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LIV Golf Invitational - DC - Day Three

Source: Rob Carr / Getty

Money talks, even regarding the PGA’s disdain for LIV Golf.

The PGA resisted working with LIV Golf in any capacity for years because the former is backed and funded by Saudi Arabians. The tour disagrees with the Saudis’ views on human rights, which are controversially involved in the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. They’ve also been tied to terrorism, specifically the Sept. 11 attacks.

But now, it appears the PGA’s moral war against LIV is over as PGA’s Commissioner Jay Monahan and the governor of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund–which finances LIV Golf–Yasir Al-Rumayyan have entered a partnership to take men’s professional golf to a new level.

After the news broke on CNBC, Monahan released a statement about the uniting of the two entities for the sport’s betterment.

“We are pleased to move forward, in step with LIV and PIF’s world-class investing experience, and I applaud PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan for his vision and collaborative and forward-thinking approach that is not just a solution to the rift in our game but also a commitment to taking it to new heights,” Monahan’s statement read. “This will engender a new era in global golf, for the better.”

The business deal has been a major about-face for the PGA leaders who suspended more than 30 players from the PGA tour a year ago for playing in LIV Golf tours. PGA even went as far as to sue LIV Golf’s financial backers, alleging they interfered in PGA’s business by offering players millions of dollars to play for LIV instead.

Among those speaking out is 9/11 Families United chair Terry Strada, who released a statement about PGA’s decision to work with LIV after attempting to disgrace the Saudi-backed league for years.

“PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan co-opted the 9/11 community last year in the PGA’s unequivocal agreement that the Saudi LIV project was nothing more than sportswashing of Saudi Arabia’s reputation,” Strada’s statement reads. “But now the PGA and Monahan appear to have become just more paid Saudi shills, taking billions of dollars to cleanse the Saudi reputation so that Americans and the world will forget how the Kingdom spent their billions of dollars before 9/11 to fund terrorism, spread their vitriolic hatred of Americans, and finance al Qaeda and the murder of our loved ones. Make no mistake — we will never forget.”

See how Twitter’s reacting below.

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