PGA Tour and DP World Tour must 'fight off' Saudi-backed Asian Tour - Colin Montgomerie

Colin Montgomerie has called on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour to «fight off» the threat of a Saudi-backed Asian Tour and avoid a «seismic shift» in golf.

The Asian Tour has been boosted by a $200m investment from the Saudi Arabia government's Private Investment Fund.

There are fears this could lead to a Super League in the men's game.

«It's a shame it's come to this. We used to work well with the Asian Tour and now we are at loggerheads because of money,» Montgomerie told BBC Sport.

«It's a problematic issue. It's that horrible, evil word, money. The mighty dollar ruling people's hearts and minds.

»We never played the game for money as such on the European Tour [now DP World Tour] when I first started out. I was trying to see how much better I could get as a golfer. Now it's all about that evil word, money.

«It's a shame. Let's hope the European Tour is closer to the PGA Tour than we've ever been before and we can fight it off.»

Golf is one of several sports used in Saudi Arabia's efforts to rebrand itself amid concern over its record on human rights, a process regarded in many quarters as 'sportswashing'.

Next week's Saudi International, which had its first three editions on the DP World Tour, switches to the Asian Tour and becomes its flagship event, with a prize fund increased from $3.5m to $5m. Organisers claim it will be the strongest international field assembled on the Asian Tour.

It has attracted more than 20 of the world's top players, including American major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson, as well as Olympic champion Xander Schauffele.

The likes of European Ryder Cup players Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood