LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau has said that he wants people to see the ‘good’ that Saudi Arabia can do for the sport, wanting people to overlook the list of human rights abuses committed in the country.
The first US-based event of the LIV Golf series takes place in Portland, Oregon from Thursday and DeChambeau made his insensitive comment during a press conference for the event.
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DeChambeau, along with fellow pros including Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood, came under criticism for signing up for the controversial series despite the human rights abuses in the country of their benefactors. They include political murders and torture, something the American golfer is seemingly eager to move past.
“Golf is a force for good,” said DeChambeau. “As time goes on, hopefully people will see the good they’re [Saudi Arabia] doing, and what they’re trying to accomplish, rather than looking back at the bad that’s happened before. And moving on from that is important. And continuing to move forward in a positive light is something that could be a force for good for the future of the game.”
DeChambeau's comments will cause further conjecture over the morals of the players and organisers of LIV Golf. Many of the players who made the switch over from the PGA Tour have acknowledged that money was the reason for their decision to sign up, with DeChambeau stating it was “a personal business decision.”
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