This week, we were reminded that money talks as many pro golfers decided to take the money and play for the Saud-backed LIV Golf series.
Golfers like former Masters champ Sergio Garcia and 6-time major champ Phil Mickelson have decided to take their balls and go play on the LIV Golf tour.
However, when faced with tough questions from the media about their decision to play on the tour, it’s been hard for the golfers to explain where they draw the line from a moral perspective.
Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, specifically, were essentially left speechless when a reporter asked them, “Is there anywhere in the world you wouldn’t play? If Vladimir Putin had a tournament, would you play there?”
Westwood looked stunned while Poulter could only answer “that’s just speculation, I’m not even going to comment on speculation.”
However, the reporter continued his line of questioning, asking “is there anywhere you wouldn’t play on a moral basis, if the money was right?’
Poulter said he couldn’t answer a hypothetical question.
The line of questioning seemed to have taken both golfers aback but it has merits.
The U.S. said that a Saudi prince signed off on the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi back in 2018. That is why it is shocking to many that golfers from around the globe have chosen to play on this tour, knowing what the world knows about this country signing their checks.