For the upcoming court battles between golf’s traditional main player, the PGA, and the players from the new challenger will not only help determine what the entire sport of golf will look like in the future – they will also have an impact on other sports, including football. They are called “the LIV 11”, the, yes, 11 players who have sued the PGA Tour for the right to play their tournaments, while at the same time they have signed for the competitor LIV. Cake party “You can’t have your cake and eat it too”, as the saying that is constantly reproduced in these contexts is in English. In Norwegian, something very close to this with not being able to get in both a bag and a sack. In these contexts, the bags and sacks are full of oil millions from the Gulf state of Saudi Arabia. In other words, you cannot say yes to this and at the same time choose freely to continue playing tournaments also with the competitor. If you have chosen the insane sums that the best players have received to play for LIV, you have chosen what are the most important competitions under the PGA tab. CONSEQUENCES: The case of Talor Gooch could have far-reaching consequences. Photo: Seth Wenig / AP Three threaten the PGA Tour While awaiting the proper trial, three of the aforementioned players, Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford and Matt Jones, this Tuesday in a court in San Jose, California would ask for a so-called temporary injunction to play next weekend’s PGA Play Off, where they are the only ones of the aforementioned 11 to qualify. And the three may well be successful. American competition law is basically restrictive when it comes to exploiting a dominant position, which the PGA Tour does here anyway. And the possibilities of getting a temporary permit pending a more thorough treatment are greater anyway. The announced legal case could nevertheless have considerably more extensive consequences. The contagion effect of a Saudi Arabian victory If the LIV players succeed, the road to some kind of cooperation with the PGA Tour will be shorter than anyone had dreamed. Then Saudi Arabia and their petroleum fund won a more prestigious victory than any golf tournament can give. Therefore, you should also pay close attention to what happens next, whether you are interested in golf or not. GOOD TONE: Donald Trump is among the supporters of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman’s golf project. Photo: HANDOUT / Reuters In Europe, the Super League in football has gone to the European Court of Justice with what they believe is UEFA’s exploitation of monopoly power for its own benefit. Well, European law is different, but the signaling effect will be significant. And other sports can easily be tempted to think the same unscrupulous thoughts – when you still cannot prevent the darkest forces of sport. Saudi Arabia has succeeded much better in its attempt to take over the dominance of the sport of golf than anyone had thought. In any case, it has gone much faster to persuade many of the best players to become part of the project than anyone had guessed. Maybe it’s not so strange. Absurd sums of money often do something to human morals and emotions. The sport’s own fixed star, Tiger Woods, is far from being the player he once was. Nevertheless, he has been offered an amount of up to NOK 800 million just to sign for the Saudi Arabians. Woods has enough style – and enough money – to firmly say no. NO: Was the answer to Tiger Woods when LIV wanted him along. Photo: Peter Morrison / AP The players are turning It is about the entire future of golf. And those who try to keep it as it has been, are on a strong retreating front. For an increasingly astonishing array of players have agreed to play for this new construction, which is fully financed by the Saudi Arabian state through its oil fund PIF – and has supporters such as Donald Trump, who hosts two of the rounds on the tour, when he don’t waste your time being searched. After LIV at the start almost said yes to everyone who wanted to join, they have already started to say no to top 50 players in the world, who want one of the 48 places they have in their tournament. And this growing restlessness among the best is only creating more unrest on the PGA Tour. Our own Viktor Hovland has gained respect by being very clear about his rejection, after a long period of speculation. The captain who left the ship first The last to break out of the ranks is instead the Swedes’ biggest star, Henrik Stenson. With this, LIV also broke another psychological barrier. Stenson was named last winter to the very prestigious post of Ryder Cup captain for Europe in next year’s long-awaited showdown against the USA. In that connection, he stated when asked directly that he was not going to sign for any breakout tournament, i.e. LIV. “Captain has an appointment,” as he said. An agreement which in the world of golf will symbolize something more and something bigger. The promise was kept for less than five months. TOP: Sweden’s Stenson won the LIV tournament at Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey. Photo: Seth Wenig / AP As thanks, he was immediately fired as Ryder Cup captain. But history, the team and the continent lost to the oil money. Last weekend, Stenson played his first LIV tournament in New Jersey – and won. Swedish Stenson has lost his honor and credibility, many would think, but still became more than 40 million Norwegian kroner richer from the 54 battles the LIV competition contains. 54, also known as precisely LIFE, for those who still define the world in Roman numerals. For those who think this is as prehistoric as part of the means of power Saudi Arabia uses to achieve its will in a sporting context, it may soon be swallowing the bitter defeat, breathing deeply and counting to X.
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