It's lured some of the biggest golf stars away from the PGA Tour with huge paychecks, spurring antitrust lawsuits with the American organization.
"This is Saudi Arabia buying the PGA tour," sports talk show host Rich Eisen said in his broadcast after hearing the news.
USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan called the move "a total wimp-out by the PGA Tour.
Glyn Kirk | AFP | Getty ImagesSocial media was rife with self-described golf fans vowing to never again watch the PGA Tour.
Pro golfer Phil Mickelson, another member of the LIV Tour, tweeted "Awesome day today" in response to the news.
Persons:
LIV Golf, that's, —, LIV, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, It's, Jay Monahan, Rich Eisen, Pat Welter, it's, Christine Brennan, Tiger Woods, Glyn Kirk, Ron Wyden, Chris Murphy, Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi LIV, Monahan, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jim Watson, Bryson DeChambeau, DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Jeffries, Yasir Al, Cristiano Ronaldo, Saudi Arabia's, Al
Organizations:
PGA Tour, Saudi, LIV Players, PGA, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Saudi Crown, CNBC, Twitter, 150th, St, AFP, Getty, LIV, Washington Post, Amnesty, Saudi Arabian Crown, Saudi Embassy, Washington D.C, Saudi Foreign Ministry, CNN, Royal, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images Investment, Rumayyan, Nassr Football Club, Al Nassr Football
Locations:
Saudi Arabia, North Carolina, Saudi, Scotland, Oregon, Connecticut, American, Washington ,, Washington, videoconference, Riyadh, PIF, Portuguese