ウッズらトップ選手、リブゴルフへの対応策協議へ

【ニューヨークＡＦＰ＝時事】男子ゴルフのタイガー・ウッズ（米国）が、他のトップ選手とともにサウジアラビアが後援するリブゴルフ・インビテーショナルシリーズへの対応策を話し合うと、複数の米メディアが１６日に報じた。（男子ゴルフのタイガー・ウッズ。資料写真）
　報道によれば、ウッズとリッキー・ファウラー（米国）がフロリダからフィラデルフィアへ飛び、フェデックス・カッププレーオフ第２戦のＢＭＷ選手権のかたわらで、２０人ほどのトップ選手とともに、数百万ドル規模の高額契約を使って米ツアーから選手を引き抜き続けているリブゴルフへの対策を話し合うという。
　今年リブゴルフが立ち上げられてから、ゴルフ界は分断状態にあり、直近では第１５０回全英オープンを制したキャメロン・スミス（オーストラリア）が、新リーグに参戦する次なるビッグネームとして報じられている。
　リブゴルフからの７億～８億ドル（約９３７億～１０７１億円）の参戦オファーを断ったと伝えられるウッズは、新リーグを最も手厳しく批判している選手の一人で、全英オープン出場時には、リブゴルフとの契約には「賛同できない」と発言。「彼らがしているのは、現在の地位を与えてくれたものに背を向ける行為だ」と話し、若手が参戦すれば「メジャーでプレーするチャンスを完全に失う選手が出てくることもあり得る」と続け、「個人的に、まったく理解できない話だ」としていた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/08/18-14:10）

Tiger Woods was reportedly huddling with the PGA Tour's top professionals on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing battle with the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV golf circuit.
Woods and fellow professional Rickie Fowler jetted into Philadelphia from Florida before meeting players on the sidelines of the BMW Championship in Delaware.
Multiple US reports said Woods and around 20 of the top players on the PGA Tour were set to discuss strategies aimed at tackling LIV, which has been steadily luring players away from the tour with lucrative multi-million-dollar contracts.
Golf has been in turmoil since the launch of LIV this year, with Australia's newly minted British Open champion Cam Smith reported to be the next big name to join the upstart circuit.
Woods, who is reported to have turned down between $700-800 million to join LIV, has been one of the new circuit's most trenchant critics.
At St. Andrews last month, Woods said he disagreed with players who had signed with the series.
I think that what they've done is they've turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position, Woods said, adding that younger players joining LIV may never, ever get a chance to play in a major championship.
That, to me, I just don?t understand it, he said.
The BMW Championship is the second leg of the PGA Tour's lucrative season-ending FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Several players who would normally be expected to challenge in the playoffs -- such as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau -- have joined LIV and been barred from playing.
Tuesday's player meeting in Delaware comes after three LIV defectors lost a bid to force their way into the field for last week's St Jude Championship in Memphis.
I think it could have made things a little bit awkward, yeah, Spanish star Jon Rahm told reporters on Tuesday.
They chose to leave the PGA Tour, they chose to go join another tour knowing the consequences; and then try to come back and get, you know. It wouldn't have, I would say, sit extremely well with me.
Patrick Cantlay meanwhile joked about Woods's role in Tuesday's talks.
Well, I?ve heard Tiger is the new commissioner, right? Cantlay quipped before the meeting got under way.
That's what everyone has been saying. I'm going to go to the meeting. I'm going to listen to what it?s all about, and I?ll probably have more for you after.