The Loop

Greenbrier owner got Tiger Woods, now setting sights on West Virginia governor's office

May 12, 2015

Jim Justice, the owner of the Greenbrier, has higher aspirations than simply luring Tiger Woods to the Greenbrier Classic, as he has done this year. Justice has announced he will run for governor of West Virginia next year.

Justice, a billionaire coal-mining executive, changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democratic at the end of February, the Wall Street Journal reported, and will seek the latter party's nomination.

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(Getty Images)

"Our state and our people are hurting," Justice said. "You need somebody that loves our state and somebody that doesn't want a nickel for doing it."

Justice said that if he is elected, he would take a salary of only $1.

Justice began the Greenbrier Classic in 2010. Two years later, he ran into controversy over reports that Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson each received payments of $1 million or more to participate in corporate events, then to play in the tournament. Appearance fees are forbidden on the PGA Tour. Each player, incidentally, missed the cut that year.

Woods recently announced that he would return to the Greenbrier Classic in July.