Five Truly Weird Things From the LIV Golf Press Conference
LIV Golf held some press conferences this morning as the new golf league made its presence known to the world and it went about as well as you could have expected.
Ari Fleischer
Former Fox News correspondent and George W. Bush's press secretary Ari Fleischer was the emcee for the event.
Not a joke, that’s Ari on the left. https://t.co/YxsfnPe1rZ pic.twitter.com/Mtze8zkdGT
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) June 7, 2022
Ari was asked how he squared his current relationship with LIV Golf with his past tweets claiming Saudi Arabia was spending billions to ensure Mohammed bin Salman wasn’t overthrow, and wasn’t this an example of that. Fleisher said that tweet was “a long long time ago.”
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) June 7, 2022
AP Reporter Spoken to By Security
Players walked on eggshells discussing Saudi Arabia's human rights record.
Daily Mail asks how the players reconcile decision to be here given Saudi Arabia human rights record.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) June 7, 2022
Long silence.
Graham McDowell: "I mean, this has been incredibly polarizing. I think we all agree, the Kashoggi situation, that was reprehensible."
DJ and Louis solemnly nod.
Talor Gooch said he didn't agree that LIV Golf was a participant in sportswashing. "I don't think that's fair. Also ... I'm a golfer. I'm not that smart. I try to hit a golf ball into a small hole. Golf is hard enough. I try to worry about golf, and I'm excited bout this week."
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) June 7, 2022
Things got testy at one point when Rob Harris of the Associated Press was cut off by a LIV spokesman and escorted out by security after an argument. Harris was allowed back in a few minutes later, which coincided with a tweet saying, "questions on Saudi Arabia and rights issues have been allowed to be posed to the golfers. And no media barred for doing so."
It seems AP reporter @RobHarris was led out by security after this happened. (Not a joke.) https://t.co/TZByUUv7nX
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) June 7, 2022
One aspect of the first LIV Golf press conferences is that questions on Saudi Arabia and rights issues have been allowed to be posed to the golfers. And no media barred for doing so
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 7, 2022
Team Captain Wade Ormsby
While LIV Golf boasts some big names like Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia, things drop off pretty quickly as Australian Wade Ormsby was also named one of the eight team captains. Ormsby, 42, is currently ranked 125th on the DP World Tour and has won the Hong Kong Open twice, including most recently in January 2020. His best major performance was a 40th-place tie at the 2021 US Open.
LIV Team Names and Logos
The first eight team names were announced and their corresponding logos were presented. They are as creative as any local golf league fancy enough to splurge for matching shirts.
Here are the logos for the team names listed below. Sergio’s “Fire Balls GC” with a Major League anthropomorphic ball motif. https://t.co/nKJcbPnUpK pic.twitter.com/SvLrW0blYP
— The Fried Egg (@the_fried_egg) June 7, 2022
Dustin Johnson Resigns From PGA Tour
Dustin Johnson has officially announced his resignation from the PGA TOUR and plans to only play LIV events and majors going forward pic.twitter.com/j09mjLVNXw
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) June 7, 2022
One thing that is not known is what consequences players will face for leaving the PGA Tour. Will they be welcomed at future majors? The Ryder Cup?
Kevin Na and Talor Gooch said they don't believe this move necessarily means they can't be on Ryder Cup teams. "I honestly don't think it's going to happen," Na says.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) June 7, 2022
Informed Seth Waugh said players need to be PGA Tour members to play RC, Na says: "Rules can be changed."
Consequences be damned. You Only LIV Once.