The staid game of golf is not the usual backdrop of an international controversy. But since the PGA Tour stunned the world by announcing a merger with LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed upstart that had been luring players with lucrative contracts, it set off an immediate and intense backlash—with many of the sport’s players and fans expressing outrage over what it could mean for the future of the game. Yet the deal is facing more headwinds than aggrieved golfers and an enraged public.