Ron Price, head of operations for the North American circuit, and Jimmy Dunne, a member of the circuit’s board of directors, testified before the United States Senate for a possible violation of economic agreements. There, they were questioned on all sides of this possible agreement.
The peace agreement between the PGA and the LIV continues to impact the planet. Not only because of the sporting changes it could cause in golf, but also because of the investigations that are being carried out in the United States for it. Without going any further, Congress and the Department of Justice are investigating possible violations of antitrust laws in the said action, for which some of the most important executives of the North American tour had to testify in court.
This is the case of PGA COO Ron Price and Tour Board Member Jimmy Dunne , who testified before Congress on Tuesday. The executives delivered juicy details on the negotiations between the PIF and the PGA Tour, highlighting possible offers to Tiger Woods and the firing of Greg Norman as CEO of LIV.
Regarding the first, the executives hinted that from Saudi Arabia they offered to deliver LIV material to Woods and Rory McIlory, trying to replicate one of the peculiarities of the contract with Niemann on the Saudi circuit, where the Chilean has a team. There has also been talk of both golfers being allowed to play LIV dates, but according to information released by Congress, this proposal never materialized and even the players had no information about it.
The other of the most intense statements was the one related to a possible dismissal of Greg Norman if the pact between the North American tour and the Saudi Arabian Sovereign Fund is finalized. The “white shark” was one of the first golf stars to bet on LIV, quickly taking on the role of CEO when the league began to take its first steps, causing a rift between the former player and the PGA. It’s highly likely that the two-time Open winner will have his days numbered in the super league.
Regarding the money the US Tour will receive for agreeing to this deal with the PIF, Ron Price said the amount exceeds “the 1 billion dollars ”.
All this information was revealed, after the two leaders testified before the North American justice. The committee handling the case is seeking to determine how the Saudi fund’s investment in golf aligns with the geopolitical interests of the Middle Eastern kingdom. In his first speech, Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic senator, was clear about the goal they had. “Discover the reasons behind the brutal and repressive regime’s involvement in a beloved American sporting institution. Indeed, its leaders, before the agreement, had given a moral argument by opposing their players receiving the Saudi money. “, he commented.
“We are here for the questions that go to the heart of the future of sports and other sports in the United States, what happened to the PGA Tour changing position ”, was another of his powerful phrases.
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Source: Latercera
I am David Jack and I have been working in the news industry for over 10 years. As an experienced journalist, I specialize in covering sports news with a focus on golf. My articles have been published by some of the most respected publications in the world including The New York Times and Sports Illustrated.
