PGA Tour suing LIV Golf's Saudi backers

The PGA Tour has filed a federal lawsuit against Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and Yasir Othman Al-Rumayyan -- the governor of the fund that finances LIV Golf -- according to a report by ESPN's Mark Schlabach.
Al-Rumayyan also serves as the chairman of the English football club Newcastle United and the Saudi-owned petroleum company Saudi Aramco. According to Schlabach, sources told ESPN that the PGA Tour's attorneys are "attempting to obtain a motion to compel from a federal judge that would require Al-Rumayyan to be deposed as part of another federal lawsuit in California involving the PGA Tour and LIV Golf."

"The motion to compel would also require the Public Investment Fund, which is reportedly worth more than $500 billion, to release documents to PGA Tour attorneys through discovery," Schlabach wrote.

The PGA Tour countersued LIV Golf in late September, accusing the breakaway league of "interfering with its contracts with players." PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has suspended more than 30 players for competing in LIV Golf tournaments without conflicting-event releases.

Eleven members of LIV Golf filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against the tour in early August, accusing them of "using its monopoly powers to squash competition." Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Jones and Peter Uihlein -- along with LIV Golf -- are still plaintiffs in the case, while eight other players (including six-time major champion Phil Mickelson) have since asked to be removed from the case.

The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the PGA Tour's alleged "monopolistic actions" in dealing with LIV Golf and its players, which the tour has denied.