Explainer: the Phil Mickelson-Saudi Arabia golf controversy
Golfer Phil Mickelson called Saudis “scary” in a recently surfaced interview. The fallout exposed a riff in the golf community over a Saudi-funded league that aims to compete with the PGA Tour, which has been criticized for its treatment of players.
Golf superstar Phil Mickelson is in hot water over recent comments he made about Saudi Arabia.
What happened: The controversy relates to the Super Golf League, a proposed golf league backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. The league aims to compete with the PGA Tour, which is the dominant golf competition for men in North America. The Super Golf League is led by the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Investments.
Mickelson has been supportive of the Saudi project, viewing it as a needed alternative to the PGA Tour. The golfer accused the PGA of “greed” in a recent interview with Golf Digest magazine. Mickelson is particularly irked that the PGA has the rights to archival footage of golfers’ play.
“They also have access to my shots, access I do not have. They also charge companies to use shots I have hit,” said Mickelson.
