ST. ALBANS, England – Graeme McDowell accepts it is “incredibly polarizing” to join the Saudi-funded rebel golf tour. He even offered a reason why.
“Take the Khashoggi situation,” he said. “We all agree that’s reprehensible. Nobody is going to argue that fact.”
The Northern Irishman was referencing the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. U.S. intelligence services said they believe the killing of the U.S.-based Saudi journalist came at the orders of the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who heads the Public Investment Fund. The prince denies wrongdoing.
The Saudi sovereign wealth fund is providing the hundreds of millions of dollars in sign-on fees and prize money that is enticing players away from the established tours and jeopardizing their participation in the majors and Ryder Cup.