All articles tagged with #saudi backed
Masters champion Jon Rahm, who recently signed with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, has stated that he will avoid public events until February and has been given strict instructions not to do interviews. Rahm's surprise move to LIV Golf, for a reported minimum of $300 million, is seen as another blow to the PGA Tour, which has lost several stars to the breakaway league enticed by lucrative paydays.
Randall Stephenson, a longtime member of the PGA Tour policy board, has resigned over concerns about the tour's deal with Saudi-backed LIV Golf. Stephenson cited his inability to objectively evaluate or support the deal, mentioning the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as one of the reasons. He also called for a reevaluation of the board's governance model and exploration of alternative sources of capital. The PGA Tour confirmed Stephenson's resignation and it comes just before the tour is set to testify before a Senate subcommittee regarding the LIV Golf deal.
Two officials from the PGA Tour have agreed to testify before a U.S. Senate panel regarding the tour's merger with Saudi-backed LIV Golf, while LIV officials have declined to appear. The merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf aims to form a unified commercial entity. The LIV Golf series is funded by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which has faced criticism for its human rights record. Senators have requested the CEO of LIV Golf and the governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund to testify, but they declined due to scheduling conflicts.