Trump elated over PGA, LIV Golf merger

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Former President Donald Trump was elated over the PGA Tour’s shock decision to merge with the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league — and he let everyone know Tuesday morning.

“GREAT NEWS FROM LIV GOLF,” the 76-year-old wrote on his Truth Social account in all capital letters. “A BIG, BEAUTIFUL, AND GLAMOROUS DEAL FOR THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF GOLF. CONGRATS TO ALL!!!”

The move — which will unify the PGA Tour, LIV and the Europe-based DP World Tour into a single entity — may also help the 45th president, whose course in Bedminster, NJ was supposed to host last year’s PGA Championship until the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

On that day, fanatical Trump supporters stormed and trashed the US Capitol building, interrupting the congressional count of the 2020 Electoral College results.

Four days later, the PGA of America announced it would move its tournament away from Trump’s New Jersey course. The championship was ultimately contested at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. The R&A, which organizes the British Open, announced the following day that it would not hold any of its championships at Trump’s Turnberry resort in Scotland “in the foreseeable future.”


Former U.S. President Donald Trump plays his shot from the 14th tee during the pro-am prior to the LIV Golf Invitational - Bedminster at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster on July 28, 2022 in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Former President Donald Trump was thrilled with the news that the PGA Tour and upstart LIV golf are merging.
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Trump reacts to PGA, LIV golf merger
Trump’s Truth Social post on Tuesday.
Truth Social

Trump — who is running to regain the White House in 2024 — has hosted four LIV events since the controversial circuit launched in the summer of 2022. Two of the events were held at Bedminster, with a third held at his club outside Washington DC and a fourth at Trump National Doral Miami.

Announced Tuesday, the agreement combines the PGA and European tours with the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s golf-related commercial businesses and rights, which includes LIV Golf.

As a condition of the merger, both LIV and the PGA Tour will drop their federal lawsuits against each other.


A general view of the clubhouse during day two of the LIV Golf Invitational - DC at Trump National Golf Club on May 27, 2023 in Sterling, Virginia.
Trump’s course in Sterling, Virginia, which has in the past hosted LIV Golf tournaments.
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Trump Bedminster golf club
Trump’s Bedminster golf club has also hosted the LIV Golf tournament previously.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

“They were going down their path, we were going down ours, and after a lot of introspection you realize all this tension in the game is not a good thing,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

“We have a responsibility to our tour and to the game, and we felt like the time was right to have that conversation.”

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, will serve as chairman of the new group and join the board of the PGA Tour.

Monahan will work as CEO, and the PGA Tour will hold a majority stake in the new conglomerate.

With Post wires

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