1 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 1: It's the Son of a Butch podcast, a little bonus 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: episode this week obviously, with I mean everything that's happened 3 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: in the last couple of days, I figured I wanted 4 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: to talk a little bit about it. I'm as much 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: in the dark as I think everybody that's listening. I 6 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: don't think anybody knows what's going to happen. But if 7 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: you would have asked me, I mean a year ago today, 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: I was in London for the first Live tournament, And 9 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: if you'd have told me in a year that Jay 10 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: Monahan would be merging with the PIF and Live and 11 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: all of those things, I just wouldn't have believed you. 12 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 1: And I think the reason why I wouldn't have believed 13 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: that this was going to happen, or was ever going 14 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: to happen, in all honesty, it was Jay Monahan. It 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: was the stance that Jay and the PGA tour and 16 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: everybody kind of that wasn't a part of Live. I 17 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: mean everybody took that stance, right, everybody took the anti Saudi, 18 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: the blood money, the murderous dictators, the human rights, the 19 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: nine to eleven. That was that was the stance that 20 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 1: that was definitely one hundred percent the stance jay Monahan took. 21 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: I mean, I think we're all seeing, you know, the 22 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: clips of him last year at the RBC Canadian Open 23 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: with Jim Nantz, you know, talking about the families of 24 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: nine to eleven and talking about all the things associated 25 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: with that and saying, you know, if you ever had 26 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour. 27 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: And then a year later, he's now doing business with 28 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: the same people that he was telling people not to 29 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: do business with. So I think it's it's it's it's fascinating. 30 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: I think it's a stunning turnaround. But I guess in 31 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: a lot of ways, it's not surprising because listen, at 32 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: the end of the day in twenty twenty three, and 33 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: I've been saying this for a while, some people like this, 34 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: some people don't like this. In twenty twenty three, sports 35 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: is a business, and professional golf is a business, and 36 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: I think what we've seen in the last forty eight 37 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: hours is this is business. And I think Jay Monahan 38 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: made a business decision. I find it fascinating that Jay 39 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: Monahan made the identical same business decision that the forty 40 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 1: eight guys that went to play Live made and were vilified, crushed, 41 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: crucified in the media, and it's been a stunning one 42 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: hundred and eighty degree turnaround. Why did this happen? Listen, 43 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: I'm a golf instructor, right, I'm not smart enough to 44 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: know why things like this happened. But what I do 45 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: know is I've been a part of the live ecosystem 46 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: for a year. I went to every live event last 47 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: year all of my players. Not by design, but it 48 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: just happened that all the players that I worked with 49 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: went to live and the last year, the amount of criticism, 50 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: some of the things said about them written about them. 51 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: Every time I would post a video of Dustin Johnson's 52 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: golf swing, or Brooks's golf swing or Pat Perez's golf swing, 53 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: the DMS I would get from people on murderer you 54 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: work for murderers, you work for you know, people that 55 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: support blood money sports watching it was just it was 56 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: crazy and I think it's been fascinating to watch, you 57 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: know how this entire thing is unfolded. I met Yaser 58 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: from the PIF. I met Yaser in twenty seventeen in 59 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: Abu Dhabi at the Abu Dhabi Championship. I think he 60 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: was either playing with the Brooks or DJ and got 61 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: to spend eighteen holes walking around with him and listening 62 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: to him talk about his vision, his love of the 63 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: game of golf, how much he wanted to get involved 64 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: in professional golf, how much he wanted Saudi Arabia to 65 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: be a part of the fabric of professional golf. A 66 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: lot of people see that as sinister, and I just 67 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: I just don't. Maybe it's because I've met Yaser, and 68 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: maybe it's because I grew up in you know, in 69 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 1: Morocco and lived in Dubai and lived in the Middle East, 70 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: and I've been to Saudi Arabia, you know, almost every 71 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:30,239 Speaker 1: year since twenty eighteen, So I don't see it as sinister. 72 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 1: I got invited at my academy in Dubai. We have 73 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: coached and worked with the Saudi national team to try 74 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: and help them improve, and you know, all my staff 75 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: work with the kids and the players that play for 76 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 1: the Saudi national team, so I knew a bunch of 77 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: the players involved in this. I got invited to the 78 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: launch of the Saudi International and the European Tour in 79 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen and got invited over by Yaser and Majad 80 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: and I saw jayme on Hen I think not long 81 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: after that at the Players Championship, and I said this, Jay, Listen, 82 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: I was just in Saudi Arabia. You should really reach 83 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: out to Yasser. He really wants to be a part 84 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: of the PGA tour. He really wants to be a 85 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: part of professional golf. I think he's got some good ideas. 86 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 1: You should talk to him and you should really have 87 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 1: a conversation with him. And I remember in twenty eighteen, 88 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: you know, Jay was like, yeah, you know, we don't 89 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: know how that would look. And I said, in twenty eighteen, 90 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: I said to jayme Onhan, Jay just gives whatever the 91 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: Saudis are trying to do, if they're going to come 92 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: up with their own tour or whatever it is they 93 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: want to be a part, is give them fall. Give 94 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: them tournaments in the fall that you guys don't want 95 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: to be involved in because you guys are trying to 96 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: get out of the fall to try and not go 97 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: up against professional football. So I told Jay that in eighteen. 98 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:47,719 Speaker 1: I told him that in nineteen. I told him that 99 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: in twenty, I told him that in twenty one, and 100 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 1: I told him that last year, and for whatever reason, 101 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: I don't know why, but for some reason, Jay just 102 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: never had an interest in doing that, and the specifically, 103 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: you know, for the last year, everything that has come 104 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: from Jay and the PGA Tour aside, and really from 105 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,239 Speaker 1: the majority of the media has just been anti Saudi, 106 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: anti lib. I mean, how many times have we heard 107 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: Jay Monahan say the Saudi backed league? I mean, I've 108 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: lost count how many times I've heard him and other 109 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: players and people in the media say that. So do 110 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: we talk about is the PGA Tour now a Saudi 111 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 1: backed league? I mean, it's crazy. And the abject hypocrisy 112 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: behind all of this has just been staggering, and I 113 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,480 Speaker 1: don't understand why it was always like that. It's been 114 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: fascinating to me that it took almost a year for 115 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 1: anyone to even question what the PGA Tour was doing 116 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: and why so many of the PGA tours corporate sponsors 117 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 1: and tournament sponsors were doing business in Saudi Arabia. And 118 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: that was okay, But it wasn't okay for the forty 119 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: eight guys that went to live for them to do 120 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,279 Speaker 1: business with Saudi Arabia. There's a thing on everybody's phone 121 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: called the Internet. It's called Google. If you want to 122 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: find out information, and if you want to educate yourself, 123 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: you can. So when I went over to London last 124 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,119 Speaker 1: year and spent the week at the first Live event, 125 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: I spent that week mainly a lot at night, just 126 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: kind of doing some research as too. You know, who 127 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: does business with Saudi Arabia, which companies do to business 128 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: in Saudi Arabia. And I was interested because there was 129 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: so much backlash against the guys that went to Live. 130 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: I was interested to see on which companies were doing 131 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: business in Saudi Arabia. I mean it was a two 132 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: second Google search to find out that FedEx had given 133 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: the Saudis four hundred million dollars for their twenty thirty initiative. 134 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: That took me less than two seconds to find. If 135 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 1: you want to find that information, you could find it. 136 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: You could find which of the PGA Tours Global Partners, 137 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: Corporate Global Partners, tournament sponsors. You could find which of 138 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: those companies and those organizations were doing business in Saudi Arabia. 139 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 1: And what I found fascinating last year is not one 140 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: reporter asked Jay Monahan, why are the majority of your 141 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 1: corporate and tournament sponsors doing business in Saudi Arabia, And 142 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: why do they want to do business in Saudi Arabia. 143 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: I mean, you've got Jay the majority of last year 144 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: standing up in front of every interview he gives. Behind him, 145 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: there's a giant sign that says FedEx cup, FedEx cup, 146 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: FedEx cup, FedEx is giving the Saudis four hundred million dollars, 147 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: and you're telling everybody don't do business with the Saudis, 148 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: which to me just it never made any sense. And 149 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: to me it always seemed that, yeah, this was always 150 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: about the money, and the reason why a lot of 151 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: the PGA Tours corporate partners and a lot of their 152 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 1: tournament sponsors are doing business in Saudi Arabia was for 153 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: financial reasons. Obviously, obviously they're doing business in Saudi Arabia 154 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 1: for financial reasons. But I just couldn't underst and why 155 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: the forty eight guys that went to live were just 156 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: pariahs for a lot of people, the moral argument, the 157 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: nine to eleven argument, the forty eight guys. In my opinion, 158 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: this is my opinion, right, the forty eight guys that 159 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:26,319 Speaker 1: went went to live, they had no involvement in in 160 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,719 Speaker 1: nine to eleven, but they were portrayed as nine to 161 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: eleven sympathizers. And now you've got the guy that basically 162 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: pushed that argument turning around and doing a deal with 163 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: the same people that he was telling people not to 164 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: do business with, which I think everybody's still trying to 165 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,199 Speaker 1: make sense of it. I know there are a lot 166 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: of people that are outraged by it. I've got to 167 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: think that there are players on the PGA tour that 168 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: are kind of just scratching their heads and saying, Okay, 169 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: wait a minute, I had big offers and listen. I also, 170 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: I think it's important and I hopefully think that it 171 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: will come out as to how many players, how many 172 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: household names were trying to get offers from the Saudist 173 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: last year and had gotten offers. And you know, there 174 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: are already rumors that players and fathers of players that 175 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: had big offers from Live that turned them down on 176 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: advice from the PGA tour that they're thinking about and 177 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: looking into taking legal action and seeing what their legal 178 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: options were because all of these guys were told don't go, 179 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 1: don't go. Stay with the PGA tour. What was it 180 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 1: history and trophies, not about money. And you know, in 181 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: the last forty eight hours. The only thing I hear 182 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: people talking about is money. But last year, money was 183 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: evidently bad. Taking money was evidently bad. Being an athlete, 184 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: being a professional golfer and doing basically what every other 185 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: professional athlete does, which is try and make as much 186 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 1: money as possible. We see it in American sports. We 187 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 1: see it in the UK in football. We see it 188 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 1: all over Europe and football. We see it in F one. 189 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: We've seen it in cricket, and we see it in 190 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: the NBA, the NFL, NHL, every major professional sports in America. 191 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,199 Speaker 1: There are players trying to get big contracts, big signing bonuses. 192 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: It leads sports news. But for some reason, there was 193 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: a segment of the population that just wanted golf to 194 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: just be this. And I've said this. I said this 195 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: in an article right after Brooks won the PGA. It's 196 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: like golf is the Truman Show and it has to 197 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: be the way it was in the forties, fifties and sixties. 198 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: It can't change. Change is bad, and we just have 199 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: to have the status quo because that's the way it's 200 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,719 Speaker 1: always been. And if you were one of the live 201 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: guys and you got the bag and you decided to 202 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 1: make a financial decision, You're a bad person, You're a 203 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: trader to the PGA Tour. And none of it made 204 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 1: any sense because pretty much the majority of the in 205 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: my opinion, the majority of the decisions the PGA Tour 206 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 1: makes or financial decisions. I mean, their headquarters looks like 207 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: something a Bond villain would live in. It's got a 208 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 1: it's entirely surrounded by water, It's over one hundred thousand 209 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: square feet, and there are a nonprofit organization, and I 210 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: just don't know a lot of nonprofit organizations that have 211 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: that type of headquarters and have executives flying around on 212 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: private jets like the PGA Tour does. And listen, I 213 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 1: don't have a problem with any of that, right, I 214 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: don't have an issue with the way the PGA Tour 215 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: runs their business. I don't have an issue with any 216 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 1: of it. But what I do have an issue is 217 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: the players that I worked with last year just got 218 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: crushed because they went to live I got crushed because, 219 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: I mean I had people coming up to me saying, 220 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: you know, how are things on the dark side? I 221 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 1: mean the amount of DMS on social that I've gotten 222 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: saying that, you know, I'm a Trader and all of 223 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: these things. I mean, it got really really personal, and 224 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: it was really really personal for a lot of people, 225 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: and the media was basically beating the drum of anti Live, 226 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: anti Saudi all of that. So I think it's going 227 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 1: to be fascinating to figure out and to see where 228 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 1: all of this ends up. I really do. I really 229 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: think it will be fascinating. I don't think anybody really knows. 230 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: I think Jay Monahan has a tremendous amount of bridge 231 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: building to do. There are a lot of people that 232 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: wonder if he can survive this, if PGA tour players 233 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: will be able to see him as somebody that they 234 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 1: have confidence in. You know, I really don't know. But 235 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 1: what I do know is yah Sir. I consider him 236 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 1: a off lucky enough to have spent time with him 237 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: over the last year, both professionally and privately, and he's 238 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: one of the most soulful, kind of He's a very 239 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: very soft person. He's always asking questions. He's easily one 240 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: of the smartest people I know, and he is absolutely 241 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 1: a golf junkie. He is passionate, so so passionate about golf, 242 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: and every time I'm around him, he's asking me to 243 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: look at his golf swing. He's talking to me about golf. 244 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: When you walk around with him in the pro am 245 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: and he hits a bad shot, you can tell that 246 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: it affects him the way it affects everybody that plays golf. 247 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: And I think the fact that he's from Saudi Arabia, 248 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: why is that a sticking point. He's a golfer, he 249 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: loves golf rightly wrongly. He has a lot of money. 250 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: The Saudis have a lot of money, and they want 251 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 1: to invest that money in golf. I don't see the 252 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: sinister reasons as to why they do it, because I 253 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: think I don't see that because I've lived in the 254 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: Middle East. I love the Middle East. It's like a 255 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 1: second home to me. And you know, I left my dad. 256 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 1: We started an academy in Dubai in two thousand and 257 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 1: I moved to Dubai and in the summer of two 258 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: thousand and seven, and I lived there until two thousand 259 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: and eleven. And when I left the United States, they 260 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: were massive, massive talks about you know, gun control, school shootings, abortion, 261 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: all of those things. We're still talking about those in 262 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three. None of that. Nothing has changed there 263 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: hasn't been any changes. We're still talking about gun control, 264 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: We're still talking about school shootings. And if you look 265 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: at a country like Saudi Arabia when I first went 266 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: there in two thousand and eighteen, every year when I 267 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 1: go back, I'm really surprised, you know, the changes that 268 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: are happening in the country. My daughter went to the 269 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 1: Jetta Film Festival earlier this year for a week. She's 270 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: studying film at Dartmouth and she went there and a 271 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: friend of mine got her an internship and asked her 272 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: if she wanted to go to the Jeda Film Festival. 273 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: You would when I lived in Dubai, I would never 274 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: even contemplate sending my daughter, you know, ten years ago 275 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: to Saudi Arabia. It would just be a very different experience. 276 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: She had a great experience. She really really enjoyed her 277 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: time there. I have found it fascinating that an enormous 278 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: amount of the people in the media and that have 279 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: been adamantly against, you know, the Saudi's involvement in golf 280 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: and live have never once been to Saudi Arabia. They've 281 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 1: never spent any time in the Middle East. They know 282 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: nothing really about the culture. They don't have any friends 283 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: from those from those parts of the world, and everything 284 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: they're doing is is is making their own opinion based 285 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: off of, you know, what they're hearing from other people. 286 00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: So I think what the Saudis have been trying to 287 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:04,239 Speaker 1: do in golf, I see it as positive. I've been 288 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: in talks, you know, for the last five years. You know, 289 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: when I went over in twenty eighteen, the first thing 290 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: Yaser said to me was, I want you to help 291 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: me bring golf to our children in Saudi Arabia's that's 292 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 1: my vision. My vision is for young people to see golf, 293 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:25,719 Speaker 1: to have it play the role that golf has played 294 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 1: in my life. And you know that has been something 295 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: that has been very very important to me and a 296 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 1: really good friend of mine, a young kid named Noah 297 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: Ali Raza. I used to teach Noah as a as 298 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,439 Speaker 1: a golfer when I was in Dubai. He was one 299 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 1: of the first lessons that I ever gave. He was 300 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 1: trying to play professionally, went to school in the US. 301 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 1: He was a very very good player, loved golf. He 302 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 1: was in the first ad we used my dad and 303 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: I for our academy in Dubai. Noah was the guy 304 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: in our advertisement with my dad and I about you know, golf, 305 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,159 Speaker 1: about trying to get better. Noah is now take and 306 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: over golf Saudi and I've been in constant conversation, you know, 307 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 1: since I went to Saudi in January, and Noah's been saying, listen, 308 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 1: we need to try and bring golf to Saudi Arabia. 309 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: We need a grassroots approach to try and build golf 310 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: in the kingdom. And you know Bob Diamond, who used 311 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:24,239 Speaker 1: to run Barklay's, was big into golf, started you know, 312 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:28,440 Speaker 1: Barkley's sponsorship of the Premiership in football in the UK. 313 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: He's a big golfer. He's a member at my club. 314 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: And you know I was having dinner with him and 315 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 1: he was talking about the things that the Saudis were 316 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: trying to do, and he said, you know, the Saudis 317 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 1: say that they want to change their country, that they 318 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: want to change from what they've been and want to 319 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 1: try and do something different. And I'll never forget this 320 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 1: that Bob said, if that's what they're saying, why wouldn't 321 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,439 Speaker 1: we want to try and help them. Why wouldn't we 322 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,239 Speaker 1: want to try and help them change their country? And 323 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: if golf can be a vehicle to do that. Then 324 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: I'm here for it. I really am. I think having 325 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: lived in that region, I think a lot of people 326 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 1: in Saudi Arabia look at what happened in Dubai. I 327 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: think a lot of people in the US had never 328 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,439 Speaker 1: really even heard of Dubai if it wasn't for golf. 329 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: We saw Tiger playing in tournaments over there. We saw 330 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: all the big buildings over there. Every major player, every 331 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: person pretty much it's won a major championship in the 332 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 1: last fifteen to twenty years. They've all been paid an 333 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: enormous amount of appearance money to go play in Abi Dabi. 334 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 1: They've been paid an enormous amount of appearance money to 335 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: go play in Dubai. I don't have a problem with that. 336 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: I've said this, Rory McElroy should be paid to play golf, 337 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,360 Speaker 1: in my opinion, wherever he goes. He's earned that right. 338 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,400 Speaker 1: That's how great of a player he is. And there's 339 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,479 Speaker 1: a dirty little secret that a lot of what's happened 340 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 1: over the last years golfers get paid. Golfers get paid 341 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: appearance fees. Golfers get paid appearance fees outside the its 342 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: fate golfers have been getting paid for a number of 343 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: years now in the United States to play tournaments. How 344 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 1: they've been paid, They've probably been paid in other ways, 345 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 1: to go to lunches, to go to dinners. I've seen that. 346 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: I've watched that. And it's not just the live guys 347 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:21,919 Speaker 1: that we're doing that. Everybody that was a great player 348 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 1: has been getting paid. It's not news, it's not a surprise. 349 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: That's the way the world works. And I think Jay 350 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: Monahan made a business decision. And there are a lot 351 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:38,360 Speaker 1: of people that think he sold a bunch of people out. 352 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: I think, you know, I think time will tell. I 353 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: think Jay's a pragmatist. But what I do think is 354 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: I don't think we ever needed to get here. I 355 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 1: really really don't. I think these conversations could have happened 356 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 1: last year, two years ago, three years ago, because everybody 357 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: in golf, all the agents, all the players, all the 358 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:03,400 Speaker 1: governing bodies, everybody PG Tour, everybody at the DP World Tour. 359 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 1: If you need an example as to it's always been 360 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: about the money, ask yourself this question. Why is the 361 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 1: European Tour no longer called the European Tour, It's the 362 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,880 Speaker 1: DP World Tour. If it's not about the money, why 363 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 1: did the European Tour need to have a corporate sponsor 364 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: and no longer be called the European Tour and be 365 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: called the DP World Tour. It's no longer called the 366 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: European Tour, it's called a corporate sponsor's name of that tour. Kids, 367 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: it's always been about the money, and I just think 368 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 1: it's been fascinating and I think it's going to be interesting. 369 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:51,400 Speaker 1: You know, I watched Rory's press conference yesterday. Rory has 370 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: always been fiercely, fiercely anti lib so it's going to 371 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: be very interesting to see how all of that plays out. 372 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: Because Live is Yau's idea, it's his passion, it's his baby. 373 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: He basically came up with all the ideas. He was 374 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 1: involved in all of it. And I think it's going 375 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: to be interesting because there are a lot of people now, 376 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: especially after Rory's comments yesterday. Rory was very very It 377 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: was important for Rory to say yesterday that this isn't 378 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 1: a deal with Live, it's a deal with the PIF. 379 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: The PIF owns Live, So we'll see how all of 380 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 1: that plays out. On a personal note, I feel sorry, 381 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: I really do. I feel sorry for Rory, not Roy. 382 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,679 Speaker 1: You could see last year how much him being the 383 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: spokesperson for the PGA Tour, for the PGA's tours, stance 384 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: against live, against the Saudi's, against the money, all that, 385 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 1: you could see that it was wearing on. It's my opinion. 386 00:22:57,920 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: I don't have any facts around this, but I think 387 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,640 Speaker 1: it has affected him as a person, and I think 388 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 1: it's affected him as a player. I think it's affected 389 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,679 Speaker 1: his game. I think he volunteered, but I think the 390 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 1: tour asked Roy to do a lot last year, and 391 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 1: he did that job unbelievably well. The passion and the 392 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: conviction that Rory speaks in his voice, you can hear it, 393 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,880 Speaker 1: you can feel it. I'm a massive, massive Roy McElroy fan, 394 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 1: both on and off the golf course. He is a 395 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 1: joy to talk to when whenever I have time to 396 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 1: spend talking to him, asking him questions. He's a thinker, 397 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 1: he's got good ideas, he's introspective, he's he's a thinker 398 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,119 Speaker 1: and that's what I really really love most about him, 399 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 1: and I just love him as a golfer. I think 400 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: he's an unbelievable player, so obviously he has been fiercely 401 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: anti Live. I think it's going to be interesting to 402 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: see where all that plays out. I've heard some people 403 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: say that this is great for Live. I've heard some 404 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: other people say that this is the end of Live, 405 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: that Live won't be around after this year. I honestly 406 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: don't know. I don't think anybody knows. I think everything 407 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: this is a moving target. It's fluid. But I do 408 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: think that Jay Monahan made a business decision. And at 409 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: the end of the day, you know, they always say 410 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: it's about money, and follow the money. You know. It 411 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: was funny. I was at the the at Augusta this year. 412 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 1: I was standing on the range talking to one of 413 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: the members in his green jacket, obviously a very very 414 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 1: successful person, and we were talking about, you know, how 415 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,359 Speaker 1: the week was going to play out, and he was 416 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:45,199 Speaker 1: saying he was surprised that there hadn't been really a 417 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,679 Speaker 1: lot of animosity between the players, and he thought that 418 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 1: was a good thing and hopefully golf could move forward. 419 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:52,919 Speaker 1: And I said to him, I said, you know, it 420 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 1: doesn't have to be like this. I mean, everybody is 421 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 1: doing business in Saudi Arabia, and I said, if you 422 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 1: look at the corporate sponsors that the Masters had this year. 423 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,679 Speaker 1: I think all of them, I think all the majority 424 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: of them are doing business in Saudi Arabia. I mean 425 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 1: Delta Airlines, who's part of sky Team Saudi Airlines. And 426 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: I mentioned all of this to him, and I talked 427 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: to him about all this and he said to me, yes, 428 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: but Claude, that's business, and we're business people. We're doing business. 429 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: And I looked at the driving range and I'm thinking, 430 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: so all of these people aren't in business. All of 431 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: these people are not business people. Athletes are business people. 432 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 1: They are their own business. And there are people that 433 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: like that. There are people that don't like that. But 434 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: that is a reality. And it is my hope that 435 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 1: this partnership, this merger, whatever it is, it is my 436 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:50,120 Speaker 1: hope that we can get back to talking about golf, 437 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: talking about all of the great players we have in 438 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 1: the game right now, all the great young talent that's 439 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:01,199 Speaker 1: rising all over every tour. But I've been saying for 440 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: a year when everybody, if DJ won a tournament, I'd 441 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: post something and everybody would go insignificant, nobody cares, nobody's watching. 442 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:12,639 Speaker 1: They're all losers. They went to live. It's not real golf. 443 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 1: It's all that well for all those people that thought 444 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 1: that the PGA Tour is now part of the same 445 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 1: group that everyone for the last year a lot of 446 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 1: people have been against. So is that narrative going to change. 447 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:30,919 Speaker 1: I think it's going to be fascinating to see where 448 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:34,639 Speaker 1: a guy like Brandal Shamblee shakes out in all of this. 449 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: I mean, Brandell has been probably the ultimate anti live person. 450 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: He has used his platform on Golf Channel to use 451 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: it as his own kind of personal bully pulpit to 452 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:55,879 Speaker 1: just talk human rights Saudi. He now works for a 453 00:26:55,920 --> 00:27:04,160 Speaker 1: company that televises an event, televises events, tournaments, and all 454 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: that money is coming is going to be coming from 455 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 1: the Saudis. And everybody said they didn't like the source 456 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 1: of the money last year. For all the people that 457 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 1: didn't like where the money was coming from, you know, 458 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: I guess you have to figure out how your moral 459 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:23,719 Speaker 1: compass works. I mean, Brandal talked NonStop last year moral compass, 460 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,400 Speaker 1: moral compass, moral compass. So I guess we'll see if 461 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 1: Randall's got a moral compass, because based off of all 462 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 1: of the things that he said last year, I mean, 463 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,640 Speaker 1: does he quit, does he resign in protest the way 464 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: Piers Morgan did on Live TV, and stand by the tenants, 465 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: stand on his convictions, and say I won't work for 466 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: an organization that is involved in Saudi Arabia, because that's 467 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:52,920 Speaker 1: what he said. Every single player that went to Live 468 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: last year should do that. They were all morally bankrupt 469 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:01,919 Speaker 1: because they worked with an organization that was backed by 470 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: the Saudis. Well, Randall now works for organizations and comments 471 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 1: on organizations that work with the Saudis. So I think 472 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:14,680 Speaker 1: it'll be interesting to see, you know, what he chooses 473 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 1: to do. But I do hope that everybody can understand 474 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,159 Speaker 1: that at the end of the day, this is golf. 475 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,919 Speaker 1: We're talking about golfers regardless of where they play, and 476 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: hopefully moving forward, we can quit talking about which tours 477 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: players play on, and we can talk about how great 478 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 1: they are as players, how great they are as golfers, 479 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: how great the shots are that they hit under pressure, 480 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:50,959 Speaker 1: And you don't have to choose you like golf, you 481 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 1: can watch golf regardless of where it's being played. I've 482 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 1: been saying that for a while now. I find it 483 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 1: very interesting that the guy, in my opinion, J Monahan 484 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 1: wanted everybody to choose between the PGA Tour and Live 485 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 1: in Saudis, And in my opinion, that was his litmus test. 486 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 1: You're either on the side of the PGA Tour or 487 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 1: you were on the side of Live, and if you 488 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: were on the side of Live, you're on the side 489 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: of the Saudis And he wanted you to choose. He 490 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: wanted you to choose between the PGA Tour and Live. 491 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: And now he has chosen to merge with the people 492 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 1: that he wanted you to choose against. And I think 493 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 1: it's going to be fascinating to see where all of 494 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 1: this plays out. But I know a lot of people 495 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 1: won't like this or won't agree with this, But I 496 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 1: think this is good for the game. I think this 497 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 1: is good for I will not for the game of golf. 498 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: I think this is good for professional I think people 499 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 1: need to make a distinction between professional golf and golf. 500 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 1: Golf is what the rest of us that aren't professionals golf. 501 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: That's what we play. And I don't see how any 502 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,640 Speaker 1: of that is going to change. Professional golf is going 503 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: to change. And whatever side of the aisle you're on 504 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: on that is fine. But at the end of the day, 505 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 1: if you're watching professional golf, if you're watching professional football, basketball, baseball, 506 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 1: motor racing, suck, whatever it is, the sport is still 507 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: the sport, and I just don't think that this needed 508 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: to happen. Hopefully we can move forward now. I think 509 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:34,360 Speaker 1: what the Saudias are trying to do in golf because 510 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: I've seen it firsthand. I haven't just listened to the rumors. 511 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: I've been over there, I've been involved. I know what 512 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: they're trying to do, and I think it's good. I 513 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 1: think it's good for golf. I think it's good for 514 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 1: professional golf, and I guess time will tell. But as 515 00:30:55,240 --> 00:31:00,080 Speaker 1: I said earlier, hopefully we can start talking about how 516 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 1: great the golfers are and the shots and the tournaments 517 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,480 Speaker 1: that they're winning. And I might be in the minority, 518 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 1: but I think professional golf is in a good place 519 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: and I think it's only going to get better. Just 520 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: my opinion. I understand that not everybody's going to agree. 521 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 1: But here's the thing. It's important to remember that even 522 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: if you don't agree with my opinion or other people's opinions, 523 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: it doesn't have to be the end of the world. 524 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 1: We have gotten so polarized in my opinion, on one 525 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: side or the other side, and there's no middle ground. 526 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: And I think if we can try and all live 527 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: and work more towards a middle ground instead of digging 528 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:44,320 Speaker 1: in and only living in our own echo chambers, I 529 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 1: think golf would be a better place, and I think 530 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 1: the world would be a better place as well. Son 531 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 1: of a Butcher comes to you every Wednesday. We will 532 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: see you all next week. US Open Week.