Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said his panel will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the PGA-LIV golf merger. Wyden would not give specifics on the investigation and did not say when he may hold a hearing on it, but he added that it is very difficult to get answers and accountability from the Saudi government.
“This looks like hypocrisy driven by a major cash grab, and we’re gonna get to the bottom of it,” Wyden told reporters.
The Justice Department is currently conducting an antitrust investigation into the PGA. According to the New York Times, the department is specifically trying to determine if the PGA Tour sought to manipulate the sport’s labor market. Investigators have interviewed players including Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio García.
Bloomberg reported that the Justice Department is also conducting an investigation into the merger.
“I would intensify and focus it not only on the antitrust issues, but also on the potential foreign registration questions,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said.
Blumenthal and his fellow Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, D, are furious with the PGA for joining a league that is backed by Saudi Arabia, as families of 9/11 victims accuse the kingdom of funding terrorism.
“If PGA really wants to make amends for this really, absolutely abhorrent merger, it ought to be supporting the 9/11 families rather than merging with an organization that tried to smear them,” Blumenthal said.
“And it’s disappointing that the PGA was up here on the Hill, asking us all to join with them, in fighting back against the Saudis attempt to try to paper over their human rights record. And now they are very willing and enthusiastic to actually provide that same service to the Saudi government,” Murphy said.
In fact, PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan once said he knows families who lost loved ones on 9//11 and used Saudi Arabia’s human rights record as a means to convince players not to leave the PGA.
“I would ask any player that has left or any player that has considered leaving, have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA tour,” Monahan said in an interview with CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz.
The group 9/11 Families United said it is offended by the PGA-LIV deal. The group said Saudi Arabia is trying to “sportswash” its reputation and the PGA is helping them do it.
“Tour leaders should be ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed. 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,” the group said in a statement.
