PGA Tour Making Changes Amid Saudi Challenge

Voice of America
22 Jun 2022, 21:35 GMT+10

The PGA Golf Tour is considering changes to its calendar and boosted purses for a series of tournaments as it deals with a challenge from a golf series backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

People who spoke with The Associated Press and other news outlets after a meeting Tuesday with Commissioner Jay Monahan said next year's PGA Tour schedule could include purses of at least $20 million for eight tournaments.

The existing system, which has tour events running from October through September, would be replaced by a calendar-year schedule that would address complaints that golfers do not get enough of an offseason.

The tour has seen a number of high-profile players leave for the LIV Golf Invitational Series, which offers $25 million in prize money for its tournaments. Those events also feature fewer holes to be played, and some top players are said to have received advances of at least $100 million.

Critics of the Saudi-backed series, including human rights groups, say the kingdom is seeking to use sports to improve its image.

The PGA Tour has suspended players who have signed up to play in the Saudi series.

Among the latest to join the Saudi series are Mexico's Abraham Ancer, the 20th- ranked player in the world, and American Brooks Koepka, who was among the first to speak out against the PGA's new series.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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