers being offered those sums of money — it’s easy to see why a player will choose to turn a blind eye to where the money is coming from, and ‘look after your own’ instead.
The Saudi regime is reprehensible with its human rights abuses, and the government’s alleged involvement in LIV has been largely condemned. And rightly so, the Saudi government was responsible for the killing of journalist Jamal Kashoggi, with his body dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Looking at it as a player - to turn down the opportunity (while turning a blind eye to where the money is coming from) to secure your entire future in the matter of weeks is not something many would turn down — and those who say they would, haven’t been in that position.
IOL Sport