With senior PGA Tour players scheduled to meet with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Rory McIlroy feels that steps are being taken toward a potential solution to golf’s disjointed calendar.
The PGA Tour and PIF are still in negotiations on a potential investment, over two years after the debut of the breakaway, Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
PGA player-director Patrick Cantlay announced during the Players Championship that he will meet this week with PIF representatives; rumors have it that governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan would be among them.
Al-Rumayyan, who chairs Newcastle, a Premier League team, recently met with Jay Monahan, the chairman of the PGA Tour, and talks about a potential collaboration are still ongoing.
The conversations give McIlroy, a well-known opponent of LIV, hope that an investment may be getting closer.
According to McIlroy, “there’s a really big disconnect between PIF and LIV.” “It will be incredibly beneficial if we can move closer to Yasir, PIF, and ideally finalize that investment.
They are a fund for sovereign wealth. They want to put money in a bank account and forget about it for decades.
Rory McIlroy is hoping that a solution can be found that works for everyone.
Rory McIlroy hopes that all parties can come to an amicable agreement. (Photo via Getty Images))
“They want to put their money into safe and wise ventures, and the PGA Tour is unquestionably one of those, particularly if they want to invest in sports.”
Despite the lack of details on the nature of the agreement, any move in the direction of a more cohesive golf schedule would be encouraging following the tension and hostility of the previous few years.
According to McIlroy, LIV will likely last a little while longer, and even in the event of a merger, the team format used by the series will probably continue to be scheduled.
“They have a strong interest in team golf and want to see it continue in some capacity throughout the calendar,” McIlroy remarked.
It doesn’t have to resemble LIV, in my opinion. I think you should play your individual golf first, and then, sort of, on the sidelines, play your team golf.
This isn’t a quick fix, in my opinion. However, if we can secure the funding, we can at least begin to negotiate a solution that will, if not satisfy everyone, at least allow them to comprehend our reasoning for taking the actions we are taking.