The PGA Tour and LIV Golf, a Saudi-backed upstart league, have proposed a surprise deal which has raised concerns from top Democrats in the Senate and House. Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, the widow of Jamal Khashoggi, has spoken out on the matter, saying that her late husband would agree that the people of Saudi Arabia shouldn't be penalized. The Treasury Department is now tasked with investigating the deal to determine whether it should be allowed to go through.
Posts tagged as “the PGA Tour”
The PGA Tour's plans to merge with Saudi-backed LIV Golf have come under scrutiny in Washington, D.C., with Senator Ron Wyden raising questions about the morality and safety of the acquisition. The Justice Department has also notified the PGA Tour that it is investigating the merger plans for antitrust concerns, and the organization has yet to respond to the letter or the investigation. Many have questioned the morality of the merger, and the outcome of the investigation and the PGA Tour's response remain to be seen.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has opened an inquiry into the PGA Tour's agreement with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, citing concerns about the influence of the Saudi government and the risks posed by a foreign government entity assuming control over a cherished American institution. He has requested a slew of records related to the agreement from the two sports organizations to shed light on the behavior of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the PGA Tour's tax-exempt status, and any law enforcement investigations. The results of the inquiry and its implications for the agreement remain to be seen.
The PGA Tour has recently come under fire for announcing a merger with LIV Golf, a Saudi-backed men's golf organization, prompting outrage from 9/11 Families United due to the Saudi government's involvement in the 2001 terrorist attacks. Terry Strada, chair of 9/11 Families United, has called PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan a “Saudi shill” and the Biden administration has been asked to comment on the merger. The PGA Tour has yet to respond to the criticism and the effects of the merger remain to be seen.
PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf have announced a historic merger, ending two years of disruption and distraction in the professional golf world. The deal is expected to bring a new level of competition and financial stability to the sport, and to the organizations involved. The merger comes after the PGA Tour was sued by LIV Golf last year for antitrust violations, and will end all litigation between the parties.