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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Democratic US Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and the panel’s top Republican Ron Johnson invited them to appear.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Our goal is to uncover the facts about what went into the PGA Tour’s deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and what the Saudi takeover means for the future of this cherished American institution and our national interest,” said Blumenthal.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Americans deserve to know what the structure and governance of this new entity will be.”</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1738820\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1492708293-1.jpg\" alt=\"Yasir Al-Rumayyan, LIV Golf\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" /> <em>Head of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, has been invited to a US Senate hearing to shed light on the merger with the PGA Tour. (Photo: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A PGA Tour spokesman said the Tour looks “forward to appearing before the Senate subcommittee to answer their questions about the framework agreement” but did not specify if Monahan would appear.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The PGA spokesman added the Tour held discussions with players Tuesday night and is “working toward negotiating a final agreement that is in their best interest and ensures that the Tour leads any new venture.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LIV declined to comment while the Public Investment Fund did not respond to a request for comment.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blumenthal earlier this month asked the PGA Tour and LIV Golf for communications and records on their planned merger as part of an investigation, citing concerns about the Saudi government's role in the deal and risks posed by a foreign government entity assuming control over the sport.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1738819\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1473068672.jpg\" alt=\"Jay Monahan, LIV Golf\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" /> <em>Jay Monahan, PGA Tour Commissioner, has also been asked to explain to the US Senate why they went into partnership with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. (Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick:</b> <a href=\"http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-06-19-pga-liv-golf-merger-inquiry-may-lead-to-subpoenas-senator-says/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PGA-LIV Golf merger inquiry may lead to subpoenas, says senator</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last week, Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden asked the Justice Department to open an antitrust investigation into the planned deal, saying they believe it would result in a monopoly over professional golf operations.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Justice Department has been investigating the PGA Tour for trying to keep its players from defecting to LIV.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1738809\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1484331693.jpg\" alt=\"Greg Norman, LIV Golf\" width=\"720\" height=\"394\" /> <em>LIV Golf CEO & Commissioner Greg Norman acknowledges the crowd during the trophy presentation on day three of LIV Golf Adelaide at The Grange Golf Course on 23 April, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and rival Saudi-backed LIV circuit, which had been involved in a bitter fight that split the sport, announced an agreement to merge and form one unified commercial entity.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The LIV Golf series is bankrolled by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIV). Critics have accused it of being a vehicle for the country to improve its reputation as it faces criticism of its human rights record.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Much of the backlash against PIV and LIV Golf centres on the alleged involvement of the Saudi Arabian government in human rights violations, including the </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-10-04-saudi-prince-has-immunity-in-khashoggi-killing-lawsuit-say-lawyers/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2018. </span><b>Reuters/DM</b>",
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Head of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, has been invited to a US Senate hearing to shed light on the merger with the PGA Tour. (Photo: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Jay Monahan, PGA Tour Commissioner, has also been asked to explain to the US Senate why they went into partnership with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. (Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
LIV Golf CEO & Commissioner Greg Norman acknowledges the crowd during the trophy presentation on day three of LIV Golf Adelaide at The Grange Golf Course on 23 April, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)