"Saudi Victory, Sold Their Soul"... Aftermath of PGA-LIV Merger

Criticism Pours in from US Politics... Concerns over 'Sports Washing'
Golfers like McIlroy Show Mixed Reactions

The merger announcement between the U.S. Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Tour and LIV Golf, sponsored by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), has sparked criticism both inside and outside the United States. As a result, it appears that the PGA Tour has succumbed to Saudi financial power, and it is difficult to avoid criticism that it will continue to be used to enhance Saudi Arabia's national image, i.e., "Sport Washing." Some players also seem to be strongly opposed.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ "Saudi Arabia Bought the PGA Tour... A Sport Washing Operation"

CNBC reported on the 7th (local time) that critical voices have been nonstop in the U.S. following the merger of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. As criticism mounts that the historic PGA was sold to Saudi oil money, criticism is coming not only from the golf world but also from the political sphere.

Sports talk show host Rich Eisen pointed out, "Saudi Arabia is buying the PGA Tour." Pat Welter, a sports reporter based in North Carolina, tweeted, "The hypocrisy is clear. After spending two years capturing people's attention, the PGA Tour took Saudi money," adding, "They sold their soul to LIV Golf."

USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan also criticized, "The organization has become a slave to Saudi's blood-stained money. The PGA Tour has started a sport washing operation."

Strong criticism of the merger is also coming from the U.S. political arena. Senator Dick Durbin (Democrat, Illinois), the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, recalled that when he was on the intelligence committee, Saudi Arabia refused to cooperate with the 9/11 investigation, saying, "I want to keep my distance from Saudi Arabia."

Jay Monahan PGA Tour Commissioner
[Photo by EPA Yonhap News]

Senator Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, Connecticut) urged in a Bloomberg TV interview that the Department of Justice should investigate the "truly disgusting" deal. He said, "PGA officials should not only apologize to the families of the 9/11 victims but also support their efforts to seek justice against Saudi Arabia."

Senator Chris Murphy (Democrat, Connecticut), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also opposed the merger, citing "handing over a major American sports league to a foreign dictatorship."

International human rights organization Amnesty International called the merger "the ultimate sport washing" and emphasized, "This announcement must not obscure Saudi Arabia's brutal human rights issues."

◆ McIlroy: "I Can't Welcome LIV Golfers"

The players have been the most affected by the conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf over the past year. As LIV Golf poached key players from the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour banned players who moved to LIV from participating in its tournaments.

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), who strongly criticized golfers who moved to LIV Golf last year, said on this day, "Those who left the PGA Tour have caused irreparable damage to this tour and started lawsuits," adding, "We cannot welcome their return. That will not happen." He also said he believes the players who stayed on the PGA Tour should be rewarded for their loyalty.

However, McIlroy mentioned that although he still dislikes LIV and wishes it would disappear, the new entity formed by the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) is receiving investment from PIF, saying, "Whether you like it or not, PIF will spend a lot of money on golf." He added, "Ultimately, looking at the bigger picture in 10 years, it will be good for professional golf."

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Golfers who moved to LIV Golf expressed their welcome. Phil Mickelson (USA), a member of the Hall of Fame, tweeted, "Today is a great day." Bryson DeChambeau (USA), a newcomer to LIV Golf, said, "This merger is the best thing that could happen in the game of golf, and I am very proud to be part of it."

◆ "A Huge Victory for Bin Salman"... Meeting with U.S. Secretary of State

The day before, the PGA Tour, PIF, and DP World Tour announced the merger. They decided to create a new entity, with PIF's Yasir Al-Rumayyan serving as chairman of the new entity's board and Jay Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner, as CEO. Additionally, PIF became the exclusive investor in the new entity formed initially by the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and DP World Tour.

However, since the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have only reached a tentative agreement, it is expected to take some time before the final merger. Currently, the PGA Tour is under investigation by the Department of Justice for anti-competitive behavior, and PIF is also a potential subject of investigation.

The New York Times (NYT) evaluated that if the agreement is finalized, it would be a tremendous victory for Saudi Arabia, which seeks to expand its influence over world golf, and for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler. It reported that the merger's significance is not limited to sports, as Saudi Arabia, isolated internationally due to human rights abuses, aims to exert greater political influence in the Middle East and beyond.

Notably, the merger announcement coincided with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince bin Salman and others.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.