トランプ氏がＰＧＡツアーを批判　ゴルフ界分断の責任主張

【ドラールＡＦＰ＝時事】米国のドナルド・トランプ前大統領は２７日、サウジアラビアが後援する男子ゴルフの新リーグ、リブゴルフ・インビテーショナルと提携しない米ツアーについて、「絶好の機会をふいにしている」と批判した。（写真はドナルド・トランプ氏）
　リブゴルフ・シリーズのシーズン最終戦となるチーム戦は、トランプ氏が米マイアミに所有するトランプ・ナショナル・ドラール・ゴルフクラブで２８日から行われる。
　トランプ氏はプロアマ戦で１８ホールをプレーした後、「米ツアーは絶好の機会をふいにし、今やもっと難しい立場に置かれている」と報道陣に語り、リブゴルフ・シリーズと大会を支援するサウジアラビアについて「ビッグな大会、ビッグマネー、破格の賞金だ。彼らはゴルフを本当に愛している。サウジは素晴らしい仕事をしている」と称賛した。
　リブゴルフがゴルフ界の将来を表していると思うかという質問に対しては、より慎重な姿勢になりながらも、分断が起きている責任は既存の米ツアーにあるとして、「どうかな。最終的には何か解決策が出てくるだろうが、米ツアーの対処の仕方があまりにも悪い。トップにいる連中をどうにかすべきだ」と主張した。
　また、今後はフィル・ミケルソン（米国）やセルヒオ・ガルシア（スペイン）、ダスティン・ジョンソン（米国）に続き、さらなるスター選手が米ツアーを離れてリブゴルフに参戦するとも予測した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/10/31-15:06）

Former United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the PGA Tour blew a great opportunity by not making a deal with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
Trump is hosting LIV's season-ending team championship at his Trump National course near Miami, starting on Friday, and praised the breakaway circuit and their Saudi backers.
I think the Tour really blew a great opportunity and now they are in a much more difficult position, Trump told reporters after playing 18 holes in the Pro Am competition.
It's big time, it's big time money, unlimited money, they love golf, they actually love golf and the Saudis have done a fantastic job, Trump said.
The enthusiasm, you hear the music, you hear a lot of things, it's different and so we are having a good time, he said.
Asked whether he thought LIV represented the future of golf though Trump was more cautious but placed the blame for the split firmly on the established PGA Tour's leadership.
I don't know, I think that ultimately maybe something gets worked out but the Tour mishandled it so badly, the people at the top, something should happen with them, they mishandled it so badly, he said.
They had, not only an advantage, they are dealing with very good people with unlimited money, they are good people with unlimited money. Something could have been worked out very easily and the Tour decided to go, as Richard Nixon said, to stonewall it, that didn't work out too well for them, he added.
LIV, which is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's $620 billion public investment fund, has invested unprecedented millions in the sport with this week's event at Doral boasting a record purse of $50 million.
Critics of LIV Golf say the venture is an example of sportswashing, designed to deflect attention away from Saudi Arabia's human rights record.
There are now a number of legal battles underway with no sign of a compromise between the two organisations. World number one Rory McIlroy said this week that he feared the split may become irreparable.
Trump said he expected more stars to follow the example of Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson and leave the PGA Tour for LIV.
A lot of other people are coming over, you know that, big names, they are coming over, he said.
The star system is always very important in sport, in sport or anything else, if you don?t have the star system you are not going to be successful, he added.
Trump also said the organisers of the British Open want to return the competition to Turnberry in Scotland, one of the courses he owns.
They want to come back...I think this will all have to get sorted out first (though), he said.