The world of sport has a new anti-hero and we are seeing signs of it everywhere. We are already seeing the influence in the world of boxing and global soccer. Formula 1 is already a small part of the master plan. However, now, the merger announcement of LIV Golf with PGA Tour has given Saudi Arabia’s controversial master plan a major boost. The Saudi Arabia PIF-backed LIV Golf and PGA Tour made the announcement and surprisingly F1 heiress Chloe Stroll played a key role.
Lawrence Stroll has influenced F1 ever since he’s become the team owner with his $300 million investment paying dividends already. Coincidentally, his daughter – Chloe Stroll’s wedding, with Australian snowboarder and 4-time Olympian Scotty James played a part in the PGA-LIV deal as well.
The star-studded wedding proved to be the breading ground for the breakthrough deal for the world of Golf. According to Express, both parties made major strides in the $3 billion deal during the wedding.
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The ongoing negotiations since 2018 finally saw a conclusion after the wedding in Italy. PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan and Saudi Aramco Chairman Yasir al-Rumayyan met on a nearby golf course to close the deal.
This decision adds yet another sport to the long list of sports where Saudi’s PIF is making their presence felt. However, the breakthrough deal is not getting the reception they would expect.
The Saudi Arabian PIF-backed PGA-LIV deal is facing potential legal action
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The players, the American government, and the fans, everyone except the benefactors from the deal are against it. The deal will see the two rivals join hands. This scenario is raising some controversial questions. In fact, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), chairman of the subcommittee wrote an official inquiry letter to Monahan.
As reported by ESPN, Blumenthal wrote, “While few details about the agreement are known, PIF’s role as an arm of the Saudi government and PGA Tour’s sudden and drastic reversal of position concerning LIV Golf raise serious questions regarding the reasons for and terms behind the announced agreement.”
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There are a lot of questions being raised on the deal. Will the parties be slapped with an official reprimand and legal action? Let’s see how the story develops!
WATCH THIS STORY | Daniel Ricciardo & GF Heidi Berger’s Wholesome Montage from Chloe Stroll & Scotty James’ Wedding