Unlike most other sports,
golf has offered little pushback to Saudi Arabia’s attempts to repair its reputation
It is no mean feat to be instantly recognised by the world’s leading golfers. But then Majed al-Sorour bears gifts like few others. It is little wonder players lined up to take part in a video message for Sorour’s birthday given appearance fees for the recent Saudi International totalled around $15m. When Sorour, the chief executive of Golf Saudi, whistles there are precious few golfers unwilling to trundle along in line. That Kevin Na can command a payment just for turning up tells all about the scale of this lucrative operation. No offence etc.
Saudi Arabia’s golf manoeuvres were the key theme for discussion among decision makers in the sport even before
United States intelligence services issued a report that stated the crown prince,
Mohammed bin Salman, ordered the murder of the journalist
Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Saudi Arabia wants to be at golf’s top table and has the resources to make that possible. In theory, that is.