Divisive LIV Golf Tour tees off, amid protests, at Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey

Fifty miles from where the World Trade Center once stood, 48 golfers teed off at the third tournament of the new venture controversially bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Host Donald Trump welcomed the pros who’ve essentially defected from the PGA Tour, while also being banned, to his private golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. It was a polarizing scene on Friday, both on the course and off.

Families and survivors of the 9/11 terror attacks protested and held a news conference near the course in central New Jersey. The group 9/11 Justice, comprised of more than 3,000 family members of victims and survivors of the attacks, has criticized the golfers for joining the tour. September 11 families have long suspected a link between Saudi Arabian officials and the hijackers that killed nearly 3,000 people in 2001. Fifteen of the 19 men affiliated with the attack were citizens of Saudi Arabia.

The protesters also called out Trump for hosting the tournament at his club, roughly 50 miles from where hijackers crashed two commercial airplanes in the World Trade Center’s twin towers on that tragic day.

“I’m here today to express my outrage, my hurt and my confusion about this LIV golf tournament,” Tim Frolich, who was injured while fleeing the World Trade Center on 9/11, told New York One Spectrum News during a protest on Friday. “These PGA professional athletes have made a clear decision to personally be bought off and do business with the government of Saudi Arabia.”

Trump’s appearances

Meanwhile at the tournament, Phil Mickelson, who once had aspirations of playing Olympic golf and representing the U.S. at Rio 2016, warmed up on the range as New Jersey golf fans looked on during a muggy, overcast day. Mickelson, who is reportedly being paid in the vicinity of 150 million USD to compete on the absurdly lucrative tour addressed the fans: “Thanks for coming out – have a great day.”

Crowds were sparse on Friday, but most seemed to enjoy the atmosphere, and perhaps even a few of Trump’s antics.

Shortly thereafter, Mickelson and other LIV Tour colleagues were greeted by the former U.S. president, who was wearing his trademark red cap with the words ‘Make America Great Again.”

Eight Olympic golfers, who have admirably played for the honor of their countries, were among the 48-participant field in New Jersey, having sold out to the absurdly lucrative amounts of guaranteed money from the Saudi Arabian Sovereign Wealth Fund. The prize purse of this weekend’s tournament is $25 million USD, while the winner on Saturday will take home $3 million. The LIV Series, which also features a combined team event format, will pay out an additional $3 million to the victorious foursome.

Since May, the 10 highest-paid golfers combined to take $370 million from the Saudi-backed PGA Tour rival, per Forbes. The four highest paid are Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, lured by LIV Golf chief executive officer and former Australian star Greg Norman.

Stenson survives firestorm to take first round lead

Rio 2016 Olympic golf silver medalist Henrik Stenson is among the latest additions to the LIV Golf Invitational Series. As a result of his decision, the Swedish golfer was abruptly removed from his role as European Ryder Cup captain, having quickly jumped ship for a reported guaranteed figure of 40 million dollars.

“I made every arrangement possible here to be able to fulfill my captain’s duties and I’ve had great help from LIV to be able to do that and still, the decision was made that I was to be removed,” Stenson said, at a Thursday news conference.

“I’m obviously disappointed over the situation, but it is what it is, and we move on from there,” said the lanky Swede.

Considering the ongoing feud between the rival golf tours, some surmise Norman purposely went after the 125th ranked Stenson to disrupt the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, which is organized by the PGA and European Tours.

Despite the tumultuous week and heat the 46-year-old veteran has been receiving since his announcement, he surprisingly stands as the co-leader alongside fellow 2016 Olympian Patrick Reed, both carding a seven-under 64 on Friday.

“Of course, it’s been a busy few weeks and not the most fun, but we keep our head down and focus on the golf,” Stenson said. “It’s the best I’ve played all year and I’ll take a lot from that.”

Mickelson, the poster boy of the LIV Tour, shot a disappointing four-over-par, 75. The six-time major winner, often popular with the fans, was heckled on the first hole and had to step away from his tee shot.

“No, I had a really good day,” Mickelson said, asked if it was disappointing to him. “The people here have always been great. They’ve really treated me well and I had a good day with the fans.”

He continues to praise the new tour for its innovative elements, despite the bad publicity that it constantly receives.

“I think the great thing about LIV is that it’s got the ability to adapt, make adjustments, change things and make it better instantaneously,” he said.

U.S. golfer Charles Howell III, who like Stenson made his LIV Tour debut Friday in New Jersey, in tied sixth at three under par. Earlier this week, Howell asserted that “money didn’t play a role” in his decision to say farewell to the PGA and join LIV.

Not surprisingly, many doubt his comments.

The 54-hole tournament, as noted in the Roman numeral LIV, concludes on Saturday. Play proceeds each day in a shotgun format, with 18 threesomes teeing off simultaneously on all 18 holes.

Two-time Masters champion and Rio 2016 Olympian Bubba Watson, will be joining the tour for the next tournament, which will be held in Boston, September 2-4.

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