This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning. Here’s Blake Schuster.
Bryson DeChambeau is in his second year as a member of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league. He’s had to comment on all the moral arguments against taking money from notorious abusers of human rights multiple times. And he still can’t get it right.
During a truly disgraceful CNN interview with Kaitlan Collins, DeChambeau was asked to respond to anger from the families of 9/11 victims who hold Saudi Arabia accountable for its role in the attacks. In a statement released Tuesday after the merger was announced, the Families of 9/11 United blasted pro golf as just “more paid Saudi shills”.
So how did Bryson respond? By acting like a paid Saudi shill.
Some selected highlights from DeChambeau’s answer:
- “I think as time has gone on, 20 years have passed, and we’re in a place where it’s time to start trying to work together to make things better together as a whole.”
- “We have to look towards a pathway to peace and forgiveness.”
- “What they’re trying to work on, is be better allies, because we are allied with them. I’m not going to get into the politics of it, I’m not specialized in that.”
- “What I can say is they’re trying to do good for the world and showcase themselves in a light that hasn’t been seen in a while.”
- “Nobody is perfect, but we’re all trying to improve in life.”
You don’t have to be a politician or specialize in Middle East history to understand right from wrong. Bryson knows this. He was just sticking to the party line. LIV golfers have routinely sidestepped these issues by saying it’s above their pay grade — which is quite the suggestion when you’re earning upwards of $20 million per year — or that they are simply just golfers trying to grow the game.
“Nobody is perfect” is not close to an acceptable response to survivors and victims of 9/11 if there even is one.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who should be out of a job immediately, didn’t have a much better answer on Wednesday when pressed on the same question.
As for the rest of the players on the PGA Tour? They better get ready to answer the same questions — and trot out the same talking points as DeChambeau — because this is their reality now. Monahan can hide from the microphones and cameras. Players can’t. Not when they’re on the course and doing media nearly every single week for much of the year.
At least when LIV was in full-on recruitment mode the players who defected had a choice. The pros who remained on Tour, the ones who foolishly trusted Monahan would look out for them, won’t even get the absurd payday that came with sportswashing on behalf of the Saudis.
You can bet a majority of PGA golfers saw DeChambeau’s comments on Tuesday. More likely than not they know the same questions are coming for them and their options are limited. Denounce the country that now owns pro golf and good luck getting back in the game again. Try to excuse their behavior like Bryson did and get labeled a Saudi shill. Refuse to answer and look like a coward.
The loyalists who stayed with the Tour don’t deserve the inevitable criticism coming their way, but these questions over Saudi financing are coming regardless.
The PGA has backed its players into an awful mess and it’s the guys on the course who will be front facing in the charge to clean things up. Whether they want to or not, this is their reality now.
Surely Bryson will be happy to pass along the company talking points to anyone who needs them.
Quick Hits: Josh Allen on the cover of Madden 24 … Chris Paul out in Phoenix … and more.
— Rory McIlroy sounded so defeated in his first public comments on the PGA-LIV merger. Oh, and he still has a tournament to play in starting today.
— Josh Allen will grace the cover of Madden 24 and the Buffalo Bills will attempt to prove curses don’t exist.
— Chris Paul has reportedly been notified he will be waived by the Phoenix Suns this offseason. Where could he land next? And how do the Suns replace him?