Setbacks won’t end Saudi league plans

Top players opt to stay with US PGA Tour; others think upstart group won’t stop

MIAMI:

Even after several top stars said they are staying with the US PGA Tour over a proposed Saudi-funded rival, other players do not see the upstart group stopping anytime soon.

Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Rory McIlroy were among the top players who last week expressed their PGA support over the Saudi Golf League plan backed by Greg Norman and LIV Golf Investments.

But US stars Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler see the big money and other issues that made the Saudi league tempting not going away quickly.

"I think it's going to still keep going," four-time major winner Koepka said. "I think there will still be talk. Everyone talks about money. They've got enough of it.

"I don't see it backing down. They can just double up and they'll figure it out. They'll get their guys. Somebody will sell out and go to it."

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson on Tuesday apologized for comments from an upcoming book calling the Saudi backers "scary" and saying his desire for leverage over the PGA in a bid for more money allowed him to excuse concerns over human rights issues.

"He can think whatever he wants to think, man. He can do whatever he wants to do," Koepka said. "I'm happy with the PGA Tour. I think everybody out here is happy. I think a lot of people out here have the same opinion."

Mickelson didn't back away from issues he had with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who met with players over the Saudi proposal at the Honda Classic, which tees off Thursday at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

"I don't see it going away," Fowler said. "They're not scared about the situation. It has been interesting to kind of learn the ins and outs of both sides, but yeah, it has been an interesting week or so these last five to seven days."

Fowler said competition for the PGA might lead to changes and improvements.

"I've always looked at having competition as a good thing," Fowler said. "Ultimately I think that if everything kind of goes the right way, I think everyone comes out in a better place.