TOP golfer Bryson DeChambeau has warned “no American is safe” amid the country’s rapidly escalating conflict with Iran.
And the world No 15 says the situation is so bad he could forfeit his 1.1million appearance fee by refusing to play in Abu Dhabi next Thursday.
Iran threatened to “unleash Hezbollah” across the Gulf and actually mentioned the United Arab Emirates in its threat in the wake of missile strikes on US bases in Iraq.
The 2.6m Abu Dhabi Golf Championship is one of the European Tour’s biggest events and part of its ‘Gulf Swing’.
World No 1 Brooks Koepka headlines a star-studded field that includes Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia as he makes his return to action after having stem cell treatment on a knee injury.
But Ryder Cup star DeChambeau – who won in Dubai last January – has cast doubt on his participation, saying he is “really not sure” if he’ll tee off in the Arab state.
FEARS OVER SAFETY
Speaking on his Twitch stream, he issued the chilling warning: “No American is safe.”
Some of golf’s biggest names have been enticed to play in the region by the offer of 1m-plus appearance fees.
Open champion Shane Lowry won the tournament last year and bagged just under 1m for doing so.
The winner could walk away with more than 2m in their back pocket next Sunday.
But despite the riches on offer it seems some of the Americans are having doubts over going in light of escalating tensions following the death of Qasem Soleimani by a US missile.
And the European Tour’s global schedule has cast it at the mercy of political crises.
The Hong Kong Open was cancelled in November because of fears over players’ safety following the widespread political protests.
Commenting on Abu Dhabi, a European Tour spokesperson said: “The safety of our players, staff and everyone involved in all our tournaments around the world remains our top priority.
“The European Tour constantly monitors situations in all our host countries, taking advice from the relevant agencies where appropriate, and we will continue to do so.”
