A group representing 9/11 families criticized the PGA Tour for its decision to merge with Saudi-funded LIV Golf on Tuesday, calling the Tour and Jay Monahan as “paid Saudi shills” who are hypocrites.
In a release released Tuesday afternoon, 9/11 Families United stated that it was “shocked” and “deeply offended” at the news of the merger. The PGA Tour will be merged with LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour under a new business umbrella funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Terry Strada said that she and other members of 9/11 Families United, including Monahan, felt “betrayed.”
“Mr. Monahan, who last summer spoke about people he knew who had lost loved ones in 9/11, asked on national TV if LIV golfers have ever apologized for being a part of the PGA Tour. “They do now – as does he”, said Strada whose husband Tom died in the World Trade Center.
“PGA Tour leaders are to be ashamed for their hypocrisy, and greed. The PGA and Commissioner Monahan have betrayed our entire 9/11 community. It appears that their concern for the loved ones of those who died was merely a window-dressing for their greed for money.
The PGA Tour spokesperson did not respond to my email asking for comment.
Strada, 9/11 Families United and other golfing groups have been vocal critics of LIV Golf for years. Since its launch last year, LIV Golf has caused controversy and divisions in the world of golf.
The 9/11 Families group has cited LIV as an example of sportswashing. This is a Saudi attempt to use golf in order to divert attention away from their long history of human rights violations, including the Saudi government’s involvement with the murder of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Strada also repeatedly cited Saudi Arabia’s role in 9/11 attacks. This included that Osama bin Laden and 15 out of 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens.
The President’s order declassifying evidence revealed new information that was not known to the 9/11 Commission. It showed that Saudi officials provided financial and material support to a U.S. based network that the hijackers used to murder nearly 3,000 Americans in U.S. soil. She wrote this to Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley in , a letter asking the course to exclude the LIV golfers at the Masters.
In Strada’s statement on Tuesday she said Monahan had “coopted” the 9/11 community by accepting its assessment that LIV Golf was a sportswashing effort.
She said that “now the PGA and Monahan seem to have become more paid Saudi shills,” taking billions of dollar to clean the Saudi reputation, so that Americans and world forget how the Kingdom used their billions before 9/11 to finance terrorism, spread the vitriolic hatred against Americans, and fund al Qaeda, as well as the murder of their loved ones.
“Make no mistake, we will never forget.”
Contact Tom Schad by email at tschad@usatoday.com, or via Twitter @Tom_Schad.
