A US Senator has blasted PGA Tour officials over the decision to merge the PGA Tour and LIV Golf together thanks investment from Saudi Arabia.
US Senator Chris Murphy criticised PGA Tour officials after news broke the established North American circuit was merging their commercial interests with LIV Golf – thanks to a ‘landmark’ deal with Saudi Arabia’s PIF.
Cast your mind back to September 2022 and Greg Norman met with US lawmakers to pitch why the PGA Tour was guilty of anticompetitive practices.
Norman’s plea was met with considerable scepticism.
“Don’t come in here and act like you’re doing some great thing while you’re pimping a billion dollars of Saudi Arabian money and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the United States,” Chip Roy, a Republican, told Norman.
After grilling Norman on why LIV Golf was not registered as a foreign agent – given it’s backed by the PIF – he told the Australian his visit to congress was nothing more than ‘PR for Saudi Arabia’.
Murphy was one of the first to react to the agreement to unify the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the PIF into one entity after nearly two years of feuding.
According to the Democrat, PGA officials were in his office months ago arguing the Saudis’ record on human rights should prevent them from having a stake in major sport.
He wrote:
“So weird. PGA officials were in my office just months ago talking about how the Saudis’ human rights record should disqualify them from having a stake in a major American sport. I guess maybe their concerns weren’t really about human rights?”
So weird. PGA officials were in my office just months ago talking about how the Saudis’ human rights record should disqualify them from having a stake in a major American sport.
I guess maybe their concerns weren’t really about human rights? https://t.co/SQ9HQuBsNT
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 6, 2023
Despite the shocking merger announcement, we are still a long way from this deal getting over the line. There is also the question of what will come from the US Department of Justice investigation into the PGA Tour
Some Democrats have confirmed the deal will be poured over by US regulators.
“And the question obviously is whether or not there is any current laws involving foreign relations or foreign business dealings that haven’t been complied with,” said Democrat Dick Durbin to reporters.
Article originally appeared on: Golfmagic.com
Senatorial jerks. Nothing more than their usual 15 seconds of fame and a sound bite! It may not be popular, but it’s business with lots of $$$$ to support it.
As for the “shocked” players, these millionaires will be making a lot more money next year and be very happy. It will be interesting to see how much the purses grow for every tournament!!!!
I thought registering as a foreign agent was required for only those who are in a position of influencing the federal government. Anybody want to clarify that? How did Greg Norman do that by speaking to federal legislators at their request.