Tiger Woods Turned Down Nearly $1 Billion to Join Saudi-Backed LIV Tour, CEO Claims

Golf icon Tiger Woods turned down nearly $1 billion to join the Saudi-backed LIV Tour.

“Woods turned down a deal that was mind-blowingly enormous; we’re talking about high nine digits,” LIV Golf Investments commissioner and chief executive Greg Norman told The Washington Post.

LIV hosts its first tour this week in St. Albans in England.

Despite not attracting Woods, LIV has signed on talent including Phil Mickelson, with a reported $200 million; Dustin Johnson, with a reported $125 million; major champions Charl Schwartzel and Sergio Garcia, as well as other notable players including Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Na and Ian Poulter.

LIV Golf has come under fire for being backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund given the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who was critical of the Saudi regime. U.S. intelligence has deemed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman as having backed the move to take out Khashoggi in at the Saudi embassy in Turkey.

Mickelson once blasted the Saudis as “scary motherfuckers to get involved with” – only to apologize.

“We know

they killed Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay,” he said. “Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”