PGA Tour merges with Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf league

The PGA Tour announced Tuesday that it and the European tour would join with Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf. The merger ends previously ongoing lawsuits between the parties. On Wednesday, PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy said that the union would benefit the game of professional golf, but “I still hate LIV.”

Is this going to be better for professional golf? McIlroy said the merger would guarantee the game’s financial future. But many observers oppose the merger due to LIV’s Saudi funding. Families of 9/11 victims criticized the PGA Tour for the partnership, saying it overlooks how Saudi Arabia helped fund the terrorist attacks. LIV has also been criticized for offering players tens of millions of dollars to break their PGA tour contracts in the years before the merger.

Dig deeper: Read Bob Brown’s report in WORLD Magazine about Netflix’s golf documentary Full Swing.