Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan says reunification talks with Saudi backers of LIV Golf are progressing and he is comfortable, despite delays, that a good deal will be forthcoming. Speaking at Torrey Pines at the Genesis Invitational, Monahan said tour leaders and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) both remain excited to complete an investment deal.
“I don’t think you’re ever close until you’re finalized,” Monahan said. “I would say this: Everything is moving forward with pace. When you look at all the parties involved, there’s a general enthusiasm for getting this done.” The original framework for a PGA-PIF deal was unveiled in June 2023 and the first deadline for completing a deal was 14 months ago, but that has not dimmed Monahan’s confidence.
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“What’s important as it relates to time is getting things right,” he said. “Something could have happened earlier but it might not have been right. I feel a lot stronger and a lot more confident that ultimately we’re getting this right.” That, Monahan said, will mean delivering a single tour with all of golf’s top players competing against each other, a situation found only at major tournaments now due to the PGA-LIV split.
“What it means is the reunification of the game, which is what we have been and are focused on,” Monahan said. “The fans want reunification. 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.”
Monahan and PGA board of directors member Adam Scott met with President Donald Trump last week and more such meetings about the PGA-LIV split might be in the works. “There are not yet plans, but I suspect there will be a future meeting,” Monahan said.
Monahan said talks with Trump moved the chances of a deal closer. “I think the meeting ultimately gets us one step closer to a deal being done, but there’s a lot more work to do,” Monahan said. “He’s very familiar with the PGA Tour, he’s very familiar with the team at the Public Investment Fund. 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.”
“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, was a great opportunity.”
© 2024 AFP
