David Feherty’s patriotism was for sale with jump to LIV golf

It has long been said that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. But sometimes patriotism is among the first shelters taken by a scoundrel.

Last month, David Feherty, who has spent decades covering the PGA Tour on TV (the comical, witty Northern Irishman first worked at CBS then NBC and NBC’s Golf Channel), bolted for the Saudi-government-backed golf tour.

Since then, he has had trouble getting his story straight.

This month, in a fit of candor, Feherty said that he took a financial pledge of allegiance to the Saudi mullahs for the money — and only the money.

Last month, it was a different story. In a released statement, he explained and excused himself in a pile of words he’d have lampooned as rubbish:

“As a storyteller, this is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to help write a new chapter in this sport’s history. LIV Golf is developing ideas and innovations that are going to grow the audience and engage the next generation of players and fans.

“I’m excited by the energy LIV Golf is creating, and I’m eager to contribute to a world class broadcast production that has a vision towards the future.”

Sure, whatever he says.

Now let’s travel back to 2010, when Feherty covered himself in red white and blue, vigorously waving the American flag like Betsy Ross at a yard sale.

He’d just taken the oath of United States citizenship near his home in Texas, and Feherty told The Dallas Morning News that a trip to Iraq to visit U.S. troops finally convinced him.

“I wanted to be able to call them my soldiers, my pilots, my sailors. I have the benefit of living in this country, and it is maintained by them. … Thomas Jefferson said we need soldiers and teachers, and it is as true now as it was then.”

Very touching.

And Feherty, known for his pungent wisecracks, grew very serious and eager to let the world know that America was his, and he was America’s. E pluribus unum!

But now he owes his soul to the Saudi government, which just last week sustained its ancient laws that deny fundamental human rights. They sentenced a 33-year-old woman, Salma al-Shehab, to 34 years in prison for tweeting that she was fed up with the way Saudi rulers continue to treat women, forcing them to be subservient — slaves — to men.

In March, Saudi Arabia beheaded 81 men, mostly minority religious dissidents, in one day. But as those who knew murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi could attest, the Saudis have a way to silence dissidents.

And this is just the latest out of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this century, starting with the well-founded suspicion and evidence that Saudi Arabia helped finance and plan the 9/11 attacks in which 15 Saudis, doing the bidding of fellow Saudi Osama bin Laden, hijacked U.S. flights to massacre 3,000 Americans.

And there goes David Feherty, American patriot. He proudly took the pledge of allegiance, sang “Glory Hallelujah” about our military fighting terrorism, then took the dough from Saudi dictators. What a guy.

Won’t see classic like 1969 twin bill anymore

Last week during a Mets telecast, Gary Cohen recalled one of the most remarkable days in the history of the Mets and baseball: Sept. 12, 1969, a doubleheader against the Pirates in Forbes Field’s last days.

In the first game, Jerry Koosman beat Bob Moose, 1-0. Koosman went the whole way and, though batting .056, drove in the only run with a base hit.

In the second game, Don Cardwell beat Dock Ellis, 1-0. Batting .186, Cardwell, too, drove in the only run with a hit. He was relieved in the ninth by Tug McGraw.

That impossible day put the Mets in first place by 2 ¹/₂ games.

Cohen didn’t mention it, but such sensational games can no longer occur due to Rob Manfred Baseball, which has excluded pitchers from hitting, in favor of mostly feckless designated hitters, doing their part to create the lowest batting average in MLB history.

In a TV world gone nuts, Fox pays Colin Cowherd $6 million per year to blab inaccurate or fabricated nonsense to weekday audiences.

Borrowing from the Mike Francesa Plan, Cowherd consistently invents “facts,” then pretends he never spoke them or denies that he did, despite recorded evidence.

Last week, as chronicled on Twitter by @BackAftaThis, Cowherd gave his expert take on injured Jets QB Zach Wilson.

First he said Wilson has nothing to fear because “New York has the best doctors on the East Coast.”

Though that might be true, Cowherd seemed unaware of what had already been widely reported: Wilson was being flown to Los Angeles for his knee surgery.

Then Cowherd added that Wilson “has no history of injuries.” Last season he missed four games to an PCL injury.

A reported $24 million over four years for a rotten guesswork artist who doesn’t clean up after himself.

Rook has posing down pat already

Wednesday, the Braves announced that 21-year-old rookie Michael Harris II signed an eight-year, $72 million contract.

That night, with the Braves trailing the Mets in the ninth, Harris hit one to deep right-center, then stood near home to admire his blast.

But his “home run” smacked off the fence. Harris’ double or triple became a single.

In other “the game has changed” developments, Astros manager Dusty Baker, who played for some terrific teams, did what none of his managers would’ve dared: He threw in a winning hand.

Houston led, 2-0, two out in the eighth behind Jose Urquidy, who’d allowed five hits and walked none. But after an infield hit, Baker yanked Urquidy for Rafael Montero, who never got an out, but allowed three hits, two walks and three earned runs.

From 2-0 winners, Baker made 4-2 losers. And these analytics-afflicted, baseball-destroying managers — sheep — would and will do it again and again and again.

This year’s Rob Manfred World Series — the November Classic — begins Oct. 28.

So the number is 23. You can buy off 23 women who have accused you of sexual assault and still play the same season in the NFL.

The Manning Family seems to have wised up, no longer seen in those ritzy sports gambling ads aimed at young suckers. Or maybe their next group endorsement will be for a string of pawn shops.

It’s tough watching a skilled batter such as the Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo underachieve by hitting into or trying to hit through the shift. He otherwise might hit half-swing doubles to make the shifters shift.

Howie Rose’s Mets radio partner Wayne Randazzo doesn’t seem the sort to make trouble, thus when he calls the Manfred extra-innings automatic runner rule “goofy,” I suspect he despises it.

The Mets-affiliated Brooklyn Cyclones have so many promotions attached to booze, it’s no small wonder arena entrance/exit portals historically have been called vomitoria.