HEY, WILLIE! Here's some blowback on your thoughts about the Saudi golf league

Last week’s column about Phil Mickelson, LIV golf and its Saudi benefactors didn’t necessarily invite a lot of reaction — at least not by design, but reaction it got.

So much so, we’ll devote this week’s give-and-take to that one particular topic.

The emails below represent a healthy handful of those received, and while some were short and sweet (well, at least short) most were longer than represented here.

While the editing had to get heavy at times, hopefully the sentiments remain in each . . .

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HEY, WILLIE!

It’s not really that complicated. Elite American and international golfers are being bribed by outlandish payouts to sportswash and attempt to rehabilitate the abysmal public image of the repressive regime that rules Saudi Arabia.

The players’ money grab should not be confused with the Realpolitik issues that have motivated America to create an alliance with Saudi Arabia as a counterweight to Iran in the volatile Mideast.

DENNIS

HEY, DENNIS!

There were several emails explaining the difference between this money grab and our country’s occasional need to do business with the Saudis, who are sometimes a strategic necessity in that volatile part of the world.

I thought I explained that (somewhat) with the whole rationale of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” but I’ve been known to miss a fairway now and then.

HEY, WILLIE!

Saudi Arabia, like Russia and China, will always be enemies of America. Plain and simple and again there's no gray area there.

I'm not a fan of golf but anyone who joins a business that is basically trying to destroy the one that gave them their entire careers . . . care more about money than American/human life, rights or even loyalty and patriotism.

STEPHEN

HEY, STEPHEN!

“Always” is a pretty strong word, as plenty of old Germans and Japanese might tell us.

HEY, WILLIE!

To me, this is the celebration of the end of a monopoly. Like the downfall of “Ma Bell” — do you think we’d have free landlines and long distance if that did not happen?

The boys up the road at PGA Tour headquarters won’t sleep well tonight.

MARK

HEY, MARK!

Buying a new cell phone is more complicated and time consuming than buying a new car. Every time I sit in one of those joints, I miss Ma Bell more and more.

HEY, WILLIE!

I agree that independent contractors like golfers should be able to work wherever they want. Regarding getting into bed with the "bad guys" argument, what a hypocrisy!

Everyone in this country will purchase from China to save a few bucks on their sneakers, yet they begrudge an athlete's desire to earn MILLIONS more?

We all make moral decisions every day, and if I'm willing to enrich China, and others, to save money, how can I criticize the athletes who stand to gain so much more than I'm willing to "sell out" for?

FRED

HEY, FRED!

Going a bit philosophical on us here. Somehow I’m reminded of the old punchline: “We’ve already determined that, m’am, now we’re just haggling over price.”

HEY, WILLIE!

Dustin Johnson wasn't worried about the backing of the U.S. dollar, stability in the Middle East, or energy policy for a growing country when he signed a $125 million contract to simply play 24 days of golf at the behest of Mohammed bin Salman.

He was whoring himself out as an individual for the greater good of his bank account while knowingly helping the house of Saud with its PR and rebranding strategy.

They are doing it for pure greed. I applaud those golfers who are above that, and will tell my children about the difference, even though the issue is not black and white.

PAUL IN PA.

HEY, PAUL!

We’ll put you down as a “no” vote on the defectors' growing-the-game rationale.

HEY, WILLIE!

Thoughtful piece. Thank you.

Best take I’ve heard? “Mickelson, Reed, DeChambeau? Hell, nobody likes them anyway.”

But as you implied, there’s no more black and white, only shades of gray.

THOM

HEY, THOM!

Some have suggested, with Patrick Reed’s defection, the PGA Tour has laid off several rules officials. Wish I’d thought of that, but at least I remembered it, which ain’t bad these days.

HEY, WILLIE!

I wish Phil had paused a bit more on the “scary mother (bleepers)” portion of his thought process. The sooner this ridiculous sideshow closes, the better.

But you’ve done an admirable and somewhat intrepid job in pointing out the hypocrisy in the pious damning of the “LIVs.”

I like the term LIVs. Whaddaya think?

KERMIT

HEY, KERMIT!

Some are still wondering where LIV came from. Turns out, it’s the Roman numeral for 54, and the Saudi-backed tour plays 54-hole tournaments.

Maybe they hope to someday be commonly referred to as “The 54s,” which is an improvement on their current labels.

HEY, WILLIE!

Thanks for putting the issues surrounding LIV in their proper perspective. Your thoughts stand in bold contrast to those expressed by many of your fellow sports journalists, and may in fact put you in the “gray area.”

Thanks for offering a balanced perspective.

DAN

HEY, DAN!

This is far from scientific, but judging from all my emails, it seems that about 40% of us spell it grey, which is more common in English-speaking countries that spell neighbour with the U and defence with a C.

Where were we . . .

HEY, WILLIE!

World politics and related economic consequences are different from golfers seeking some easy money.

You suggest that golfers grabbing money from the Saudis should be viewed less harshly because President Biden is going to negotiate with the Saudis to help ease the oil crisis. I’m not sure the two issues are related enough to make a point, even a gray one.

The golfers are simply rationalizing flimsy motives, looking for bloated paydays, while disregarding and harming the process that gave them the Saudi opportunity.

We know world leaders are forced to have strange bedfellows. Once again, the moral and economic reasons for that fact aren’t related to a bunch of golfers assisting a reprehensible government trying to whitewash its reputation.

GARY

HEY, GARY!

Sometimes you wish a guy had tossed his ideas at you before you went to press, so you could further adjust your thoughts.

This is one of those times.

HEY, WILLIE!

One thing for sure, I don't trust the U.S. government intelligence on anything, so how do we know we are being told the truth about Khashoggi? There is so much “gray” area regarding the intelligence community, and its recent track record in this political environment is shady.

So I don't judge the players and actually feel that the PGA Tour is wielding the heavy stick for its own benefit. They want ownership of players, who are independent contractors, when it suits them, but not while the players are struggling to survive while chasing their dreams.

PETE

HEY, PETE!

By “players are struggling,” I assume you’re talking about the mini-tours.

Also, if it was just the Khashoggi murder, we could have this discussion about U.S. intelligence. But there are a whole lot of Saudi social practices that don’t require clandestine investigation, and many of them shock the senses of us here in the 21st century.

HEY, WILLIE!

What does personal self-enrichment and greed connected to murderers and despots have to do with one trying to work for peace and world stability? It’s not gray, it's black and white.

DL

HEY, D!

Another in a long line of good points.

HEY, WILLIE!

Wow! Nobody in their right mind would turn down that kind of money.

RICHARD

HEY, RICHARD!

Some would say "right mind" is the key term here.

HEY, WILLIE!

Thank you, one of the most eye opening perspectives I have ever read, not to mention your style is so much fun to read.

I don’t for a minute believe this ever crossed Phil's or Dustin's mind — not this way. Much too deep. Any chance you were a defense attorney? Can’t wait to share this around the campfire.

MIKE

HEY, MIKE!

As an aside, my personal sotted counsel — F. Lee Barley — would never go near a campfire. Something to do with combustible gasses.

HEY, WILLIE!

The Saudi monarchy is pretty much what it has always been for the last 90 years or so.

The petroleum subject? That's squarely on us. We created that Aramco monster, and it is currently the most valuable company on the planet.

Thank you for your very insightful article!

RANDY

HEY, RANDY!

In case you’re wondering, Aramco is the Saudi Arabian Oil Company. And Randy makes another solid point.

HEY, WILLIE!

Excellent, well written article. I find it incredibly hypocritical for people to throw proverbial stones at the golfers who took the money grab yet they are the same people who buy Chinese goods at Walmart and the Dollar Store.

And when they put gas in their car, do they wonder where it came from? Did it come from Saudi Arabia? There is a gray area and thank you for your article.

SEAN

HEY, SEAN!

Bit of a reach, maybe. But I’ve seen much worse. Again, we’re all sell-outs in selected situations. I guess it’s all relative.

HEY, WILLIE!

The golfers are only interested in benefiting themselves, while sycophants like you defend them.

JOHN

HEY, JOHN!

You made me look up the definition. Nope, don’t quite fit it.

HEY, WILLIE!

What shameful piece of (bleep) writing. Saudi apologists are the lowest of bootlickers.

DALLAS

HEY, DALLAS!

The next boot I lick will be my first. But then again, I’m being literal.

HEY, WILLIE!

Great piece Ken. I’ve been reading articles from Golf Digest and Golfweek, and they are really slandering the players joining LIV. It seems more like “hit jobs” than journalism.

The boys in Ponte Vedra have ascended to the throne of self-righteousness. What if the PGA Tour players are actually underpaid? The Saudis have identified an undervalued asset.

I’m always fascinated by humans’ clamoring needs to call themselves self righteous when someone tries to take their money or playground.

MARK C

HEY, MARK!

Doesn’t the attaining of 501(c) status give you certain claims to self righteousness?

HEY, WILLIE!

Great article! Though I would say it could be condensed down to a two-word idiom: “Money talks.”

FRED E

HEY, FRED!

Nice place to end it.

Oh, that’s right. Almost. You know how we’re going out . . .

HEY, WILLIE!

A guy gets on a bus, with both of his front pockets full of golf balls, and sits down next to a beautiful woman.

The woman kept looking at his lap and his obviously bulging pants. Finally, after noticing her glances, he says, "it's golf balls."

She looks at him and says, "Oh you poor thing. I bet that hurts a whole lot worse than tennis elbow."

JIMMY

HEY, JIMBO!

Thanks for sliding us out of this with a laugh. And yes, keep 'em coming.

— Reach Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: The Saudis, Phil, and LIV golf's future . . . let's review and react