LIV Golfers Trapped in Middle East Amid War: 'It Was Terrifying'
A group of LIV Golf players found themselves stranded in the Middle East during a critical period of conflict. 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 when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, triggering a tense situation. The Islamic Republic responded with retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, causing concern and uncertainty for the golfers.
Flushing It Golf was the first to report the news on Tuesday. Westwood, Canter, and Horsfield are part of the Majesticks Golf Club on the LIV circuit, while McKibbin and Surratt play on Jon Rahm's Legion XIII. Surratt shared his experience with Golf Channel, expressing his initial shock and fear, but also his relief as the situation stabilized.
'And then the world just came undone on Saturday,' Surratt said. '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.' He described Tuesday as a return to normal life, with people going about their daily routines.
Golf Channel reported that Surratt was attempting to reach Oman to catch a flight to Hong Kong, and other golfers were exploring similar escape routes. However, the airspace in the Middle East remained closed or severely restricted, making their plans uncertain. The U.S. Department of State advised Americans to leave several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, adding to the complexity of the situation.
LIV Golf has not issued any public statements regarding the incident.
