Standouts of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series defended the upstart tour from new criticism on Thursday, while Bryson DeChambeau said he expected an eventual compromise with the US PGA Tour.
LIV Golf has caused turmoil in the golf world by luring away many of the PGA Tour's biggest names with record prize money and fewer events.
The latest rebuke came on Thursday from US Senator Dick Durban of Illinois, who tweeted his unhappiness at the event being hosted in his home state.
“This weekend, a golf glove will try [to] cover a bloodstained hand as the LIV golf tournament comes to Chicago in the Saudi government's continued, desperate attempt to clean up its image,” Mr Durban wrote.
India's Anirban Lahiri, who left the PGA Tour earlier this month, said LIV was doing good for the sport and host areas.
“We're all just here to play golf,” Lahiri said. “What people have witnessed in terms of the golf speaks for itself. I'm not going to comment on anything political.
“There's a lot of good happening, but no one is talking about it.”
Chile's Joaquin Niemann defended his choice to leave for LIV, saying, “Once I got here, I realised it was the best decision I could have made.”
DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open winner, said the continuing controversy was “something that hopefully we'll get figured out over the course of time”.
The PGA Tour has suspended players who jump to LIV Golf indefinitely, with stars such as Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods saying they don't want to see LIV players in PGA events.
An antitrust lawsuit by LIV players against the PGA is not set for trial until 2024.
In the meantime, DeChambeau sees a resolution between LIV and the PGA eventually, even with both sides hardened in their positions at the moment.
“In regards to the landscape of the game, it is completely different now, and I think it's ultimately for the better,” DeChambeau said.
“People will see that over the course of time. It is just going to take a little bit of time.”
DeChambeau said he wanted to see a LIV Series versus PGA Tour event.
“With the landscape and the way that things are going, I hope one day we can come to a compromise. I would love nothing more than that,” he said.
“It would be fun to have what [American] football is doing … a Super Bowl sort of thing.'
DeChambeau sees some PGA changes for the 2022-2023 season that began Thursday as prompted by LIV, including a minimum $500,000 for fully exempt players.
“Whenever there is disruption in the world, no matter what it is, in the end it is always a net positive. In a year or two, you are going to see a lot of positive change,” he said.
“Over the course of time, they will come to a resolution. There has to be. It is only in the best interest of the game of golf down the road.”
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Astra%20Tech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdallah%20Abu%20Sheikh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20technology%20investment%20and%20development%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company Profile
Company name: NutriCal
Started: 2019
Founder: Soniya Ashar
Based: Dubai
Industry: Food Technology
Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount
Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia
Total Clients: Over 50
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (87')
Athletic Bilbao 1
Williams (14')
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh289,000
