PGA chief makes wild ‘kill them myself’ 9/11 remark in defence of LIV golf deal

A key participant behind the controversial merger of the PGA Tour with LIV Golf has used his personal experiences to try to unify the opposing events. But bizarrely, he then claimed that if anybody may show that considered one of LIV’s Saudi backers was concerned within the 9/11 assaults he would “kill them myself”.

It has been a never-to-be-forgotten week for the world of golf after an announcement was made on Tuesday declaring that the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf had agreed to merge into one unified entity.

With the PGA Tour and breakaway tour LIV Golf having been locked in a litigation battle and confrontation for months, the truce has surprised followers and gamers alike, with not one of the PGA’s registered rivals even conscious that an settlement had been reached till the official announcement.

Jimmy Dunne, an impartial director for the PGA Tour Board, is known to have performed a key function in negotiations with LIV Golf’s Saudi Arabian funders, Public Investment Fund (PIF) and in accordance with the Independent, helped persuade PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monaghan to contemplate a deal.

Much criticism has been levelled at PGA Tour chiefs for successfully back-tracking on their authentic opposition to LIV, however Dunn has referred to as on the rival events to unite.

Speaking to the Golf Channel, he stated: “The reality is that we need to come together as people. We have too much divisiveness. At some point in time – whether it’s our view of the Japanese or our view of the Germans – there is a point in time where you have to say, let’s try to get to know one another. Let’s try to understand, let’s try to demonstrate by example.”

Involvement of Saudi Money in golf has led to criticism of the nation’s human rights report and claims of sports activities washing and connections to the 9/11 terrorist assaults. One group representing households of the victims has accused the PGA Tour of “hypocrisy” and “greed” because the merger announcement was made.

But Dunne’s personal firm was housed within the World Trade Centre and misplaced 66 of its staff on the day of the assault. The 65-year-old would have been within the constructing himself had he not been enjoying in a golf event on the identical day.

Dunne stated: “Every day, the first thing I think about is [September 11]. Several times during the day I think about it and the last thing I think about at night is that. That has not changed since that day. And I’m not alone in that.

“I would guarantee that every one of those family members has that same condition. It is just a reality of how unbelievably sad and awful that day was.

But in a twist to his message of unity, he added: “I’m quite certain – and I’ve had conversations with a lot of very knowledgeable people – that the people I’m dealing with had nothing to do with 9/11. If someone can find someone who unequivocally was involved with it, I’ll kill them myself. We don’t have to wait around.”