‘He’s The Ultimate Dealmaker’ - Jay Monahan Confident President Trump Can Reunite Golf

Jay Monahan has a renewed enthusiasm over the prospect of a PGA Tour-Saudi PIF deal being struck after the recent meeting with US President Donald Trump - stating the main aim was the "reunification" of golf "under one tour".

Monahan and player director Adam Scott met with President Trump in an effort to speed up the protracted talks between the PGA Tour and PIF, which includes where LIV Golf fits into the new future of the men's pro game.

Rory McIlroy stated that President Trump was on the PGA Tour's side after playing golf with him recently - also saying Trump was not a fan of the LIV Golf format.

As well as hinting that one at Trump's golfing venues could return to the PGA Tour schedule, Monahan says that the President shares his vision for golf, which is for one main tour to be the focus.

"You look at his passion for the game, his knowledge and understanding of the game, he's very familiar with the PGA Tour, he's very familiar with the team at the Public Investment Fund," Monahan said of Trump.

"Like us, he has a very clear picture of what should happen and he wants to help. The game means that much to him. And he's the ultimate dealmaker, so having him in the mix is a great thing for the game.

"It was a very productive visit. I think you all have been around him enough to know how passionate he is about the game of golf.

"For him to respond to our request to sit down and talk about how we achieve what he stated publicly as a goal, which is the game of golf operating under one tour with all the top players playing on that one tour, was a great opportunity. We had a really productive conversation.

"What it means is the reunification of the game, which is what we have been and are focused on. Candidly, that's what fans want. So when you talk about reunification, that's all the best players in the world competing with each other and against each other."

'There's a general enthusiasm for getting this done'

Monahan believes Trump's intervention can help speed up the process of finding an agreement, with all sides now looking to agree on a final arrangement.

"I don't think you're ever close until you're finalized," said Monahan. "I would say this: Everything is moving forward with pace and I think there's a general - when you look at all the parties involved, there's a general enthusiasm for getting this done."

Fans are at the heart of their consideration, says Monahan, and as such the big sticking point for players - LIV golfers returning to the PGA Tour - is more secondary in the current talks.

"Listen, if you think about what the fans want, the fans want reunification," Monahan insisted. "That's what we're focused on. We've operated in a world where there's more than one and the PGA Tour has performed very well.

"But in the long run, is that the best thing for fans? Is that the best thing for the game? We're trying to solve it so everybody benefits.

"I think if you solve things - if we - if we respond to what our fans are telling us, we put together the best, the strongest possible schedule and product, to me all that [LIV players returning to the PGA Tour] will resolve itself."

Trump venues to return to the PGA Tour?

Trump was an early supporter of LIV Golf events, with Trump National at Doral a regular fixture on the calendar since the start, and his Bedminster venue has also been used by LIV.

And now the President getting involved in the PIF talks could result in his venues going back to hosting duties for PGA Tour events.

"We've played at Trump venues in the past," said Monahan. "While we haven't talked about that with the president, I certainly see a day where we're adding Trump venues to our schedule, certainly."

Doral hosted a PGA Tour event from 1962 until 2016 and would be the prime candidate to host an event should that theory play out. First, though, there's stil a deal to be done, which hopefully will come sooner rather than later.