The PGA Tour has agreed to merge with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf in a deal that would see the competitors squash pending litigation and move forward as a larger golf enterprise.
On Tuesday the PGA Tour announced groundbreaking news that it formed a new commercial entity with the goal of unifying golf with the help of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
From the PGA Tour’s release:
“The parties have signed an agreement that combines PIF’s golf-related commercial businesses and rights (including LIV Golf) with the commercial businesses and rights of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour into a new, collectively owned, for-profit entity to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from a model that delivers maximum excitement and competition among the game’s best players.”
PIF will make an investment into the unnamed new entity “to facilitate its growth and success.”
With Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as its sole funder, LIV Golf has long been criticized as a way for the Kingdom to sportswash its human rights record. Saudi Arabia has been accused of wide-ranging human rights abuses, including politically motivated killings, torture, forced disappearances and inhumane treatment of prisoners. Not to mention members of the royal family and Saudi government were accused of involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist.
The upstart circuit led by Greg Norman and financially backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has been a thorn in the Tour’s side for more than a year now, and the merge would end all pending litigation between the sides.
Article originally appeared on: cnbc.com
After all the finger pointing, accusations of political concerns, sports washing, we end up getting into bed with LIV Golf. The PGA is just a bunch of cry babies who thought they could intimidate the golfing world. Now let’s hear from rory and tiger and pxg how they opposed LIV Golf so much, what about the sponsors??
I am totally disgusted by this merger and am done watching the PGA golf I once new. Total disregard for 911 and the number of murders committed by the Saudi’s. I thought it was an April fools joke in June when I first read the headlines. Why did this have to happen after all the bad things that have occurred since those money hungry golfers left thePGA tour. The future of golf is now tarnished by partnership with a murderous society. Shame on the PGA leadership.
Of course you are aware that the USA also murders its enemies from time to time. Soleimani comes to mind, droning the innocent family in Afghanistan during the evacuation is another example. So Saudis are murderers but we are not? Your morality standards are full of holes.
This is a bad move for PGA, but does this mean everyone’s in shorts. And what about the R&A. Where do they stand.
you won’t stop watching.. face it, what you or I think is irrelevant to anyone outside our own families. Honestly, I can’t believe there are people that actually think that big business and politicians care about them. You’d have to be pretty stupid to think that.
Disgusting cave by the PGA. Will we see yahoo golf from now on? Will all the decorum and prestige the PGA has represented for years vanish for a payday? LPGA for me.
AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA PGA Tour knew it was about to lose and get passed by so it caved.
This is the greatest news the world of Golf has heard since the PGA Tour was created in the first place.
Hopefully the Majors are also dismantled and become more like Tennis, where the 4 or 5 “Majors” are played in different countries around the World, one of them being in Saudi Arabia, of course!!!!
Such excellent news.
So glad for the World, the Planet.
Peace at last
Agree with the above comments Curious how the PGA Tour deals with the elephant – or Great White Shark – in the room, Greg Norman. Can’t imagine him having a role going forward. But if he does have one, the tour will have really sold its soul to the devil.
Filthy lucre. We have now lost another traditional thing the all golfers have enjoyed. Where will the PGA land on the side of charity when it opposes the suppression of the Saudis.
Filthy lucre. Where will the PGA stand when the Saudis oppose their previous traditions.
Money will PURCHASE..any one and any thing…this does not end me playing golf but won’t be watching TO face management . Will never believe you guys on anything !!!!!
I guewss the PGA will be televised on the CW network from now on !!!
I guess the PGA will be televised on the CW network too !!!