Henrik Stenson Challenges Perceived Hypocrisy Of LIV Golf Critics

Henrik Stenson has defended his move to LIV Golf and insisted that the circuit is held to different standards than other organisations.

Questions have been raised about the morality of playing for the Saudi-funded organisaion considering the kingdom’s appalling human rights record. 

However, speaking to the Saudi-funded venture to i’s Kevin Garside, the 2016 Open champion insisted that, in many cases, there is hypocrisy at play, pointing to the recent football World Cup Qatar as an example.

He said: “Where do you draw the line? You have people shouting recently about Qatar, about workforce abuses, plus conditions, accidents that led to death. You can’t scream and shout about that then go to Dubai, lie on a beach and think everything’s lovely. It is the same workforce that built the hotels in Dubai. I lived there for 10 years. People get so targeted on one area they can’t see the bigger picture.”

Stenson also addressed the issue of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, and pointed out that it is not alone in employing it - including the country where much of the PGA Tour takes place. He said: “I am open to sensible discussions on these things. We all have different views right? We are talking about executions. We have that in the US. Do we stop playing there?

“China executes more people than the rest of the world combined. Not once have I been questioned about that when I have played there. Yes we acknowledge the overall picture is not perfect [in Saudi] but we believe we have an opportunity to bridge some gaps and influence in different ways.”

Stenson wasn’t finished there and also drew attention to the fact that Saudi Arabia’s controversial Public Investment Fund that bankrolls LIV Golf has business interests in plenty of other areas. He said: “The investors and owners of this business are doing business all over the world, yet we are the ones being held to account in a way others are not. I don’t think that’s fair.”

Stenson, who is competing in LIV Golf Mayakoba at El Camaleon Golf Club, then talked about the way LIV has shaken up the top of the game. He said: “In major league baseball there is agreement between players and organisation that so much of revenue goes into prize funds.

“There have been discussions about how that subject has been handled over the years in golf and the PGA Tour in particular. I think it could have been a more balanced set-up. And there is no question the PGA Tour has been picking up all the talent from all over the world and keeping it. Other parts of world has seen and felt that.”

Finally, Stenson turned his attention to the perception that because LIV Golf tournaments are played over 54 holes rather than 72, it is an easier proposition than  the established tours. 

He said: “It’s like saying tennis outside the majors is not proper tennis just because they play three-set matches. Other sports are evolving too. I’m Swedish. Cross country skiing is in our veins. It went from the 50k grind to the stadium events, quicker finish. There is enough in the golf for both. Besides they still rank tournaments with 54 holes elsewhere. I thought the system ranked irrespective of what tour you are on. We are still beating world-class players.”

The Swede's remarks on the perceived hypocrisy of LIV Golf's critics bear similarities with its CEO Greg Norman, who, last September, accused the PGA Tour of hypocrisy over its sponsors in an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored.