Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter refuse to answer whether they would play Vladimir Putin or South Africa during apartheid.
On Thursday, they will play in the Saudi-funded Super League of Golf.
The players involved will be heavily recruited by the British press ahead of the first day of competition outside of London.
The controversial tour has its first competition at the Centurion Club in England’s Hertfordshire.
At a press conference prior to the first competition, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter received critical questions from journalist Neil McCleman in The Mirror.
Neil McCleman: “If Vladimir Putin had participated in a tournament, would you have played there?”
Ian Poulter: “It’s speculation, I won’t comment on speculation.”
Neil McCleman: “In general, is there any place where you do not play ethically? If the money is right, is there any place where you do not gamble?”
Ian Poulter: “I don’t have to answer that question.”
Neil McCleman: “Lee, were you going to play in South Africa during apartheid for example?”
Lee Westwood: “You only ask us hypothetical questions, and we can’t answer such a question.”
The Swedes respond evasively
Both players seem surprised by the questions and uncomfortable with their body language.
The day before, Phil Mickelson had been asked to call the Saudis a “scary f***in” in February, but he thought that was unpublishable.
Swedish director Henrik Stenson and Annika Sorenstam are interested in Scandinavian Mixed and Halmstad.
It’s not the players who necessarily decide where we play, says Henrik Stenson.
– We can only focus on this competition, it is interesting what happens of course, says Annika Sörenstam.
astronomical sums
Amnesty International, among others, has criticized the so-called Super Golf League or Saudi LIV Golf for sports washing.
Dustin Johnson reportedly earned $125-150 million to play on the tour.
Phil Mickelson will get $200 million more.
The prize money for the first competition in London is $25 million.
The winner gets $4 million, and the winner who finishes the last 48 players gets $120,000, plus a $5 million team competition to play again.
The total prize money for the round is $230 million.
Other places are Portland, New Jersey, Boston, Chicago, Bangkok, Saudi Arabia and Miami.
It has also been discussed that the tracks in New Jersey and Miami are owned by Donald Trump.
The competitions are held over three rounds and 54 holes.