PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The PGA Tour, under the direction of Commissioner Jay Monahan, remains in talks for a potential partnership with the Saudi-funded LIV Golf, as long as such an arrangement aligns with the PGA’s fundamental values.
Monahan, in a statement prior to The Players Championship, indicated that former President Donald Trump’s engagement in the discussions signifies genuine potential for unity between the competing golf circuits. However, the commissioner provided scant specifics on resolving the ongoing standoff between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Monahan emphasized the importance of maintaining the PGA Tour’s strong connections with its audience and partners. “We are striving to bridge the gap between the two entities,” he remarked, “but we are resolute about not compromising what makes our platform unique and appealing. While some barriers have been overcome, others persist. Both we and our supporters are eager for a resolution.”
Meetings have been held, including one on February 4 at the White House featuring Trump and golfer Adam Scott. Another key meeting included both Tiger Woods and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the head of the Public Investment Fund and a chief proponent of LIV Golf. Despite these efforts, Monahan disclosed that progress has reached an impasse.
“President Trump, a longstanding advocate for golf, sees immense potential in the sport, and generously shares his influence and time to facilitate a deal,” Monahan commented. “His backing makes the possibility of unification tangible. Complex discussions such as this have their peaks and valleys, especially near potential breakthroughs.”
This dialogue with Saudi Arabia initiated a year prior when several key players joined Monahan for talks in the Bahamas. The previous year saw the PGA Tour partnering with Strategic Sports Group, a private equity entity contributing $1.5 billion towards a commercial initiative. This maneuver led to inquiries about the necessity of a deal with the Saudis.
Central to these negotiations is the reconciliation of golf’s split, particularly concerning notable athletes like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka, who are part of LIV Golf and presently prohibited from the PGA Tour. Presently, the sport’s elite intersect only at major tournaments four times annually.
Monahan instigated more questions without offering concrete solutions, asserting, “We are confident that LIV Golf elements can be integrated into the PGA Tour. We are fully engaged in unifying these factions.”
Despite these aspirations, a merger does not seem likely this year. LIV Golf, which launched in 2022, has scheduled events that strategically avoid coinciding with golf’s most significant tournaments, such as this week’s contest in Singapore, coinciding with The Players Championship.
In recent discussions, Monahan highlighted priorities aimed at reuniting the sport’s top talent more frequently but refrained from elaborating on the term “more often.” He also did not disclose whether this would involve financial contributions from Saudi Arabia.
“Our entire team is focused on unification,” Monahan added. “The misstep would be an agreement that undermines the very qualities that make golf and the PGA Tour exceptional.”
Additionally, Monahan announced ongoing improvements to enhance pace-of-play. These changes will be monitored through new statistics set to be released later this season. Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas are among those advocating for the publication of such statistics.
In a bid to address slow play, a provisional policy will be trialed in the coming month on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas. This policy may involve penalizing players for slow play with stroke penalties.
Monahan also revealed plans to test the use of distance-measuring devices during six PGA Tour events between the Masters and the PGA Championship in May. Presently, such technology is only permitted in the PGA Championship among the major tournaments.
