Former AT&T CEO Steps Down From PGA Board Over LIV Golf Deal

Randall Stephenson, the former CEO of AT&T, is leaving the PGA Tour policy board after the organization decided to merge with Saudi-backed LIV Golf — the latest fallout surrounding the controversial golf merger.

The deal with LIV, which was launched in 2021, has been highly criticized as "sportswashing," an attempt to distract from Saudi Arabia's alleged human rights abuses.

In Stephenson's resignation letter, he said he had "serious concerns" about the partnership, according to the Washington Post. He went on to say that he could not "objectively evaluate or in good conscience support [the deal], particularly in light of the U.S. Intelligence report concerning Jamal Khashoggi in 2018." Stephenson sat on the board for 12 years.

In a memo obtained by The Messenger, PGA Tour executives announced Stephenson's resignation to members of the tour on Sunday evening. The memo does not directly address Stephenson's LIV merger concerns, instead thanking him for his "exemplary service to the organization."

The policy board needs to sign off on the merger for it to get approved.

The PGA Tour, which previously suspended players who participated in LIV tournaments, has changed its tune. The intention to merge, announced last month, has been met with regulatory concern. The Department of Justice said it's investigating the merger over antitrust allegations.

LIV Golf did not immediately responded to a request for comment. An email to AT&T to reach Stephenson for comment wasn't immediately returned.