Saudi Arabia set out proposals to make its upstart team golf league the culmination of the PGA Tour and give ownership stakes to star players Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as its sovereign wealth fund sought control of the sport, newly released documents show.
Correspondence published by the US Senate on Tuesday as part of its hearing into last month’s surprise agreement between the PGA Tour and Saudi-funded LIV Golf show how the Saudis tempered their ambitions as the two sides moved quickly from bitter litigation to prospective partners while keeping top tour players and board members in the dark.
PGA board member Jimmy Dunne told the Senate subcommittee on investigations that the framework agreement and follow-on negotiations were the best way to preserve the sport’s independence. A takeover of golf by the Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund “is the last thing we want”, Dunne said. “My fear is if we don’t get this agreement, [the PIF] have a management team that wants to destroy the tour.”