LIV Golf revokes reporter’s credential after questions about Saudi funding

It appears the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league is still very sensitive about its financial backing. So much so, the tour is restricting media access for those who dare to bring it up.

According to a report by Tony Paul in The Detroit News, popular Michigan-based golf personality Bill Hobson had his media credential revoked for LIV’s upcoming Detroit event after publishing a podcast interview with former LIV golfer and current broadcaster Pat Perez in which he asked about the tour’s Saudi funding. The 20-plus-minute interview hit on a number of topics related to Perez’s experience with LIV, including two questions about Saudi Arabia’s influence, which the golfer readily answered.

Hobson reportedly did not have any directive from LIV about what topics were on or off limits, though he was hounded by LIV officials to edit out the questions after the fact. When he refused, LIV Golf pulled his credential.

“It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, talking about the lack of freedom ― talking about the lack of tolerance, all of the things that regime is known for plays a factor in what just took place,” Hobson told The Detroit News. “And it’s super unnecessary. You talk about unforced errors, goodness gracious.

“In 26 years, I’d like to think that I’ve developed a reputation for being very fair. I’m probably overly bland more than I am controversial. … I had no desire whatsoever to have anything come out of this except for a fun conversation with a guy I find interesting, and that’s what I thought we had.

“When I do screw up, I’m pretty quick to say, ‘Hey man, I’m sorry.’ That didn’t happen here.”

LIV Golf confirmed to The Detroit News that Hobson’s credentials were, indeed, revoked, and that the tour offered him standard grounds passes to the event instead. Then, in a blatantly tone deaf manner that only a tour like LIV Golf could manage to achieve, it issued the following statement:

“LIV Golf values open and honest dialogue with media partners and has welcomed a wide range of perspectives since our inception. We are committed to working with journalists who approach interviews with fairness, integrity, and respect for the players and the sport.”

If your eyes rolled all the way into the back of your head reading that statement, fear not. We here at Awful Announcing took the liberty of helping LIV craft a better, far more accurate response:

“LIV Golf values open and honest dialogue with media partners, except when it comes to human rights violations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We’ve welcomed a wide range of perspectives since our inception, unless, of course, you’re interested in how we can pay our golfers nine-figure salaries when we struggle to get six-figure TV audiences. We are committed to working with journalists who approach interviews with fairness, integrity, and respect for the players and the sport, lest we revoke your access.”

Clearly, LIV Golf hasn’t learned its lesson on how these types of situations can quickly backfire. Had the tour simply allowed Hobson to keep his press credential, no one would be talking about LIV’s Saudi ties headed into this weekend’s event. But here we are. The tour’s press sensitivity is undefeated. They can’t get out of their own way. And the LIV dumpster fire continues to roar.