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Saudi Super League golfers will be able to play in Augusta

Cameron Smith won the British Open in July. / ap

The Masters avoids the imposition of vetoes and leads the way to the other three Grand Slam tournaments

Ivan Orio

IVAN ORIO Bilbao

No ‘Major’ had made a move since Saudi petrodollars revolutionized the world of golf with the creation of a Super League that at first sounded like siren songs but which over time has become an alternative circuit to Europe and the North American with flashy signings. Those responsible for the Big Four -Augusta, PGA Championship, US Open and British Open- faced a very compromised scenario because, today, the imposition of vetoes would mean the disappearance of the registrations of professionals of the stature of Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson, among others.

In this context, and with four months to go before the green jacket comes into play again, the Masters has issued a statement in which, despite acknowledging that golf has undergone a considerable metamorphosis that has undermined its philosophy, it will maintain the Same admission criteria as before. That is to say, that all the players who have participated in LIV appointments and who had already obtained the passport for Augusta maintain it without any type of restriction. This pronouncement, signed by the president of the emblematic American tournament, Fred Ridley, marks -and also widens- the path of the rest of the Majors in the face of an earthquake with unforeseeable consequences.

“Unfortunately, recent events have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the significant legacy of those who built it. Although we are disappointed by these developments, our goal is to honor the tradition of assembling a list of preeminent golfers next April. Therefore, throughout this week we will be inviting those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters. We have reached a pivotal point in the history of our sport. At Augusta National we have faith that golf, which has overcome many challenges over the years, will endure again, the Masters officials stress.

This approach opens the doors of Augusta wide to Sergio García, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel, Bryson DeChambeau, Joaco Niemann, Talor Gooch, Abraham Ancer, Kevin Na and Louis Oosthuizen. But, beyond the names, it forces the rest of the ‘Majors’ to come out of the trenches and raise their participation conditions, if they intend to implement them. A priori, no one seems willing to renounce the figures of the moment who have allowed themselves to be seduced by the dizzying contracts that have emerged from Saudi capital.

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