“They are mercenaries taking money from murderers” Jamal Khashoggi’s widow calls for all LIV golfers to be banned from majors

The widow of journalist Jamal Khashoggi didn’t hold back when discussing the 48 players who competed in the LIV Golf Invitational Series London event over the weekend.

Saying they are “complicit in the whitewashing of Saudi Arabia’s reputation” Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi’s widow, said the players should be banned from all major tournaments.

“If they still carry on and play as if everything is normal, then they should be banned from playing in the world’s major tournaments,” she told USA Today. “This will show that there are consequences for supporting murderers, and it will show the murderers that they are not escaping justice.”

All of the players who competed in London have been suspended by the PGA Tour, but the PGA Tour does not have the authority to ban players from the four major championships.

The United States Golf Association (USGA) which runs this week’s U.S. Open has already said all eligible LIV golfers will be allowed to play

“Our decision regarding our field for the 2022 U.S. Open should not be construed as the USGA supporting an alternative organizing entity, nor supportive of any individual player actions or comments,’’ the USGA said in its statement. “Rather, it is simply a response to whether or not the USGA views playing in an alternative event, without the consent of their home tour, an offense that should disqualify them for the U.S. Open.’’

The governing bodies of The Masters, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship have not commented on whether they would ban players from their respective tournaments.

“They should be insisting on justice for Jamal and the countless persons targeted and abused in the Kingdom,” Cengiz said. “They should not be participating in sports paid for by the very abusers.”

The London event, won by 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, also featured major champions Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia among others. Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open champion, has said he will be leaving the PGA Tour to join the rival LIV Series.

Mickelson, one of the leading proponents of the LIV Series, was repeatedly asked about Saudi Arabia and human rights violations in the press conference leading up the event.

“I don’t condone human rights violations at all. Nobody here does,” he said.

“I’m aware of what has happened with Jamal Khashoggi and it’s terrible. I have also seen the good that the game of golf has done throughout history and I believe LIV Golf is going to do a lot of good for the game as well.

“I don’t condone human rights violations. I don’t know how I can be more clear.”

Mickelson is reportedly being paid $200 million to play in the LIV Series, while Schwartzel won $4 million for the 54-hole event. By comparison, Justin Thomas took home $2.7 million for winning last month’s second major of the year the PGA Championship. Masters champion Scottie Scheffler won roughly the same amount at the first major in April.