Tiger Woods, PGA Tour Officials Meet With Saudi PIF in New York

Tiger Woods, along with PGA Tour officials, is meeting with representatives from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in New York this week. These meetings, which began on Tuesday, are expected to continue for several days as discussions progress toward unifying professional golf. The PIF, which is the financial backer of LIV Golf, is reportedly prepared to invest $1 billion into PGA Tour Enterprises. This entity was formed after the PGA Tour received a substantial investment from Strategic Sports Group.

LIV Golf, now concluding its third season with tournaments in Chicago and Dallas, has been a significant player in the evolving landscape of professional golf. The meetings in New York reflect the ongoing efforts to reconcile the interests of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, aiming to create a unified framework for the sport.

Tiger Woods is actively involved in these negotiations as a member of a special “transaction subcommittee” formed by the PGA Tour Policy Board. The subcommittee is specifically focused on negotiating a potential deal with the PIF. Other members of this group include Rory McIlroy, John Henry of Strategic Sports Group, and Joe Gorder, CEO of Valero Energy. Gorder is also a member of the PGA Tour’s Policy Board. Additionally, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is part of this negotiating team.

In a press conference held last month prior to the Tour Championship, Monahan emphasized that while both sides are engaging in negotiations, the process will take time. He noted that there is no firm deadline for reaching an agreement. “What we hear from fans and players is that both sides are in a position to bring the best players in the world back together, which is a positive and aspirational goal,” Monahan said during the conference in Atlanta.

The discussions stem from a “framework agreement” signed by the PGA Tour, PIF, and DP World Tour on June 6, 2023. This agreement had an initial deadline of December 31, 2023, but no deal was finalized by that time. Despite the passing of that deadline, talks have continued with the aim of finding a resolution.

In December, players from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf will compete head-to-head in a special made-for-television event. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will team up to face off against Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau in Las Vegas. McIlroy confirmed the event to *Golfweek*, sparking speculation that it was organized by the players themselves rather than by their respective leagues.

These developments are being closely watched by the golf community, as the outcome could reshape the landscape of professional golf, potentially bringing together the top players from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf under a unified framework.