The legal mud-slinging between the PGA Tour and the LIV exhibition/circus series intensified this past Friday when the Tour filed its own lawsuit against the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and its governor — Yasir Othman Al-Rumayyan.
The lawsuit to compel was filed in the Southern District of New York under seal and included 107 exhibits and motions. According to various sources, the lawsuit is aimed at compelling Al-Rumayyan to be deposed by Tour attorneys as well as subject the PIF, which has estimated assets of $620 billion, to discovery of documents.
This motion filed by the Tour was under seal, meaning access to the initial filing and its 107 exhibits are not available to the public.
The complaint came as a result of fact that both the Public Investment Fund and Al-Rymayyan are unwilling to answer discovery questions posed to them by the Tour.
The Tour took this step, filing in New York because the Public Investment Fund has an office there and Al-Rumayyan does business in New York City as well.
This isn’t good news for The Kingdom because it likes to keep its PIF dealings hush-hush. Simple fact is that All-Rumayyan has avoided the deposition process in previous LIV filings.
This is just the start. More will come out of this. To date, the Public Investment Fund has spent north of $2 billion to fund the LIV and there is no revenue to create any sort of return.
Greg Norman (aka The Lamest Commissioner In The Land) has touted that he’s close to a broadcast deal for the series but to date, all he’s gotten is the cold shoulder.
Steve Alker Wins Dominion Energy Title:
The best story on the Champions Tour keeps getting better as Steve Alker came from two shots back Sunday to win the first playoff event — the Dominion Energy.
Alker chased overnight leader Jerry Kelly all afternoon at the County Club of Richmond but threw three straight birdies at Kelly starting at the 15th hole. That took Alker to 14-under par and he’d edge K.J. Choi by and shot.
Alker closed with 68 for his fourth win of the season. Choi’s 67 gave him solo second with Paddy Harrington tied for third with Kelly and Doug Barron.
“It was kind of a dogfight down there at the end,” said Alker, who prevailed on an overcast, drizzly day. “There was so many on. I was trying not to look at the leaderboard, because there was so many guys just trying to win this golf tournament. So I was just pleased to get — I made those clutch birdies on 15, 16, and especially 17, that was huge.
“So, yeah, just so glad to, especially with Paddy and Jerry playing so well and I’m right there as well. So it was exciting and nerve-racking, everything, all those emotions.”
Second playoff event will be Nov. 4 in Boca Raton followed by the Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Nov. 10.
6 Comments
baxter cepeda
This all sounds so expensive. And to think the pif could have been a great revenue source for the pga tour if they just worked with them.
This is how I wish things work out:
I wish there were (about) 10 LIv events a year or 5 pairs of events spread throughout the globe annually. A place where all the top of the top stars (based on a long term system) get to play this undeniably fun tour.
Then another 10 must play pga tour events; and only 10-15 pga tour events count towards the playoffs. Some guys could play 40 pga tour events but only 15 or less count.
Then the playoffs.
So including the majors that’s about about 28 tournaments for someone playing LIv and the pga tour.
Of course some guys might play another 3-5 events over in Europe, or Asia, putting them in the low 30s events a year.
Of course there could be more double and triple sanctioning events.
But This sounds manageable for younger guys like Kim.
Especially manageable since I wish all this could happen with little to no golf from mid November to mid January (except true silly season golf like skins game, pnc , co Ed stuff, the Match-es, under the lights stuff, simulator stuff, even put the grand slam of golf.
Oh and I wish the ladies got all this equally.
Is that too much to ask for?
Tom Edrington
Sure Baxter, everyone sitting around the campfire singing Kumbaya — truth be known, Greg Norman has always held a grudge with the PGA Tour and he’s toxic in his nature — LIV started signing players from “another company” to form it’s own company — simple as that. They went from independent contractors to employees of the Saudi Regime……Saudi Arabia is toxic in the eye to most American companies — we are all also for world peace but that will never happen either — but it sounds so nice.
baxter cepeda
Greg Norman ended up being the one to finally take advantage of the holes left by Monahan. But there’s a reason so many parties have been looking into taking advantage of the pga tours shortcomings. It was aiming one way or another. It just happened to be the guy who pointed out the opportunity first.
Down to the way they treat caddies, the pga tour only has itself to blame for making itself vulnerable. They had all the tools to avoid this. And they had ample opportunity to compromise. Even Rory is saying compromise has to happen.
Tom Edrington
Caddies are taken care of these days so much better compared to when I did a six-month stint out there in 1981; LIV wasn’t even Norman’s idea, it was “stolen” from some UK gentlemen who made the proposal to the PGA Tour but were turned down — Norman stole the idea, found the Saudis and his nirvana — NOW, you’re absolutely going to hate it on Friday when I talk about a major research firm’s findings as to what golfers feel about LIV……hint: LIV lovers like you are in a small minority — sorry Baxter.
baxter cepeda
I’m very aware of the numbers. I’m sure U will complain about the word count responding to them.
Tom Edrington
We will just refer to you as “The minority whip”