PGA Tour hypocrites should play on Japan Tour

After thinking long and hard about a lucrative offer from LIV Golf last year, Martin Kaymer took the plunge and now he believes those who stayed with their respective tours could have another decision to make

Martin Kaymer deliberated with his conscience before deciding to join the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League with a number of his European colleagues.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Kaymer shouldered criticism for signing up to LIV for a reported $30 million figure – but he believes it’s those who remained loyal whose resolve could now be tested.

In the last 12 months, Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the game of golf has been held under the black cloud of sportswashing – diverting attention away from issues of human rights and crime to their investment in golf.

But now, Kaymer throws it back to the naysayers and questions if some could continue to play on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour with the new merger announced on Tuesday.

“I’m really looking forward now to the reaction of all the people who said ‘we don’t want to play for blood money – ‘we don’t want to sell our soul’,” Kaymer said.

“Well, now they need to move to Japan (and play on the Japan Golf Tour), in order to stay true to their word.

“You just need to follow your intuition and what you believe. I stood up to my values and stood up to the feeling in my heart. I was brave enough and stood up for myself to a lot of people, also here in Germany who criticised me and gave me s***.

“Funny enough, they have sent me nice messages (since the merger news). It’s such a hypocritical world that we live in – so it’s even more important to make your own decisions.

“Don’t judge too much because when all is said and done, you might do the same thing.”

The two-time major champion is into the penultimate year of his decade-long US Open exemption which he earned at Pinehurst in 2014 and he is in the field for the showpiece event at LACC this coming week.

Now the World No.1034, Kaymer could be able to earn his DP World Tour membership back after resigning, through golf’s new alliance, but for now his playing days in Europe and for Europe are numbered.

He wrote himself into Ryder Cup folklore in 2012 by completing Europe’s stunning comeback against America at Medinah, and he hopes LIV Golf players can be a part of the famous event in years to come.

The likes of Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, and Ian Poulter also gave up their membership to avoid further fines for joining LIV Golf, but much like Europe’s current No.1 Jon Rahm, Kaymer wants the best players from each side to be present at Marco Simone Golf and Country in September.

“Everyone has now come together, so let’s show the world that and permit the best players in America to play against the best in Europe,” he added.

“I think it would be one of the great Ryder Cups if they made that happen. And why can’t they? They’ve shown with this deal that anything can be done and be done quickly, too.”

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