PGA: Report: PGA Tour turns down sponsor with Saudi ties

Date:

Share post:


AT&T wants to end its sponsorship of the AT&T Byron Nelson following this week’s tournament, and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan already has nixed a deal with a potential replacement, Golfweek reported.

AT&T is contracted as the sponsor through 2024, and the PGA Tour has been seeking a replacement. In fact, it had a deal in place with aerospace and defense contractor Raytheon Technologies, but Monahan rejected it because of the company’s business dealings with the Saudi Arabian government, per Golfweek.

Last summer, the U.S. State Department approved a $3 billion agreement between Raytheon and Saudi Arabia to send 300 Patriot missiles to the country.

The PGA Tour is at odds with the upstart LIV Golf League, which is funded primarily by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

One tournament director told Golfweek that Monahan made the right decision.

“The optics were not good,” the director said on the condition of anonymity. “I give Jay credit for stepping in and making the right call.”

AT&T has been the title sponsor of the Dallas-area Byron Nelson tournament since 2015. It will remain the sponsor of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

–Field Level Media

spot_img

Related articles

PGA: Taylor Moore, Wilson Furr share lead at Houston Open

Wilson Furr punctuated a strong finish with a nearly 20-foot birdie putt to shoot a 6-under 64 and...

LPGA: Pajaree Anannarukarn jumps in front at Ford Championship

A string of five consecutive birdies led Thailand's Pajaree Anannarukarn to the first-round lead at the inaugural Ford...

PGA: Scottie Scheffler back in action, shoots for 3rd straight win

Scottie Scheffler apparently isn't one for superstition. Scheffler was growing out a thick beard while he won the...

PGA: Wyndham Clark (back) ‘trending in the right direction’

Wyndham Clark is optimistic that he will be able to compete in the Texas Children's Houston Open after...

FREE

Get the most important breaking news and analyses for Free.

Thank you for subscribing

Something went wrong.