LIV Golf boss Greg Norman received a frosty reception from Republican House members after concerns were raised over the Australian’s backing and funding from Saudi Arabia.
The lucrative LIV Golf series is funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and it has divided golf, leaving the PGA and DP World Tours fractured after the new series poached some of the sport's biggest names. Several of the world’s most prominent players have decided to switch to LIV Golf, including the likes of Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson.
On Wednesday, Norman received criticism for LIV Golf - bankrolled by a Saudi Arabian regime renowned for their human rights abuses - as he met with the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) reportedly quizzed Norman over the Saudi ties and why the body is not registered as a foreign agent.
Roy told reporters: “Don’t come in here and act like you’re doing some great thing while you’re pimping a billion dollars of Saudi Arabian money and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the United States.”
Players who have joined the LIV Golf series were handed immediate and indefinite bans from the PGA Tour. The DP World Tour have implied they will fine the rebels and suspend them from future events but they haven’t issued a ban just yet.
LIV Golf was launched as a competitor to the established PGA Tour and Norman came to the Capitol to talk to members about anti-competitive tactics by the Tour. However, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) left the meeting before Norman’s visit had concluded, suggesting it was all propaganda.
“A bunch of rich guys [are] not gonna play golf somewhere - it doesn’t bother me one bit,” Burchett said. “Federal government needs to stay out of that and just let these country clubbers handle their own game.”
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Burchett also condemned LIV Golf’s Saudi ties, adding: “It shouldn’t be taking up our time. [We’re a] conservative organisation, and we ought to be dealing with what we’ve got to deal with in our country, not with - worried about a bunch of Saudis, a bunch of billionaire oil people, are dealing with.”
After the meeting, Norman insisted he simply wanted to inform the Republican members of both sides of the story in order to understand LIV Golf. The former World No.1 is adamant the meeting went well and encouraged open debate on the matter while dismissing concerns about registering as a foreign agent.
“We’re a commercial operation. So we’re here just to grow the game of golf,” Norman added.
In June, former President Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), attended a LIV Golf tournament at Trump’s Bedminster Golf Club in New Jersey. Former Europe Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson won the event in Bedminster to earn a £3.37m payout.
