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PGA Tour Policy Board members appear to disagree on whether the tour should strike a deal with LIV Golf and the Saudi PIF.
As time progresses, one thing remains certain: professional golf remains divided.
The best players in the world are competing at two different events this week, as golf’s great schism continues to persevere. The distance between the two rival circuits is great, with geography serving as a metaphor to emphasize this divide. Bay Hill Club & Lodge and Hong Kong Golf Club sit on opposite sides of the world.
The two sides are supposed to be holding negotiations, settling their differences, and working to unite golf once again.
However, nothing new has happened in recent months, except the PGA Tour receiving a substantial investment from the Strategic Sports Group (SSG).
“[Discussions with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) have] mainly been happening between [them] and Tour management, and then it gets relayed back,” Patrick Cantlay, a PGA Tour Policy Board member, said Tuesday.
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Patrick Cantlay during the first round of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“Not anything to add other than what’s been reported. Just that talks are ongoing.”
But members of the Policy Board are divided in their approach as well.
“I don’t think that [an agreement with PIF] is needed,” Jordan Spieth said at last month’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
“At this point, if the PIF were interested in coming in on terms that our members like and/or the economic terms are at or not beyond SSG’s… I think that’s where the discussions will start.”
Added Tiger Woods at the Genesis Invitational:
“The PIF deal obviously is ongoing,” Woods said. “SSG, we have solidified our agreement with them, and PIF is still ongoing, and we’re still negotiating.”
Then, at this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, Webb Simpson, another Policy Board member, spoke candidly about the state of golf with Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated.
“I think we’re in a position where we want to do the right deal. We don’t want to just do a deal because we’re afraid that the LIV tour might recruit more players. That’s certainly a fear,” Simpson said.
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Webb Simpson during the second round of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“But I think it’s obvious. The writing is on the wall. We’re not in a position where we need to do a deal for money. We need to do a deal for the good of the game. And for the health of the PGA Tour long-term. That’s my hope.”
Cantlay, Simpson, Woods, Spieth, Adam Scott, and Peter Malnati joined the newly established board for PGA Tour Enterprises, the new for-profit entity originally disseminated in the framework agreement on Jun. 6, 2023.
Former player Joe Ogilvie, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, another PGA Tour executive, and four members of the SSG, including Fenway Sports Group Chairman John Henry, round out the 13-member board.
Still, this new board does not include anyone from LIV Golf or the Saudi PIF.
“One thing I’m certain of is fans, players, media, sponsors alike all feel strongly that the game is divided,” Simpson added.
“I don’t know what [LIV Golf and the PIF] want. I don’t know what the players playing for LIV want. I think they’re very happy where they are. I think they’re very happy with the decisions they’ve made. But I’ve heard from enough people who have grown a little distasteful with the current state of golf. Not pointing blame at LIV or PGA Tour or anyone.”
Simpson then relayed the current state of the game to this week’s event at Bay Hill, which hosts one of the best PGA Tour events of the season.
“When you come to big tournaments like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, you want to know the guy who won beat most or all of the best players,” Simpson said.
“Right now, the PGA Tour still has more great players, but LIV has great players as well. I just think for the health of the game and longevity and for what fans are used to seeing, [we need a deal].”
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Rory McIlroy looks on during the first round of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Rory McIlroy, who resigned from the PGA Tour Policy Board last fall, also wants to close a deal.
“My dream scenario is a world tour, with the proviso that corporate America has to remain a big part of it all. Saudi Arabia, too,” McIlroy said at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
“That’s just basic economics. But there is an untapped commercial opportunity out there. Investors always want to make a return on their money.”
But what may frustrate golf fans who long for a unified circuit is that board members have not met with the PIF or representatives from LIV Golf.
“Honestly, we probably should have talked to them already,” Simpson said.
“I think the idea was that the focus was SSG and getting that done. And then, once we solidified that and the board, we were really going to begin discussing what it looks like with PIF joining or not joining.”
Perhaps the newly established PGA Tour Enterprises board will meet with PIF representatives soon. Maybe that happens before all of the top players from both circuits descend upon Augusta National.
But at this rate, that looks unlikely, especially considering the PGA Tour’s player leaders are not completely unified.
Unfortunately, the biggest casualty of this slow-moving pace are the fans, who long to see the top players compete side-by-side.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
