Controversial LIV Golf League Coming To Cedar Ridge Country Club In Broken Arrow

Big-name professional golfers will return to Green Country. Broken Arrow’s been selected as part of the LIV Golf League.

The competition will be at the Cedar Ridge Country Club, but the announcement is not without controversy.

Some pro golfers have made the switch from the PGA to LIV, which is offering the players huge payouts. Others are staying away from it because of its Saudi government financing.

LIV Golf is backed by the public investment fund of Saudi Arabia, a country accused of ties to the 9/11 terror attacks and numerous human rights violations. Critics said the league is an attempt to improve the kingdom’s image through sports.

Tournament Chairman, Frank Billings said Cedar Ridge isn't focusing on the controversy.

“We’re not really commenting on that. Our primary focus is making sure that our club is ready, our membership is ready, and our golf course is ready to host an event in May of 2023 and that’s where all of our focus and attention is and that’s where it’s going to remain,” Billings said.

Billings said talks of bringing LIV to Broken Away started just before Thanksgiving when pro-golfer Charles Howell III contacted the club president.

“He actually played college golf with our president Billy Lowery,” Billings said. “So, Charles reached out to Billy and said ‘hey, would you guys have interest in hosting the event?’”

Billings said the LIV event will be smaller than the PGA Championship, which played at Tulsa’s Southern Hills Country Club in 2022. He said Cedar Ridge is ready to pull off a great event.

“I just think the scope and scale of it is such that we shouldn’t have any problem not delivering a product that will be good for our members, spectators, as well as our community,” Billings said.

The Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce said it’s too early to determine what economic impact the tournament may have.