| David Peherty, a famous broadcast commentator from a golf player, joined LIV Golf Invitational last month. david peherty twitter |
“Because they gave me a lot of money.”
David Peherty (Northern Ireland), who used to be a golf commentator for the American media NBC, joined the LIV Golf Invitational last month. During his time as a player, he won 5 victories on the European Tour (now the DP World Tour). In March, he was a famous broadcaster who hosted the World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony for ‘golf emperor’ Tiger Woods (USA).
Such Peherty joined the LIV after completing the British Open (the Open), a major men’s golf tournament last month. He was in a boat with famous players from the PGA Tour, such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson Dishambo, and Brooks Kepka (USA).
Many golf fans view their joining LIV as a huge sum of money. This is because it is so clear that the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund (PIF) can easily earn a large invitation fee and prize money as much as it sponsors LIV. This argument is even more persuasive in that the solution that the PGA Tour came up with, which lost several famous players to the LIV, was also money, such as an increase in prize money.
Nevertheless, the players who joined LIV presented reasons such as family and leisure, not money. But Peherty was different. Rather, he frankly confided why he had no choice but to give up his familiarity and go to an unfamiliar environment.
Peherty said the biggest reason he left a stable job to join LIV was money. In a recent interview, Peherty said, “I don’t want to mention[those who joined LIV]. It’s to make the sport of golf grow. It’s nonsense. I joined because LIV pays more.” said frankly.
Peherty, at the age of 64, brought up more reasons for joining LIV, including the opportunity to work as a lead commentator and a chance to further revitalize his character as a broadcaster, but the first reason he brought up was a large amount of money. With the advent of LIV, the PGA Tour also responded by explicitly promising huge prize money and bonuses. Woods and Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), the leaders of the ‘anti-LIV’, are preparing a ‘league of their own’ for the star players remaining on the PGA Tour. Now all that is left is a thorough battle of eyesight and splitting the sides.
Reporter Oh Hae-won