Social media users have ripped into Tiger Woods‘ decision to reject a £650million offer from LIV Golf, only for the Saudi-backed organisation to complete a shock merger with the PGA tour.
The stunning merger was announced on Tuesday and rocked the world of golf, with the PGA and European Tours having signed an agreement with the Saudi-backed circuit to combine their businesses into a new, yet-to-be-named company.
The merger ends the ongoing litigation between the bitter rivals but specific financial and operational details of the deal are yet to be disclosed.
However, fans will be well aware of the lucrative deal that Woods rejected from LIV Golf – in order to stay loyal to the PGA Tour – before the merger occurred.
The American will be left with egg on his face, having turned down the staggering deal, and users on social media were quick to remind him in the wake of the news.
Tiger Woods turned down a lucrative £650million LIV Golf last year before the merger
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said the merger marked a ‘momentous day’ for golf
One user on Twitter wrote: ‘Tiger Woods after turning down $800m from Liv Golf so he can protect his PGA legacy…watching Liv Golf buy out the comically hypocritical PGA,’ and added an edited image to show Woods crying.
‘Tiger Woods turned down more than $700 million to join the LIV golf tour in order to stay loyal to the PGA. Less than a year later, LIV and the PGA merged. Lesson: Always take the money,’ another account said.
One user wrote: ‘Tiger Woods turned down nearly a BILLION dollar check from Saudi Arabia only for the tour to stab him in the back and cut a deal with them anyway’
While many poked fun at Woods, one offered advice by saying: ‘Tiger Woods should start his own golf tour called: “F*** the PGA and LIV”…tour…’.
In August last year, LIV Golf commissioner Greg Norman confirmed that the controversial Saudi-backed breakaway attempted to lure away Tiger Woods with an obscene £650million deal – which was rejected.
Northern Irish golf star Rory McIlroy reportedly turned down a similarly lucrative deal – worth £400m – prior to the two circuit’s merging this week.
Golf insiders remain fascinated to see how both golfers will publicly respond to Tuesday’s unification.
Users on social media were quick to rip into Tiger Woods after news broke of the merger
The bombshell merger had been hailed by PGA commissioner Jay Monahan as a ‘momentous day’ for the game in a letter to Tour members, although countless players were caught off guard by the news.
Monahan admitted the meeting was ‘intense’ and ‘heated’, with the PGA commissioner’s position now under immense scrutiny.
Monahan has been accused of hypocrisy for accepting the deal alongside the DP World Tour and has been viewed as the surrendering of global golf to Saudi Arabia.
He previously slammed the morality of accepting Saudi money and pointed to the Kingdom’s links to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
