Saudi Arabian Golf League Reportedly Offering Tens Of Millions To PGA Golfers In Start-Up Bid

First the new “Super League” in European soccer, now it’s the “Premier Golf League.” The former fell apart within days of its announcement, but the latter seems to be picking up steam, at least enough that the PGA Tour commissioner felt the need to comment on it. 

The Saudi Arabian-backed league has emerged in recent months as a legitimate threat to steal away some of the major talent that currently resides on the PGA Tour. Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and many others, have reportedly been offered $30 million contracts to join the new league which would begin play in September 2022. 

In a meeting with players on Tuesday night, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told players that joining the Premier Golf League would come with serious consequences. As first reported by The Guardian, Monahan reportedly told the players that joining the league would mean an automatic suspension and possibly a permanent ban from the PGA Tour. 

On Wednesday, Rory McIlroy made it clear that the Premier Golf League is not in his future. 

“They first contacted me back in 2014, so this is seven years down the line and nothing has really changed. Maybe the source of the money’s changed or the people that are in charge have changed, but nothing has happened, “McIlroy said on Wednesday. “No sponsorship deals, no media deals, no players have signed up, no manufacturers have signed up. There’s been so many iterations at this point.” 

“You go back to what happened last week in Europe with the European Super League in football. People can see it for what it is, which is a money grab, which is fine if that’s what you’re playing for is to make as much money as possible. That’s fine, then go and do that if that’s what makes you happy.”

“But I think the top players in the game, I’m just speaking my own personal beliefs, like I’m playing this game to try to cement my place in history and my legacy and to win major championships and to win the biggest tournaments in the world,” McIlroy continued. “That’s why I’m playing this game. Golf has been very good to me, obviously, over the years by playing in Europe starting off, coming over to the PGA Tour and playing here. I honestly don’t think there’s a better structure in place in golf, and I don’t think there will be. You have the strategic partnership as well between Europe and the PGA Tour, and that’s only going to strengthen the structure of golf going forward as well in terms of scheduling and all sorts of other stuff and working together a little bit more.”

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But while McIlroy has stated that he has no interest in leaving the PGA Tour, the money the Premier Golf League is reportedly offering may be enticing for some. 

51-year old Phil Mickelson would reportedly stand to make $100 million per year to play in the new league. That’s a lot of money to walk away from for a player in the twilight of his career. 

“I think the fans would love it because they would see the best players play exponentially more times,” Mickelson told ESPN and Golf Channel reporters on Wednesday. “Instead of four or five times, it would be 20 times … I don’t know what the final number is.” 

“But that’s a big deal to give up control of your schedule. I don’t know if the players would be selfless enough to do that. But every other sport, the entity or teams or leagues control the schedule.The players kind of play where they are told to play. Whereas here, we’re able to control it.” 

Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].

The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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