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A group representing victims’ families and survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States has called on the Masters to reconsider its decision not to ban LIV Golf players from competing in April.
The group 9/11 Families United, which has previously written to agents of several American LIV players to express their outrage at them competing in the Saudi-funded events, has pledged to protest at Augusta National if the policy is not reversed.
The PGA Tour has suspended members who have competed in the breakaway competition, while the DP World Tour fined players Stg 100,000 ($A180,000) and banned them from the Genesis Scottish Open, in a move that remains under appeal.
Masters chairman Fred Ridley said in a statement on Tuesday the entry criteria for 2023 would remain the same, with any possible changes announced in April.
Former Masters champions Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson are among the top players to have joined LIV, while others who remain inside the world’s top 50 – including Australia’s Cameron Smith – will still be eligible to compete at Augusta National.
“Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it,” Ridley’s statement said.
“Although we are disappointed in these developments, our focus is to honour the tradition of bringing together a pre-eminent field of golfers this coming April.
“Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament.
“As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future Tournaments will be announced in April.”
Ridley’s statement drew an angry response from 9/11 Families United, who said in their letter to the agents of Mickelson, Johnson, Reed, Bryson DeChambeau and Kevin Na in June that “Osama bin Laden and 15 of the 19 September 11 hijackers were Saudis”.
“The only reason the Saudis launched LIV was to try to make the world forget who they are and what they did, including their role in 9/11,” the organisation’s statement said.
“On behalf of 9/11 Families United, we are calling on Augusta National to reconsider their open-door policy to the LIV golfers.
“If they are welcomed with open arms, we will be at their front door to protest in April.”
© AAP