Here's What To Expect From The Upcoming PGA Tour/LIV Golf Hearing On Capitol Hill

Don't expect Yasir al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, to appear before Congress on Tuesday, July 11 to discuss the pending deal between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

The likelihood of LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman making an appearance is slim as well. So, if that's the case, who will testify before lawmakers?

What Happened: According to the New York Times, LIV Golf — the Saudi-financed league formed in 2021 — is not willing to send Norman, a two-time British Open winner, to speak to the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. 

And the committee isn't happy.

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"Greg Norman is who we expect to appear," said Maria McElwain, the communications director for Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the subcommittee.

LIV has "not yet been provided" a reasonable explanation for Norman's absence, she added.

Gary Davidson, who reportedly secured the billions in funding from the Saudi Public Investment Fund Program to launch LIV Golf in the first place, may show up for the 10 a.m. testimony instead, along with PGA Tour COO Ron Price and policy board member Jimmy Dunne.

Why It Matters: The back-and-forth on Tuesday is expected to be contentious, considering the deal — should it go through — would cement Saudi influence over a professional league version of a beloved American pastime.

Saudi Arabia’s human rights record will likely get brought up throughout the session, with some Senators discussing legislation that would strip the PGA Tour of its tax-exempt status.

Also, the current spat over who will appear in the hot seat is making an already awkward situation worse. After all, it's a bad look for Congress to not have the CEO of LIV Golf in the Capitol Hill meeting room to discuss a transaction with the PGA Tour.

Davidson, currently LIV's acting COO, is more involved in the "day-to-day operations and the potential ramifications of the deal," a source told the Times.

However, Davidson's and Norman's involvement in the deal is dubious at best. Davidson is said to have not been involved in the discussions at all, while Norman is believed to have found out about the PGA/LIV merger just moments before it was announced on CNBC.

Plus, neither Norman nor Davidson will be at the helm of the merged entity. That role will belong to PGA commissioner Jay Monahan, who won't be present on Capitol Hill either due to a "medical leave" until July 17.

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What's Next: The Justice Department’s antitrust regulators will likely spend months investigating the deal before deciding whether it should be blocked. 

Despite this Senate hearing, we may not learn any details about the valuations of assets for quite some time, as the parties involved remain tight-lipped.

Should regulators OK the combination, the PGA Tour will enjoy majority control of board seats and oversee most, if not all, the professional golf tournaments. Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund would have all investment rights, and al-Rumayyan will be the company chair.

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