NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — Charl Schwartzel took one look at the putt that was headed somewhere in the direction of Mount Hood before stopping about halfway to the hole on the 13th green at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club and could not resist.
“Other than your line and speed it was a very good putt,” he said.
The rest of the group in Wednesday’s pro-am, including the two amateurs and his partner and longtime friend Louis Oosthuizen, laughed.
After all, there’s been a lot of that happening in the Schwartzel household in Jupiter since he won the inaugural LIV Golf Series event in London three weeks ago and pocketed checks worth $4.75 million, $4 million for the individual title and $750,000 for being part of the winning team. That was more than he had made in any one year in two decades on the PGA Tour, including 2011 when he won the Masters.
“That’s the whole thing,” Schwartzel said, being honest about why LIV Golf has attracted more PGA Tour players than expected, “it’s beyond everybody’s imagination. You can’t lie that it’s not about the money. There’s a lot of money out there and it’s more than any guy has ever played for.”
Refreshing to see someone peeling back the layers and getting to the real truth of why anyone would face criticism to join the series that is being financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
First LIV golfer to realize money boom
Schwartzel, 37, became the first poster child for LIV’s financial boom. The South African, who has lived in Palm Beach County for 12 years, has won the Masters and the 2016 Valspar Championship, two PGA Tour victories – including that Masters – and never won $3 million in PGA Tour prize money in a year.
He certainly has lived a comfortable life earning $21 million on the Tour and having at one time owned a home at the Old Palm Club in Palm Beach Gardens but now renting in the Bear’s Club. But in three days in London, he made about one-quarter of what he did in 20 years.
Still, Schwartzel said the money never crossed his mind as he was attempting to hold off Hennie Du Plessis in London, thinking only about winning.
“Losing would have hurt much more than the money,” he said.
Schwartzel is aware of the backlash the players are receiving. He is aware of what has happened in Saudi Arabia. But his comfort zone and escape is golf.
“I don’t know enough about all this stuff and I’ve been like that my whole life,” he said. “I love playing golf. I know…
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