Two PGA Tour executives testify at Senate hearing on investigative deal with Saudi Arabia’s PIF
Two PGA Tour executives will testify before a Senate subcommittee investigating the agreement between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns and operates LIV Golf. The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations will meet Tuesday, July 11 for a hearing titled “PGA-LIV Agreement: Implications for the Future of Golf and Saudi Influence Saudi Arabia in the United States.”
Chairman Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and rating member Ron Johnson (R-WI) announced Monday that although the subcommittee invited representatives from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to attend the hearing, Only two PGA Tour executives have confirmed attendance: Ron Price, the PGA Tour’s chief executive officer, and Jimmy Dunne, a Tour board member who is said to have arranged the deal with the PIF.
Representatives of LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman and PIF governor of Saudi Arabia Yasir al-Rumayyan informed the subcommittee that they would not be able to attend the hearing due to scheduling conflicts.
“We appreciate the PGA Tour’s partnership with us and look forward to a strong, thoughtful exchange with both Ron Price and Jimmy Dunne on July 11, focusing on the details and context of the game. this agreement and what it means for this beloved American institution,” Sens Blumenthal and Johnson said in a joint statement.
“We regret that Governor al-Rumayyan and Mr. Norman’s scheduling conflict will prevent them from attending the July 11 hearing. Both Governor al-Rumayyan and Mr. Norman have valuable information. to share about the performance of the Public Investment Fund, the future of LIV Golf and Saudi Arabia’s plans to invest in golf and other sports. We look forward to working with both witnesses to find a date when both parties can agree to appear in the very near future.”
The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF announced a framework agreement in early June in which the three competitive tournaments will operate under the same umbrella of a new, for-profit company that has yet to be named. .
