interesting.
This is not LIV
Itās PIF
https://twitter.com/BBCSPORTNI/status/1666474240583823361?s=20
Ok the reply needs everyone to go to a differebt start point.
For a moment the start is where sports washing is totally the wrong word for what is going on
Washing is a now action. What is going on is future building. Subtle but huge difference.
Washing is used with City Group and again is not the story.
City Group redeveloped swathes of Abu Dhabi implemented plans to take sporting excellence into every level of local society
I watched a Premiership Rugby match there 10 years ago. In country it brought huge changes. Related to this thread, in golf 2 Arab amateurs are being sponsored to play on invites on the Challenge Tour to prepare for the big Amateur events. The MENA Tour came from the whole focus on sports development taking golf events into Gulf & Southern Mediterranean countries. It wasnāt just about citeh.
Now.
Saudi.
It is torn between modernisation and its role as The Custodian of Mecca and for Nations that have lost āfaithā that is such a difficult concept. (And lets not go down the Scriptures v LGBTG+ rat hole)
So balance the religious part and that means Sunni Doctrine and that has so many interpretations and Karen from Essex unfortunately misses a lot of the nuance when she rants sports wash
Then you have the Shia World demanding they control the Holy Mosque.
Its a balance. It will not change overnight and they simply laugh at the sports washing jibes especially from a Nation with Leadership among the most corrupt on the Planey
Kashoggi? Dr David Kelley.
The Vaccine injured
Etc
So.
Why Saudi?
Answer is Vision 2030.
They implemented the plan more than 10 years ago, they sucked in all the engineers, architects etc discarded or unpaid by the UAE and have gone bigger. (Yes, they tried to get me, yes I turned them down, yes I was right to - the project was BS and Covid put paid to it quicker than I could have sucked their $$$'s out)
On every level.the scale is ENORMOUS
Not just development and new towns but the whole new āTourist Stateā
Riyadh Airways seen what they are up to?
Everything is being built to be bigger & better than Dubai & Abu Dhabi and tbh the "Old West.
Washing a reputation no, this is a plan to start to become the centre of the New World Order - not in 2030 but not long after.
$2b for LIV which will now vanish along with Greg Norman - peanuts they are building a Nation and a Tourism Industry.
Dubai spent $1bn on the Burj al Arab the greatest MARKETING spend ever.
Its not sportswashing
Its Field of Dreams on Steroids.
( and none of that makes them nice nor bad people, just living on Ā£120 a month sick pay i really could do with a consulting gig from them 
)
I taight him that.
Obv
Did you use this method of testing wind direction?
There is taking the piss. Then there is the US Open
https://twitter.com/theweeman77/status/1667935001676075008?s=20
If only the organisers had access to teams who had crowd control experience and knowledge of golf but oh no, it doesnt mention that in the text books the Interns read to learn everuthing.
( we have similar total lack of sense/experience going on with the Ryder Cup organisers the locals are using Italian college kids - its gonna be a nightmare
40,000 people will want to see tge 1st tee shot on the Friday.
Their response when planning transport?
This is Rome, our spectators never come early)
For context for those that donāt know (like me)
Hmm, āmedical conditionā, yes, of course you haveā¦
slipped disc from carrying the bag of cash to the Caymans
2 Likes
IS Open under way
Buch of leading European names out already.
Course looks tough, they always like to say Par should win the tournament.
Only 4 holes in balls vanishing into 5 inch deep rough.
Luverly jubbly
Hmmmm, Rory on -5, leaders on -8, yeah really tough
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I get a sneaky feeling tge pin positions could be a tad more difficult todayā¦
You think?
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It begins
The cancellation of Greg
Greg Norman sued by teen claiming sexual assault at his home
Mcllroy still in contention which is unusual at this stage of a major
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Rory bottled it again
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Not at all. Just didnāt get the putts to drop. Only one dropped shot all day.