Reports: Super League Golf meeting takes place at PGA

The people behind the proposed Saudi-backed Super League Golf have met with representatives of the world’s top golfers at this week’s US PGA Championship.

According to multiple reports in the States, the clandestine catch-up took place at Kiawah Island on Tuesday and saw those behind the splinter organisation make their strongest pitch yet to the world’s top names.

Super League Golf is the latest incarnation of a proposed new breakaway tour that would feature Formula One-style teams with “franchise owners”, massive purses and contracts believed to be worth up to $50million for the very top players.

It is not known which players were represented at the meeting nor what the outcome of it was.

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The PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has previously threatened those players who join Super League Golf with permanent expulsion from the tour. Yesterday, the CEO of the PGA of America, Seth Waugh, said that partnering with the new venture would make players ineligible to play in the US PGA Championship and Ryder Cup.

If those threats were meant to kill off the mooted Middle East movements, they don’t appear to be having the desired effect.

Asked this week whether he would be tempted to join, reigning European Tour No1 Lee Westwood said there’s “pluses and minuses for everything”, adding: “If somebody stood here and offered me 50 million quid to play golf when I’m 48, it’s a no-brainer.”

Bryson DeChambeau also refused to rule out joining, calling it an “interesting concept” and said that he has “a lot of people in the background working on it”.

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“My agent has been telling me about it but we don’t want to ruffle any feathers,” said the reigning US Open champ. “We just want to go play golf and I would say give the fans the best experience they could possibly have. If it’s with the Super League, then it’s with the Super League.

“It’s a complete distraction. I would say from my perspective, I’d want to know what way to go and just let’s go, whatever it is. Whatever is best for the players and for the fans is what I would support.”