Golf
David Feherty Isn't Scared to Admit the Honest Reason Why He Joined LIV Golf
Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sports7 in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies. When Jack isn't writing about sports, he's watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He's also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sports7 with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.
Get to know Jack Dougherty betterUpdated11 Aug 2022
The dozens of LIV Golf defectors have been hesitant to admit they joined the rival tour for the endless buckets of cash. We've heard a lot of fluff such as, “it's growing the game” and “I'm doing it for the lighter schedule.”
None of them will confess that the hundreds of millions of dollars coming from the Saudi Arabian government convinced them to leave the PGA Tour. But famed broadcaster David Feherty will, and he even called out the rest of the LIV Golf participants for stating otherwise.
David Feherty candidly admits he joined LIV Golf for the money
The top LIV Golf defectors have had no problems accepting nine-figure checks from the Saudis, but most of them have refused to admit that's the reason why they left the PGA Tour. If that doesn't prove that they know what they're doing is morally wrong, then I don't know what will.
But Feherty, who recently joined LIV Golf as a broadcaster, isn't hiding his shame. He even took a shot at the LIV players who refuse to admit they left for the massive paychecks.
“Money,” Feherty told David Briggs of The Toledo Blade earlier this week. “People don’t talk about it. I hear, ‘Well, it’s to grow the game.' Bulls***. They paid me a lot of money.”
Feherty is almost too proud of his decision to team up with the Saudis, but it's at least refreshing to hear someone finally tell the truth about LIV Golf.
“[LIV is] an opportunity to be myself again,” he said. “It’s become more and more difficult, especially in sports broadcasting, to have any kind of character. Charles Barkley can say pretty much anything he wants, because it’s, ‘Oh, that’s just Charles.' And it is just Charles. But I have become more and more guarded over the last few years.”
LIV Golf has received most of its criticism for its decision to fund the rival league through the Saudi government's Public Investment Fund. Saudi Arabia's record on human rights isn't a pretty one, but Feherty says there's a misconception about that.
“You can point to various countries throughout the world,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to behave like that, but wherever golf is, good happens, and I’m hoping this will do the same thing. [LIV] has said it's going to donate $100 million to area charities.”
Even if that's true, it's just a drop in the bucket compared to what LIV Golf is paying its players. There's more where that came from, too, but let's hope the next defectors are as forthright about their intentions as Feherty.
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RELATED: John Daly Submits His LIV Golf Application by Calling the Saudi Crown Prince a ‘Great Guy’
