Saudi golf officials, led by new CEO Greg Norman, met with Eric Trump in New York earlier this week with a view to hosting some of the breakaway tournaments at the golf clubs owned and run by the Trump family.
It is understood that Turnberry, the Ayrshire links that is still on the Open rota, was discussed as were other layouts in Ireland, Dubai and the US that are in the portfolio of former President Donald Trump.
As bizarre as it would seem, it does not stretch credibility too far to suggest that an event is held at Turnberry next year, although that would almost certainly only be an Asian Tour tournament as the mission goes on to form a global Saudi Golf League featuring some of the game’s biggest names.
President Trump has been furious at the golf authorities for ignoring his courses. Next year’s US PGA was due to be held at Trump National in New Jersey, before being switched because of the former president’s incessant courting with controversy, while the R&A has revealed that the British major will not be revisiting Turnberry so long as Trump is owner.
While a Saudi-Trump relationship would be seen as highly toxic partnership, it could also be a marriage of rich convenience.
Plans for the rebel circuit have made headlines this season, but so much has remained in the dark. At least now there is a public face. Telegraph Sport revealed two weeks ago that Norman, the two-time major winner, was being appointed to spearhead the venture and Friday brought confirmation – of sorts.
Norman was announced as the chief executive of LIV Golf Investments, a freshly-formed company backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund which is funding a new 10-tournament series on the Asian Tour from next year. The PIF – which, earlier this month, completed its takeover of Newcastle United – will invest at least $200 million (£145 million) over the next decade.
“This is only the beginning,” said Norman, who is understood to have signed his own multi-year deal, with an annual seven-figure salary. “The Asian Tour is a sleeping giant… and we see our promotion of these new events as a vital first step in supporting emerging markets.”
This long-term agreement provides the Saudis with two key elements they require to get their League off the ground, including access to world ranking points and a feeder tour to provide a stream of players.
This is over and above the Saudi International, the former European Tour event which is also now on the Asian Tour with a boosted $5 million purse. Players such as Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell and Henrik Stenson have applied for releases from the PGA Tour to appear in this event and it will be intriguing to see how Sawgrass HQ responds, especially in the light of this latest news.
At the moment, however, Tour insiders point out that the SGL has yet to reveal any details of the global circuit and that these 10 events in no way represent an existential threat to the traditional sections of the pro game. Most pertinently, not one player has actually yet committed to the Saudis, despite the eye-watering figures being offered.
Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner, warned in May that anyone signing up with the SGL would face a lifetime ban. That, together with the “strategic alliance” between the PGA and European Tours and negative feedback from the majors, forced the SGL to think again and this can be seen as a bid for power via a more subtle route than simply dangling $100m contracts in the faces of superstars.
Phil Mickelson has made no secret of his interest and Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Adam Scott are also believed to have been in talks.