Bryson DeChambeau defends PGA/LIV merger with awkward response to 9/11 families
In a very controversial interview, Bryson DeChambeau, who was one of the first big-name golfers to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf, spoke with CNN"s Kaitlan Collins about the impending merger of the two organizations along with the European Tour.
DeChambeau, who won the 2020 US Open, essentially defended the merger from the side of the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund from Saudi Arabia that finances LIV Golf.
The Kington of Saudi Arabia has long been criticized for sportswashing against charges of human rights abuses, the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and alleged financing of terrorism, including the September 11th attacks.
Arguably the most incendiary portion of the interview were his comments about the response from families of 9/11 victims. Collins asked DeChambeau for his reaction to their statement on the merger, calling the PGA Tour and its commissioner Jay Monahan "paid Saudi shills." As transcribed by NJ Advance Media, DeChambeau said:
“We’ll never be able to repay the [9/11] families back for what exactly happened just over 20 years ago,” DeChambeau said. “And what happened was ... is ... definitely horrible. And I think as time has gone on, 20 years has passed and we’re in a place now where it’s time to start trying to work together to make things better together as a whole."“I have deep sympathy. ... I don’t know exactly what they’re feeling. I can’t ever know what they feel, but I have a huge amount of respect for their position and what they believe. Nor do I ever want anything like that to ever occur again. The [Saudi Public Investment Fund] is trying to ... accomplish as a better world for everybody and a way to provide great entertainment for everybody around the world.”
The comments are very reminiscent of those made last spring by Greg Norman, the CEO of LIV Golf and former PGA Tour member, when asked about the death of Khashoggi during a news conference prior to a LIV event. Norman called the journalist's murder "a mistake," and the organization tried to clarify his words to no avail.
Truth be told, no one ever looks well in the light when it comes to invoking either of these tragedies to justify a controversial decision. Since the merger was announced on Tuesday, golf observers have frequently recalled Monahan's interview during CBS Sports' broadcast of the Canadian Open last spring where he talked about losing friends in the 9/11 attacks as part of his challenge to players who left or were considering leaving the PGA Tour.
DeChambeau hasn't always been the most revered golfer in the world, but his CNN appearance surely didn't help clean up his or anyone else's image as it relates to this controversial merger.
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