July 13 (UPI) — PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy expressed that he would rather retire than compete for LIV Golf, as he told reporters at the Scottish Open. This statement came just two days after the news of McIlroy’s involvement with the Saudi-backed organization became public during the hearing on the proposed LIV Golf-PGA Tour alliance held by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
The documents submitted to the subcommittee provided insights into the negotiations, revealing that McIlroy and Tiger Woods were offered the chance to own LIV Golf teams and participate in a minimum of 10 LIV Golf events.
“If LIV Golf was the last golfing destination on Earth, I would choose retirement,” boldly stated McIlroy, who has been a vocal critic of the Saudi league. He made this comment during an interview at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick.
“That’s the level of my conviction. I would still participate in the majors, but my retirement would bring me comfort.”
During a hearing held in Washington, PGA Tour Chief Operating Officer Ron Price and board member Jimmy Dunne provided sworn testimony in response to questions from Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the chair and ranking member of the subcommittee, as well as other senators. The hearing spanned over three hours and saw Price and Dunne defending the controversial alliance. The senators raised concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and inquired about tax compliance. They also sought more information on the ongoing negotiations between the parties involved.
The announcement of the union between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour on June 6 marked a potential end to two years of legal battles, player disputes, suspensions, and player transfers from the longstanding U.S.-based golf league to the ambitious Saudi-backed venture.
Dunne emphasized during the hearing that LIV Golf and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which is valued at over $600 million, aimed to “overthrow the PGA Tour” and possessed “unlimited” financial resources to dominate the sport if the PGA Tour declined a merger.
The subcommittee intends to continue its investigation into the proposed alliance, while Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, has also launched his own investigation into the PGA Tour-LIV Golf agreement.
The Department of Justice is also conducting its own investigation into the PGA Tour for potential anti-competitive behavior in relation to LIV Golf.
McIlroy, who showed strong performance in the first round by scoring 6-under, found himself tied for second place, trailing the leader An Byeong-hun by three strokes. The North Berwick tournament will continue until Sunday.
