Two leading Democrats are urging the Justice Department to investigate the merger between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf, which could lead to more high-profile events being staged at courses owned by Donald Trump.
Sens, Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden suggest the agreement violates the Sherman Antitrust Act, and would make American golfing fans "complicit" in "the Saudi regime's latest attempt to sanitize its abuses by pouring funds into major sports leagues."
Trump, who polling suggests is the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, enjoys close relations with LIV Golf, triggering speculation a new combined league could play at venues he owns. Speaking to Newsweek, one senior political scientist said hosting a tour event would be "a coup" for the former president.
Warren and Wyden, of Massachusetts and Oregon respectively, sent a joint letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, raising concerns about the agreement.
They said: "Significantly, the deal appears to have a substantial adverse impact on competition, violating several provisions of U.S. antitrust law, regardless of whether the deal is structured as a merger or some sort of joint venture."
The lawmakers also claimed the proposal would "make a U.S. organization complicit—and force American golfers and their fans to join this complicity—in the Saudi regime's latest attempt to sanitize its abuses by pouring funds into major sports leagues."
In a statement sent to Newsweek, Joel Schuchmann, the PGA Tour's senior vice-president of communications, said: "We are confident that once all stakeholders learn more about how the PGA Tour will lead this new venture, they will understand how it benefits our players, fans, and sport, while protecting the American institution of golf."
Speaking to Newsweek, Thomas Gift, head of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, U.K., said the merger will be a win for Trump if it leads to him holding a tour event.
He said: "Although the PGA-LIV merger is already putting professional golf at the frontlines of a new culture war, the prospect of a Trump-owned course hosting a tour event would be a coup for the former president.
"It would amplify his brand, and give him yet another opportunity to grab the spotlight—all while boasting of his 'perfect' and 'best-in-class' business ventures. It's a tailor-made campaign event for a politician who's already closely linked himself to golf."
On June 6, the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which finances LIV Golf, announced a "landmark agreement to unify the game of golf." While details have yet to be confirmed, the deal could end the rift within the sport caused by the launch of LIV Golf in 2021.
LIV Golf has already staged events at Trump-owned courses in New Jersey, Florida and Virginia. By contrast, the Republican frontrunner no longer hosts any PGA Tour tournaments, with the league ending its longstanding Trump National Doral Miami event in 2016.
Newsweek has also Liv Golf for comment by email.
Update 6/17/23 10:50 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with comment from PGA Tour.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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James Bickerton is a Newsweek U.S. News reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is covering U.S. politics and world ... Read more
