WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Sen. Richard Blumenthal has opened a probe into the recent merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Blumenthal, chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), wrote letters to both golf tournaments, noting Saudi Arabia's "deeply disturbing human rights record at home and abroad." He also stated that Saudi Arabia has indicated its intention to "use investments in sports to further the Saudi government's strategic objectives."
On June 6, the PGA Tour announced that it had agreed to combine its commercial businesses with LIV Golf, which is owned by the Saudi Arabian government’s Public Investment Fund.
According to Blumenthal, it raises the risks “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.”
Blumenthal is demanding information regarding how PGA Tour came to an agreement concerning LIV Golf and how any newly formed entity will be structured and operated, including how PGA Tour intends to preserve its tax-exempt status.
The full text of the letter to the PGA Tour is available here. The full text of the letter to LIV Golf is available here.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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