TORONTO, ONTARIO - JUNE 08: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts after making a putt on the 5th hole during the first round of the RBC Canadian Open at Oakdale Golf & Country Club on June 08, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images hide caption

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For more than a year the PGA, the world's leading pro golf league, has basically been at war with the upstart Saudi-funded LIV Golf league. Lawsuits and countersuits were filed as the the leagues competed for marquee golfers and control of the narrative around the game. Some PGA players resisted big paydays to join LIV because they were critical of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the source of the league's seemingly endless supply of money. But last week, the two leagues announced a plan to join forces.

Though the deal has yet to be finalized, it's already faced backlash from players who remain loyal to the tour, and from human rights activists who see this as an attempt by the Saudi government to use sports to draw attention away from their record of human rights abuses.

NPR's Susan Davis speaks with Sally Jenkins, a sports columnist for the Washington Post, who wrote a column critical of the merger, and Terry Strada, who chairs the group 9/11 Families United, which represents thousands of surviving family members of those killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Strada has been one of the most vocal critics of the plan.

We also hear from Doug Greenberg, a writer for the sports news site Front Office Sports, who says the Saudi-backed league has actually been good for golf.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

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This episode was produced by Marc Rivers. It was edited by Adam Raney. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

The PGA LIV Golf Deal Is All About The Green