The CEO of Golf Saudi has responded to his ‘pledge’ to create LIV Golf majors by insisting his much maligned comments were “misrepresented”.
The world of golf was rocked earlier this week when the New Yorker published an article quoting Majed Al Sorour as saying he would “create my own majors” should LIV golfers be banned from the sport’s four biggest tournaments.
But now, appearing to backtrack on what he told journalist Zach Helfand, Sorour has cleared up his comments by stating the “casual conversation” has been “wrongfully expressed”.
In a statement published by Golf Saudi on Twitter, Sorour said: “I had a casual conversation with a New Yorker reporter at LIV’s Boston event a few weeks ago, during which I expressed my frustration at the unfortunate blackballing of LIV Golf players by the PGA Tour.
“When it comes to the majors, tournaments that stand alone and are independent of LIV, I have the utmost respect for the majors. The majors are about history, heritage, true competition and honour.
“The story wrongfully expressed and misrepresented my views. The majors are indeed the best platform where golfers and other tour golfers can compete, despite the PGA Tour’s suspension of our players.”
For now, no decision has been made on whether LIV players will be allowed to compete in golf’s four majors, which consists of the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and The Open.
And while any decision may prove insignificant for many players anyway as they continue to slump down the Official World Golf Rankings, Sorour remains committed to one “interest” at hand.
“As a LIV Golf board member and managing director, I am here to accomplish our LIV golf investment chairman and the board’s strategic direction by building a team, growing the game and defending player rights. That is my only interest.”
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So far, Sorour, alongside Yasir Al-Rumayyan – governer of Saudi Arabia’s $600 billion Public Investment Fund – have invested more than $2 billion to build LIV and lure in the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, and Cameron Smith.
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