The PGA reported Monday that the US Department of Justice is currently investigating potential anti-competitive behavior by the PGA toward the new Saudi-backed LIV Tour. Wall Street Magazine.
Players’ agents have reportedly received inquiries from antitrust investigators about US PGA Tour regulations governing player attendance at other events, and recent PGA actions related to LIV Golf.
While the Department of Justice declined to comment, Gulf Channel and Golf Digest media said the PGA had confirmed an investigation was underway.
Launched last June and with the financial backing of Saudi Arabia, LIV has already managed to capture several high profile players, including Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia, and offers unprecedented endowments on the global circuit.
The PGA Tour, which operates the North American circuit, has decided to ban golfers from registering for its regular seasonal tournaments. This penalty will be challenged in court by some of the players involved.
The discoveries come shortly before the start of the season’s last major tournament, the British Open, where LIV players were allowed to compete.
In 1994, the PGA was actually investigated when Australian superstar Greg Norman, who now runs LIV, attempted to start a competition tour. But it ended a year later without PGA concern.
“We went through this in 1994 and are confident of a similar outcome,” a PGA spokesperson said.
The investigation considered the PGA’s ban of its members from participating in competitive events, which would require permission from the tour.
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