CHARL SCHWARZEL won the inaugural LIV Tour event, the largest prize in golf history.
However, US rebel stars Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson were accused of "betraying" the victims of September 11, 2001 and all Americans by aligning themselves with new Saudi paymasters.
Schwartzel won
the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational.
Hennie du Plessis and Branden Grace alongside Schwarzel
Schwarzel won PS3.2million at the inaugural LIV Tour Event
Schwarzel held off Hennie DuPlessis, a South African player, with a final round 72. This was enough to win the Centurion Club and the PS3.2m cash prize.
The world number 126 took home a PS608,000 team prize.
As the 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed, and Pat Perez were revealed as the latest recruits for the breakaway tour, it was a momentous occasion.
But Schwarzel's victory was overshadowed by a savage attack on the five big US stars who have signed up to the LIV Tour from 911familiesunited.org, a coalition of families and survivors of the 2001 attacks.
About 15 of the terrorists who attacked 2,977 innocent victims on September 11th were Saudi citizens.
In a letter addressed to agents of Mickelson Johnson, Reed, Bryson deChambeau and Reed, Terry Strada, chair of the organisation, stated: "You all Americans are keenly aware about the destruction and death of September 11.
You have sold us, whether it was the lure of millions of dollars in hard cash or the chance to bring your professional grievances before the PGA.
"This is a betrayal of not only us but all your countrymen."
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She said, "I feel compelled help you understand how depraved the Kingdom was when it knowingly sent agents to this country to create the support network for those hijackers."
"The Kingdom that has spent twenty years in denial: lying about what they did and cowardly avoiding the responsibility for their actions.
"Yet, these are your partners and they seem happy to be in business together.
"The Saudis want professional golf to whitewash its reputation and they pay you to do so."
Schwarzel said: "Never in all my wildest dreams did i think we could play golf for so much money.
It's an historic moment. It's awesome."
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