PGA Tour, LIV Golf, And Saudi Public Fund Leaders Invited To Senate Hearing: 'Americans Deserve To Know'

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Other than all sides actually wanting to work together, we know absolutely nothing about the PGA Tour - LIV Golf merger over two weeks after the initial announcement. We do know one thing, however, and that is the United States government isn't just going to look away as this potential business takes place.

The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations invited PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, and Yasir Al-Rumayan, the governor of the Saudia Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) to testify at a July 11 hearing.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D - Conn.) and ranking member Ron Johnson (R - Wis.) invited the trio to testify via a letter shared on Wednesday.

"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," Blumenthal said in a statement.

"Americans deserve to know what the structure and governance of this new entity will be. Major actors in the deal are best positioned to provide this information, and they owe Congress -- and the American people -- answers in a public setting."

PGA Tour Commissioner Addresses Idea Of Ever Working With LIV Golf

Jay Monahan and Greg Norman have been invited to a hearing in front of the Senate. (Getty Images)

Senator Blumenthal and other Democratic senators called on the Attorney General to investigate the potential merger on June 14.

The merger would allow “the Saudi government’s efforts to ‘sports wash’ its egregious human rights record” and “raises an array of potential legal and regulatory issues, including relating to the PGA Tour’s non-profit tax status and antitrust law,” last week's letter from Senator Elizabeth Warren (D - Mass) and Ron Wyden (D - Ore.) read in part.

Senators inviting Norman, Monahan, and Al-Rumayan to a hearing comes as no surprise, just like last week's signaling from the DOJ that it has plans on getting into the mud as well.

READ: PGA TOUR RESPONDS TO DOJ’S INVESTIGATION INTO SAUDI-LIV GOLF MERGER

The DOJ was already investigating the Tour on the basis of potential anticompetitive behavior when the Tour and LIV were in battle trying to distance themselves from one another. Now, the two sides have plans to join forces, and it's setting off alarms around the capital.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.