LIV Golf, PGA Tour merger will broaden appeal of golf globally, says Rob Sobhani

RIYADH: The controversial LIV Golf and Professional Golfers’ Association merger should be given a chance by the US Congress as it will broaden the appeal of the game globally, a US-Iranian expert told Arab News.

“I really, really feel that LIV Golf and the support of (the Public Investment Fund) is going to broaden the appeal of golf throughout the US and in Europe,” said Rob Sobhani, author and adjunct professor at Georgetown University specializing in US Policy in the Middle East.

He added that such a move would create an impact on urban areas, saying that there is a lot of enthusiasm among young people who want to be the next sporting superstar. “This is going to allow for that child to dream and LIV Golf will make that dream come true for that person who wants to be the next Tiger Woods.”

LIV Golf is financed by the PIF, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia.

The US Congress voiced its opposition to the merger, citing several reasons, including alleged human rights violations and the perceived threat that the Saudi-backed entity might take over the game.

Sobhani stressed that Congress is “wrong (in) their attitude towards Saudi PIF, wrong towards an understanding of the impact that Saudi PIF is having on the lives of hundreds of people around the world that have been the beneficiary of PIF’s investment.”

He believes it is crucial for the PIF to highlight the positive contributions, job opportunities, and overall impact it has generated for a wider audience, including members of Congress, which, he said, needs to gain a better understanding of the comprehensive “renaissance” taking place in Saudi Arabia, economically, culturally, and politically.

Sobhani added that Congress’s current perception of Saudi