Pat Perez and Brooks Koepka have played down Saudi Arabia's involvement in the breakaway LIV Golf Invitational Series when quizzed about the state's appalling human rights record.
LIV - which has former World No.1 Greg Norman as its CEO - is financed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, which is controlled by the state's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. The series has been widely condemned as an attempt at sportswashing, but Perez and Koepka sidestepped questions about Saudi involvement when speaking to reporters ahead of LIV's second event in Portland.
"I don't have any concerns," Perez said when questioned on Saudi Arabia's human rights record. "I'm playing golf.
"This group has provided me an opportunity to play golf and have a different schedule. That's my only concern.
"I understand the topics and they're horrible events, but I'm here to play golf. That's my deal, I've got an opportunity to play golf and that's it."
Koepka then added: "We're here to play golf. We're excited about it and we're going to go out there and put on the best show we can put on and hopefully one of us is up here on Saturday with a win."
Koepka also responded to comments from Rory McIlroy, who stated that some of the players who have joined LIV have acted in a "pretty duplicitous" manner. Although McIlroy did not mention Koepka by name, he was responding to a question about the American's decision.
McIlroy said: "Am I surprised? Yes, because of what he said previously. I think that's why I'm surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another and I don't understand.
"I don't know if that's for legal reasons or if they can't - I have no idea - but it's pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing, in public and in private."
When asked about McIlroy's statement, Koepka said: "Look, I got respect for Rory as a player. He's good. He's phenomenal.
"I'll be honest with you. I didn't see it [his comments]. I didn't hear about it until basically like a day ago. So, look, he's entitled to his opinion.
"He can think whatever he wants. He's going to do what's best for him and his family, I'm going to do what's best for me and my family and can't hate on anybody for that, and like I said, opinions change."
