As the Saudi economy faces mounting debt, austerity, and tax hikes, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has found a new priority: golf. According to The Guardian, PIF Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan offered a staggering $1.5 billion to buy out the PGA Tour in the United States, all to salvage the LIV Golf project and boost Saudi Arabia’s international image.
This is not an investment—this is a reckless gamble with the nation’s wealth, orchestrated by a handful of individuals with unchecked power and zero transparency. Behind the glossy narrative of “global leadership” and “visionary reform” lies a crude reality: state resources are being funneled into personal PR stunts, while citizens suffer from rising costs and economic instability.
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A State Within the State: The Unchecked Power of the PIF
Originally established to diversify Saudi Arabia’s income, the PIF has become a shadow government under MBS, with Yasir Al-Rumayyan serving as both governor of the fund and chairman of multiple state institutions. Billions have been poured into failing or controversial ventures—from European football clubs and glitzy concerts to now, a golf league that enjoys no popular following within the kingdom.
The $1.5 billion LIV-PGA proposal demanded not only financial control, but also a co-chairmanship role for Al-Rumayyan in the PGA Tour—an unprecedented move that was flatly rejected by U.S. stakeholders. The PGA sees LIV for what it is: a political tool, not a sustainable business.
Sportswashing While the Economy Bleeds
From Newcastle United and Formula 1 to WWE and now golf, the Saudi regime has used sports as a means of image laundering—a textbook case of “sportswashing.” Yet these massive investments have produced no substantial economic return. They don’t create jobs, they don’t support local businesses, and they certainly don’t solve the kingdom’s deep-rooted financial problems.
Meanwhile, the kingdom’s real economy struggles:
- The national debt has surpassed 1.1 trillion SAR
- The 2024 budget deficit stands at 82 billion SAR
- Foreign direct investment continues to decline
- Youth unemployment remains high
- SMEs are collapsing due to mega-project monopolies
Against this backdrop, shelling out $1.5 billion for a niche golf league is nothing short of economic negligence.
Trump’s Priorities: Golf Over Gaza
Alan Shipnuck, author of “LIV and Let Die”, recently told The Washington Post that Donald Trump, closely tied to LIV and Saudi golf interests, seemed more invested in securing the PGA-LIV merger than addressing urgent crises like Gaza or Ukraine. The PIF’s golf spending isn’t just a sports project—it’s political leverage, used to buy favor in Washington, especially from Trump’s camp.
The People Pay the Price
For every million dollar match, there are thousands of Saudi families struggling to pay rent, access healthcare, or educate their children. The regime raises fuel prices, slashes public spending, and increases VAT, while burning through billions in vanity projects.
This isn’t nation-building—it’s elite indulgence disguised as national ambition.
When Will There Be Accountability?
In any functioning democracy, such wasteful spending would prompt investigations. But in Saudi Arabia, no one holds MBS or Al-Rumayyan accountable. The PIF is treated like a private checkbook, not a public trust. And the line between governance and spectacle has all but vanished.
Golf may be a game of strategy—but this move reeks of desperation. How many more billions will be wasted before citizens demand answers?
