Ahead of the third LIV golf event at the Trump National Golf Club at Bedminster, the families of 9/11 victims have held a press conference in close proximity to the course, launching an attack on what they describe as the players' "appalling" decision to join the Saudi sponsored tour.
The third instalment of the eight-tournament 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series takes place at the New Jersey venue.
Both this week's event and the year's concluding event in Doral will be held at Donald Trump-owned courses. The 45th US President has praised the breakaway tour as a great addition to golf and great for the image of Saudi Arabia.
On Tuesday, 911familiesunited.org held a press conference in Bedminster, lambasting the tour and expressing their horror that professional golfers "could be bought" in this manner.
Fifteen of the 19 9/11 hijackers were Saudi and a number of FBI reports in recent years that suggested contact between hijackers and the Saudi associates, but no evidence the Riyadh government was complicit in the attacks.
The Saudi government has always denied any involvement in thr attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.
"If I could talk to (the players from LIV Golf) I would that say I'm horrified they could be bought. It’s not like they are struggling (financially)," said Alison Crowther, whose son Welles, a former Boston College Lacrosse player, was killed when one of the hijacked planes hit the South Tower of the World Trade Centre.
"That they could be morally compromised by money from a source such as this, I find it appalling. I find it a testament to their own character, which is unsatisfactory."
Matthew Bocchi, whose father John was killed in the North Tower, said Saudi involvement in golf set a precedent that the families didn't wish to see.
And he praised Rory McIlroy for his stance against the LIV Tour.
"I’m aware there are corporations in the US funded by Saudi money; their involvement in this country is no mystery," Bocchi told The New York Post. "This is setting a precedent we don’t want set. I’m a big sports fan. If this can happen so easily and so close to home, who’s to say this isn’t going to continue and they’re not going to get involved in other sports?
"The proximity of this tournament — I grew up 15 minutes from here. I went to so many funerals here. It ignites (the emotions) all over again. I respect a lot of the golfers. Is the money worth it? Do they need $200 million from the Saudis? Maybe some of them do. But they need to realise this is a fight we’ve been having for years. It’s hurtful.
"I respect Rory, who has spoken out against it and said this is sportswashing. I have a lot of friends who are golf fans. They feel the same way. This is going to set a tone that we don’t want."
Terry Strada, the chair of 911familiesunited.org, whose late husband Tom was formerly a golf pro, accused the players involved of having "ignorantly toed" Saudi Arabia's line and facilitating sportswashing.
"To those players who have ignorantly toed the kingdom's line speaking from their talking points and asking the public to focus on what the Saudis are doing now, or calling the allegations against the kingdom tenuous at best, you have become mouthpieces for the kingdom and perfect examples of how sportswashing works," she said. "What (Saudi Arabia) is doing with LIV Golf is, they’re throwing billions of dollars into a PR stunt. They don’t care."
"I would ask (Mickelson) to at least consider what example you are setting for our youth; that money can buy anything," Strada said.
"That’s a horrible example to set. I would like him to think about what his legacy is going to be, what all of their legacies are going to be. They took money from the kingdom that murdered 3,000 people on American soil."
