WASHINGTON — The leaders of a Senate investigative subcommittee on Wednesday asked the heads of the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf, the Saudis' Public Investment Fund and the PGA Tour to testify on July 11 about the planned merger of the former rival golf organizations.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s investigative subcommittee, and its ranking member, Ron Johnson, R-Wis., are seeking testimony from LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and the investment fund's governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan. They want to ask them about the PIF's investment in U.S. golf, the risks associated with such an investment in American cultural and athletic institutions and the implications of the planned merger on professional golf in the U.S.
The senators also asked that the organizations' leaders "be prepared to discuss the circumstances and terms of the planned agreement between PGA Tour and the PIF, how any new entities formed through the planned agreement will be structured, the expected impact on PGA Tour and LIV Golf players, and the anticipated role of the PIF in U.S. professional golf."
The senators asked the three heads to confirm their attendance at the hearing no later than June 28.
In an emailed statement, the PGA Tour said it plans to provide testimony to Congress.
“We look forward to appearing before the Senate Subcommittee to answer their questions about the framework agreement we believe keeps the PGA TOUR as the leader of professional golf’s future and benefits our players, our fans, and our sport," the statement read. "Already, the first phase of this framework has resulted in the end of costly litigation with LIV Golf."
LIV Golf declined to comment. The PIF did not respond to a request for comment.
“Americans deserve to know what the structure and governance of this new entity will be,” Blumenthal said in a news release. “Major actors in the deal are best positioned to provide this information, and they owe Congress — and the American people — answers in a public setting.”
In the same release, Johnson said he hoped the hearing would be constructive.
"I look forward to hearing testimony from the individuals who are in the best positions to provide insight to the public regarding the current state of professional golf," he said.
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced the surprise — and controversial — merger on June 6.
Following the announcement, 9/11 Families United, a group made up of families of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said they were "shocked and deeply offended" by the merger — drawing attention to Saudi connections to the 2001 attacks.
"PGA Tour leaders should be ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed," 9/11 Families United chair Terry Strada said in the statement. "Our entire 9/11 community has been betrayed by Commissioner Monahan and the PGA as it appears their concern for our loved ones was merely window-dressing in their quest for money — it was never to honor the great game of golf."
