Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Gabriel Baumgaertner at Trump National, Virginia

LIV Golf and Bryson DeChambeau tee off new era but cannot escape Saudi shadow

Bryson DeChambeau tees off at Trump National
Bryson DeChambeau tees off at Trump National 40 miles outside Washington DC. Photograph: Pedro Salado/LIV Golf/AP

Moments before Bryson DeChambeau teed off to open LIV Golf’s first American tournament of the year, at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, the public address announcer bellowed “Long! LIV! Golf!” to try and electrify a modest crowd by the first tee.

The irony wasn’t lost on the devoted group who skirted work and school to enjoy a sunny afternoon just 25 miles outside Washington DC: this was the first tournament since the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund confirmed it would no longer fund the outfit that it once imagined as the world’s premier collection of professional golfers. Before that news was finalized, the league postponed a tournament scheduled to take place in New Orleans at the end of June.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.