Saudis latest to evoke comparisons to Goldfinger

Image of murdered (and dismembered) Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The Saudi Arabian government is backing a new professional golf tournament. The new tour evoked a reference to Goldfinger.

Here is an excerpt from a story by Washington Post sports columnist Sally Jenkins:

Phil Mickelson looked like a fugitive from his own face as he cringed at questions inside his dirty new beard. Meanwhile, goons strong-armed the reporter who outed his gambling debts, and Greg Norman stood in the background orchestrating it all with a smile mirthless as Goldfinger’s. What a “fresh and fun” new thing this LIV Golf tour is.

The Saudi government is suspected of the murder and dismemberment of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (1958-2018), who likely met his end at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi was a dissident from the Saudi government who wrote for The Washington Post. He hasn’t been heard from since entering the Istanbul consulate.

The Saudis and their new LIV tournament are challenging the U.S. Professional Golfers’ Association of America tour. The LIV tour reportedly is paying PGA players (such as Mickelson) lots of money to play on the new tour.

Regardless, the power of James Bond (and Goldfnger in particular) provides sports writers some easy comparisons.