157 - LIV Golf and Saudi Money Part 2

LIV Golf has acquired the PGA. So why is a sports merger about to change American politics? And why are Saudi golf managers paying off Washington lobbyists?

16 of the last 19 presidents were golfers. 90% of the CEOs from Fortune 500 play golf. And 80% of all executives on the field say golf was essential for establishing their business relationships. Golf is a profoundly influential game, whether you follow it or not. Political deals made on the back nine by judges and politicians will determine the prices of gas, the taxes on cigarettes, and how many missiles the US sells to the middle east. Which is why it’s concerning that golf as a sport has been purchased by a foreign country - one with a history of paying off politicians and meddling in American campaign finances.

In Part 2 of our LIV Golf series, we’ll focus on the messy battle between PGA and LIV, and talk about whether loyal PGA golfers were morally right to badmouth LIV players who took Saudi money. Then we’ll continue our history of Saudi “sports washing” and find out why the wives of American boxers weren’t allowed to watch their husbands fight in Saudi matches. We’ll also confront the elephant in the room whenever Saudi money comes up: the killing and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Kashoggi by crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. And how Saudi Arabia’s reputation may have been tarnished by the murder, yet international sports stars are still happy to take Saudi money.

What will it mean for the PGA now that golf has been purchased by the Saudi Public Investment Fund? And what will it mean for the future of politics, to have the most popular sport among the wealthy elite get bought up and stuffed into another country’s investment portfolio? We may not be Nostradamas but we have a few predictions, and none of them are optimistic.

Links:

https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/01/30/saudi-arabia-10-reasons-why-women-flee

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loujain_al-Hathloul https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/545149

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2022/10/saudi-arabia-ramped-up-foreign-influence-operations-in-the-us-during-bidens-presidency/

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-state-dept-okays-650-million-potential-air-to-air-missile-deal-saudi-arabia-2021-11-04/

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/25/liv-golf-lobbies-up-00053802

https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/08/09/pga-head-admits-mistakes-in-liv-golf-deal-rollout-but-calls-merger-with-saudi-backed-tour-the-right-move/?sh=1c5b2f32527a

https://ceoworld.biz/2021/01/05/why-do-rich-men-play-golf/

https://nypost.com/2022/07/28/greg-norman-opens-up-about-liv-golf-blood-money-controversy/