Richard Bland, speaking on the Sky Sports Golf podcast: “I think for the younger players it [joining a possible Saudi Golf League] is a big gamble. There’s a lot of rumours, but it’s going to happen. For how long, I don’t know, but it’s going to happen”
Last Updated: 08/02/22 12:42pm
Richard Bland (right) in action alongside Rory McIlroy at The 149th Open
Richard Bland believes joining a possible Saudi Golf League could be considered a gamble for younger players and feels the breakaway competition is lacking the star appeal of Rory McIlroy.
Greg Norman is the figurehead of a Saudi-backed $300million investment from LIV Golf Investments into the Asian Tour, something he described as “only the beginning”, with the former world No 1 also expected to become the commissioner of a new breakaway Super Golf League (SGL).
The tournaments and formats for the potential league have yet to be publicly announced, with reports of $1.5billion being available to lure players to move from the PGA Tour, although Bryson DeChambeau denied he has been offered £100m to feature.
Bryson DeChambeau denied reports he has been offered $135million (£100m) to appear in the Saudi Golf League
McIlroy has previously spoken out against a potential SGL, referring to the venture last year as a “money grab” and liking it to the European Super League muted in football, while Phil Mickelson admitted that the prospect of players defecting to it has given players more leverage with the PGA Tour.
“I haven’t given it a huge amount of thought, because at the minute it’s not affecting me,” Bland told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. “Nobody has approached me and I’m certainly not expecting to be approached!
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“It’s a difficult one, because the money being thrown around is tough to turn down for these players. The people signing are the older players and the ones maybe coming towards their autumn of their careers. They’re thinking about a huge pay out and who wouldn’t, probably?
“What does DJ do in four or five years if he wants to go back and play in America – are they going to welcome him back with open arms? It’s a tough one and a real spanner in the works for the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour.
Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau were both in action at the Saudi International last week, financially backed by the same people proposing the Saudi Golf League
“Personally, I think it needs Rory McIlroy. Whether you’ve got a Jon Rahm, you’ve got a Collin Morikawa, you’ve got a Justin Thomas or you’ve got a DJ signed up, McIlroy is still the No 1 draw in golf.
“If they [SGL] turn around in five years and said this isn’t what we wanted, we’re not getting the returns or whatever they hope to make out of it, where does that leave players if the PGA Tour and DP World Tour say ‘you’re not coming back to us’?
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Jordan Spieth said last month that the Saudi Arabia’s lucrative investment in golf is ‘a threat’ to the PGA Tour, but will be a boost to players
“If you’re in your early 30s, someone like a Tyrrell Hatton, is this going to be around for the next 20 years? We don’t know. I think for the younger players it’s a big gamble. There’s a lot of rumours, but it’s going to happen. For how long, I don’t know, but it’s going to happen.”
Ryder Cup risk for players?
Lee Westwood, 48, admitted last year it would be a “no-brainer” to sign a multi-million-pound contract at this stage of his career and it would be understandable if players of a similar age were equally tempted by a massive payday.
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Lee Westwood admits ahead of the 2021 PGA Championship it would be a ‘no-brainer’ if he was offered a multi-million pound contract to play in a breakaway golf league
The former world No 1 revealed at the Saudi International he had signed a non-disclosure agreement about any possible participation in the SGL, with reports suggesting both Westwood and Ryder Cup team-mate Ian Poulter had been offered up to $30m to join the breakaway league.
“If it is the $30m that it seems to be, if that’s true, it’s a lot of money to turn away from,” Bland added. “I don’t care how much cash you’ve got and I’m sure Lee [Westwood] has more than enough to spend in many lifetimes, but you would say he has also earned the right for it as well.
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Rob Lee and Jamie Spence give their verdict on the Saudi government’s big financial investment into the Asian Tour and the possible threat it poses to the structure of the global game
“He has been a stalwart of the European Tour for god knows how many years and he’s a legend, rightly so, so at the end of the day you can’t stop him from doing it. I know the Tour are trying to sort of work it so that Ryder Cup captaincy is in jeopardy if you do go, but then you’re asking him how much do you want to be Ryder Cup captain.
“It’s the same with Poulter isn’t it. If you go back 10 years, you’d say Poulter is absolutely nailed-on to be Ryder Cup captain. Now you might look at it that if he signs up for this Saudi Golf League, then he might not be a Ryder Cup captain.
“If you go on 10 years from today and you look back and say Poulter never captained the Ryder Cup? You wouldn’t think it, but $30m is a lot of money to turn down.”
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