English tour pro defends controversial sponsor's invite 'Ken from Barbie'

English tour pro Richard Mansell has defended Ken Weyand after the club pro finished 72 shots behind champion Tommy Fleetwood at the Dubai Invitational. 

The 53-year-old turned heads when he fired an opening round of 16-over 87 and followed it with an 82. 

He was playing in the first DP World Tour event of the calendar year on a sponsor's invite. 

Weyand is the director of golf at Michael Jordan's exclusive Grove XXII golf club. The NBA legend was going to play but pulled out at the last-minute. 

English pro Matthew Jordan was the first alternate. Former European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn was also waiting in the wings. 

But Weyand got the nod. Put simply: he was in the field because he's mates with MJ.

At the halfway point he was 36 strokes off the lead, prompting outrage on social media. 

Eddie Pepperell also ridiculed Weyand being afforded the opportunity, writing on X: "Limited field of only 60 pros, and old Ken Weyand gets an invite and then does this.

"I don't care if he's Ken from Barbie - it shouldn't happen."

Things didn't get any better for Weyand over the weekend. 

He also posted an 82 in the third round and a final round of 86 to ultimately finish on 53-over.  

Weyand was 39 strokes off his nearest competitor, Sweden's Jens Dantorp. 

Overall, Weyand recorded 32 pars, 25 bogeys, 10 doubles, two birdies, two triple bogeys and one quad. 

For his efforts, he picked up €7,288.73 in prize money. 

Mansell played with Weyand over the first two days and conceded in comments to Telegraph Sport it was a distraction. 

But he offered: "Look, I saw what Eddie posted and I've read a few more comments and I can understand where they're coming from.

"But the way I look at it is that without the sponsor, this tournament doesn't happen.

"So for their special two invites, or whatever they got this week, they can invite who they want, I suppose.

"That's golf. I do feel for Matty Jordan, though."

Limited man field, and old Ken Weyand gets an invite and then does this. I don’t care if he’s Ken from Barbie, it shouldn’t happen.

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) January 11, 2024

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