TONY JACKLIN, the golfing hall-of-famer, a two-time major winner and four time European Ryder Cup captain has been speaking about the Saudi Golf League today and had a few interesting points about the Saudi funded project.
He believes that it would be 'foolish' to think it's dead in the water after Rory Mcllroy said this during the week.
The breakaway proposed Saudi Golf League has been spearheaded by former world no 1 Greg Norman and has come under scrutiny from all angles of the Golf family.
Phil Mickelson backtracked on his comments around joining the league and Mcllroy has stuck to his guns by pledging his allegiance to the PGA Tour.
Mcllroy earlier in the week said the project was 'dead in the water', but Jacklin doesn't agree with that stance,
"It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words," said the 51-year-oldhttps://t.co/vYv6XgeIAl
— The Irish Post (@theirishpost) February 23, 2022
Speaking on behalf of BoyleSports golf he said
'Assumption is the mother of all screw ups, so I would never assume that it was 'dead in the water' like Rory McIlroy said, just because five or six people have come down in favour of the tour. I think this thing has a long way to go yet.'
'They have signed a lot of very smart people up, whether it's TV execs, rules people, people who deal with commercial entities etcetera. We'd be foolish to think it's dead in the water just because a handful of people don't agree with it. '
"So many golfers these days are pretty set - they can make their minds up on what they want to without any worries. I fully understand someone like Lee Westwood, a bloke in his late forties, seeing a Saudi arrangement attractive.'
Jacklin also mentioned that there are attractive elements to the project and that money isn't the only factor at play.
'So the Saudi tournament has some attractive elements to it - not just the money, but the time element, the matchplay element, the team element. All things which might spice the entertainment up around golf. I hope it can create more opportunities and less animosity amongst the game's biggest names.
"Rory is well respected everywhere he goes, he is highly intelligent and speaks from the heart and has a platform to speak his mind in his position as chairman of the Player Advisory Council. When he speaks, he has to think first. He does not take things for granted.
"He has firmly come down on the side of the PGA Tour as a man who has always set out to win majors and stay on safe ground, not upset the apple cart, especially with him being close to the commissioner.
The 77-year-old also wanted the Irishman to see it from the other side and said he should understand who do want to join the league.
"But I would say that as a man worth as much as he is, money is no object for him. He has no reason to have his head turned by Saudi Arabia, as he explained in the week, but perhaps he should understand those who do."
🗣️ "Who's left? It's dead in the water."
Rory McIlroy said the proposed Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway golf league was "dead in the water" after Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau committed to the PGA Tour. ⛳— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 21, 2022
