The Senate has opened an investigation into the PGA Tour’s new partnership with LIV Golf, a recently formed league backed by the Saudi Arabian government.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., sent a letter to PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan on Monday expressing concern about the tour’s business agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns LIV Golf. Blumenthal warned that it could be used by the Saudi government to nefariously influence the United States.
News last week that the PGA Tour would form a new entity with LIV Golf surprised many in and outside the world of golf. It appears to be the Saudis’ latest attempt at sportswashing — in which hostile governments invest in sports entertainment to try to endear themselves to the global community and distract from their often dubious record on human rights.
Blumenthal wrote in his letter to Monahan:
PIF is an investment fund of more than $700 billion created by the Saudi government and run by a board that makes investment decisions under “the chairmanship and guidance” of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the effective Saudi leader. PGA Tour’s agreement with PIF regarding LIV Golf raises concerns about the Saudi government’s role in influencing this effort and the risks posed by a foreign government entity assuming control over a cherished American institution.
A condition of the deal is for the PIF to have the “right to first refusal” of any additional investors, which could give the Saudi Royal family immense control over golf worldwide, SB Nation reported last week.
Last week, MSNBC columnist Dave Zirin broke down the sequence of events that led to the agreement. The short of it? PGA Tour officials wrapped themselves in the American flag for a year, suggesting players who joined LIV were betraying the U.S. or, at minimum, insulting families of those killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks (which were coordinated in Saudi Arabia).
This video of Monahan from last year speaks volumes in hindsight:
My last golf tweet (maybe ever) but here is a video of PGA Tour Commissioner, Jay Monahan, bringing up 9/11 last year as a reason for players to ignore LIV and stay loyal to the PGA. Not a great look, following today’s PGA & LIV merger. pic.twitter.com/YaCyLcyn8G








