There was uproar from some players after the announcement that the PGA Tour was in talks over a framework agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) that finances LIV Golf.
One of the main areas of contention was the lack of communication from the PGA Tour with the players on the arrangement, a situation that led to some calls for PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan to resign.
However, as the two parties continue discussions over how they could coexist in the future, it appears this time, player directors of the PGA Tour Policy Board will have a say on the future of the elite game. As first reported by Golfweek, players are being encouraged to meet with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan in the coming days.
That’s something former World No.1 Adam Scott, who is one of the six player directors, hopes comes to fruition, particularly after player involvement in the deal that saw the Strategic Sports Group [SSG] agree a $3bn investment in the PGA Tour in January.
The 2013 Masters champion told AP's Doug Ferguson: “Ultimately the players are some of the vote going into whether a deal will happen or not, just like it was with SSG. With the seriousness of what we’re voting on, I think it is important that we’ve all met no matter what anyone’s feelings are.”
“If PIF thinks it’s beneficial that we meet... as far as getting on with business, yeah, let’s get on with it. I would like to resolve this no matter what the outcome is. And we can all move on.”
After months of uncertainty since the 6 June 2023 announcement over the PGA Tour/PIF talks, there have finally been signs that a positive outcome could be reached. Before this week’s Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, Monahan revealed that talks negotiations were “accelerating.”
He said: “I recently met with the governor of the PIF, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and our negotiations are accelerating as we spend time together. While we have several key issues that we still need to work through, we have a shared vision to quiet the noise and unlock golf's worldwide potential.
"It's going to take time, but I reiterate what I said at the Tour Championship in August. I see a positive outcome for the PGA Tour and the sport as a whole."
One player who had been on the PGA Tour Policy Board is Rory McIlroy, but he resigned in November, with Jordan Spieth taking his place. The pair have been at odds over the importance of a deal, with the two even engaging in an hour-long phone call to discuss their differences of opinion after Spieth claimed at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am that a deal with the PIF may not be needed.
However, Spieth confirmed during his press conference after becoming one of the big names to miss the cut at TPC Sawgrass that talks between the player directors - which also includes the hugely influential Tiger Woods - and the PIF are imminent. He said: “We are being encouraged to potentially meet with them at some point, yeah."
Jordan Spieth has admitted players are being encouraged to talk with the PIF
He continued: "I'm not sure that I can say much more other than we're being encouraged to potentially meet with them, but at the same time we probably feel like our membership should know timing and what could happen and, just in general, maybe it's just a meet.
"I think there's not a whole lot more I can say about that, but we are being encouraged obviously which I think is probably a good thing and the entire board should if there's going to be any potential for a negotiation."
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