LIV Golfers Stranded in Middle East Amid War: 'It Was Terrifying'
A group of LIV Golf players found themselves in a terrifying situation as the Middle East descended into chaos. The players, including Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Sam Horsfield, Anirban Lahiri, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Caleb Surratt, and Lee Westwood, were in Dubai preparing for the LIV's Asian tour stop when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. This triggered a series of events that led to the Islamic Republic firing retaliatory strikes at targets across the region.
Flushing It Golf was the first to break the news on Tuesday. The players involved are part of diverse teams: Canter and Horsfield are members of the Majesticks Golf Club on the LIV circuit, while McKibbin and Surratt play for Jon Rahm's Legion XIII. Surratt shared his experience in a text message to Golf Channel, revealing that he and his wife had traveled to Dubai for a few weeks of preparation.
"And then the world just came undone on Saturday," Surratt said, describing the terrifying events that followed. "It was terrifying. But since then, it's been OK. It was bad Sunday and Monday with missile interceptions, but all day today was fine. It's been a totally normal life, with people walking around as usual."
Golf Channel reported that Surratt was attempting to reach Oman to catch a flight to Hong Kong, while other golfers were seeking similar routes out of the Middle East to reach the LIV Golf event in Hong Kong. The immediate challenge was the closed or severely restricted airspace in the region, making their departure uncertain.
The U.S. Department of State issued a warning to Americans, urging them to leave several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The situation remains tense, with ongoing coverage of the U.S. airstrikes on Iran, the downing of F-15E pilots over Kuwait, and the tragic loss of four U.S. service members in an Iranian drone attack. The future of the Middle East hangs in the balance, with Ayatollah Khamenei's son reportedly in the running to succeed his father as Iran's new supreme leader.
