- Women ride Pakistan's economic crisis into the workplace
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- Biden team, end in sight, keeps hope on Gaza truce despite setbacks
- Sabalenka dedicates US Open to family 'who never gave up' on dream
- Venezuela takes diplomatic jab at Brazil in spat over election
- Multiple people shot along highway in US state of Kentucky
- In Papua New Guinea, Pope holds mass 'at the edge of the world'
- Hewett stays positive for wheelchair tennis despite agonising defeat
- Three things on US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka
- Sabalenka downs Pegula to win US Open thriller
- USA slump to first home defeat against Canada in 67 years
- Argentina hand Australia record 67-27 loss in Rugby Championship
- England impress on Carsley bow, Germany, Dutch hit five
- AFP photographer wins top prize for Gaza coverage
- No Love for Packers for three weeks after ligament sprain: reports
- Pedro Almodovar: chronicler of modern Spain crowned in Venice
- Trump sounds dark tone at rally, Harris 'ready' for debate
- Wirtz and Musiala dazzle to kick-start new Germany era
- Chinese teenager takes 7th gold of Paris Paralympics
- England interim boss Carsley 'respects' divided opinions over anthem
- Neuville moves to the front in the Acropolis Rally
- Garfield, Pugh charm Toronto in new romance 'We Live in Time'
- 21 boys confirmed dead in Kenya school inferno
- Over 100,000 protest in France against new prime minister
- Golden 30 minutes takes China to swimming Paralympics swimming domination
- Green leads Australia to T20 series sweep of Scotland
- Nigeria, Cameroon win afer chaotic AFCON build-ups
- Nicole Kidman: A-lister, cinematic chameleon, wins in Venice
- 'I had to prove myself', says Kolisi after win against All Blacks
- Almodovar wins top prize at Venice film festival
- Grealish savours England redemption after 'worst summer'
- Carsley makes flying start as England interim boss in win over Ireland
- Springboks close on Rugby Championship with storming win over All Blacks
- Sri Lanka's De Silva and Kamindu Mendis defy England in third Test
- Farrell's Racing lose on opening day of Top 14
- Dunbar takes second Vuelta stage as Roglic closes in on victory
- Fritz eyes US Open glory to end 21 years of American hurt
- Thousands protest in France against new prime minister
- Trump to hold rally in swing state, Harris preps for debate
- Stone at the double as Sri Lanka collapse against England in third Test
- French tennis player takes legal action over online abuse
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- MotoGP leader Martin roars to victory in San Marino sprint
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- Flintoff appointed England Lions head coach
- Sri Lanka hit back as Pope falls during England collapse in second Test
Mickelson says Saudi-backed golf league chance to 'reshape' PGA Tour
Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson says he's willing to get involved with the Saudi-backed golf Super League despite concerns over the kingdom's human rights record as a way to "reshape how the PGA Tour operates."
In comments related by biographer Alan Shipnuck via the Fire Pit Collective website on Thursday, Mickelson described the Saudi paymasters of the controversial breakaway league as "scary," citing the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
"... They killed Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights," Mickelson told Shipnuck in an interview that the writer said took place in November. "They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates."
Australian great Greg Norman has been a driving force of the proposed league and 51-year-old Mickelson is one of the highest-profile US PGA Tour players to give full-throated support to the venture.
Mickelson asserts the US tour has "been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse.
"As nice a guy as (PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan) comes across as, unless you have leverage, he won’t do what's right. And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage.
"I'm not sure I even want (the SGL) to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the (US) tour."
Mickelson is particularly keen to see players have possession of their media rights, currently owned by the tour.
"They are sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars worth of digital content we could be using for our social media feeds," Mickelson told Shipnuck, whose unauthorized biography of the American will be released later this year.
"The players need to own all of that. We played those shots, we created those moments, we should be the ones to profit."
Mickelson, who voiced similar sentiments to Golf Digest this month, also told Shipnuck that he and three other players had paid for lawyers to write the super league's operating agreement in order to ensure players have control of the details.
- 'Egotistical statement' -
"Seems like a bit of a pretty, you know, egotistical statement," world number eight Justin Thomas said of Mickelson's comments.
Thomas is among a string of top players who have flatly said they aren't interested in the breakaway circuit. Many of them are tired of being asked about what they say remains only a vague proposal.
"I don't know, it's, like, he's done a lot of great things for the PGA Tour, it's a big reason it is where it is," Thomas said. "But him and others that are very adamant about that (the super league) if they're that passionate, go ahead. I don't think anybody's stopping them.
"I've heard way too much talk about a lot of players that are so done with everything, but they keep hanging around, so clearly they're not too done," Thomas added.
World number two Collin Morikawa also sounded weary of the conversation, indicating he'd had no confirmation of the big money the super league would guarantee those who signed up.
"We don't know what's going on," Morikawa said Thursday. "We're just all hypothesizing and guessing, you know, when this, when that, what date. It's all unknown. I think that's what we're sick of. It sucks to not know things and it's just an unknown, so why keep talking about it until something's actually said."
F.Moura--PC