North Plains prepares for controversial Saudi-backed golf tournament
By PAULINA AGUILAR
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NORTH PLAINS, Oregon (KPTV) — The Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains is getting ready to host the LIV Golf Invitational, but the tournament has people outraged.
On Wednesday, crews put on the final touches and golfers had the chance to preview the course and practice. LIV Golf only had 77 days to put the event together.
“To go and find brand-new on brand-new vendors, brand new partners, volunteers, everybody that we have to go do bring in together to create this level an impactful event, it seems like one long day so far,” says LIV Golf Event Officer, Ron Cross.
The LIV League has caused an uproar because of its Saudi Arabia ties. Some are angry because of the kingdom’s alleged human rights abuses and the killing of Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. As well as the Kingdom’s involvement in aiding a Saudi suspect in the hit and run killing in 2016 of Fallon Smart in Portland. Cross says the event can be a positive one.
“I think the impact it can have on the community can be positive from a charitable perspective, from any economic perspective, from the excitement of bringing the world’s best golfers here to a community that didn’t get a chance to come to Portland I think are all great things,” says Cross.
Ricky Freeman lives just a few feet away from the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club and doesn’t support the event. He says he will do whatever he can to interrupt or bother the golfers.
“There’s times where it’s just not right to not say something, we thought this was one of them,” says Freeman.
Freeman says he will be having a peaceful protest to express their anger of the Saudi-backed sports league coming to Pumpkin Ridge.
“There will be a place you know a podium with a PA for people to be able to let their voice be heard,” says Freeman.
LIV Golf says they will have a free speech zone set up in a parking lot just outside the club if people chose to use it and ask they do it safely.
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