At the PIF-PGA Tour talks, Tiger Woods was “very engaged.”
Tiger Woods was “very engaged” with what was stated during the PGA Tour players’ meeting with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Public Investment Fund (PIF), according to Webb Simpson.
Al-Rumayyan and Simpson met earlier this week in the Bahamas to discuss PIF’s possible investment into PGA Tour Enterprises. Other attendees included board members, officials from the Strategic Sports Group, and player directors from the PGA Tour.
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Established in 2022, the breakaway LIV Golf circuit has been a major source of disturbance for the game because to funding from Al-Rumayyan’s PIF.
Before to the Valspar Championship, Simpson told Sports Illustrated, “What I was interested in going there was to learn more about who he is and what he’s thinking.”
Get more knowledge about LIV. In such case, what were your hopes and intentions? What is the status now? All of that sort of thing. an educational and social gathering. He seemed to be interested in understanding our perspectives, in my opinion. Our goal was to ascertain his opinion.
Without a doubt, it appears that he sees a future in golf.
Our conversation stopped short of discussing his and LIV’s desires. In my opinion, it’s reasonable to state that he appears to be enough invested in the game to want to see it expand internationally. And that he was trying to achieve it by cultivating it in Saudi Arabia.
Image Credit: AP Webb Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open winner
Several PGA Tour players, including Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, and Phil Mickelson, have joined LIV Golf since the league’s inaugural event at Centurion Club two years ago.
Golf’s top circuit now has a lesser product because all of those players have been suspended from the PGA Tour.
The PGA, PIF, and DP World Tour stunned the sports world in June of last year by revealing a framework agreement that promised to unify golf globally, sparking the start of talks to initially mend the divisions in the game.
The original deadline of December 31, 2023, to reach an agreement has been extended, and talks have continued since then.
The PGA Tour and the Strategic Sports Group finalized a historic deal in January for an investment of up to $3 billion in a new, for-profit company named PGA Tour Enterprises. Meanwhile, LIV Golf has pilfered several PGA Tour stars in that time, including Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.
Two weeks ago, Simpson stated that he thought it risky not to strike a deal with PIF, even though other players on the PGA Tour thought the tour didn’t require PIF investment after the agreement with the Strategic Sports Group.
According to Simpson, the poaching of PGA Tour players is the only thing that informs his viewpoint, as he stated to Sports Illustrated yesterday.
“The PGA Tour is home to exceptional athletes. I am a little anxious about what will happen with the PIF, so long as our players have the chance to play on another circuit.
In the end, I want more than just the majors from all of us when we play together. Only the PGA Tour needs to apply. All of us enjoy sports because of this. Super Bowl champion teams. top NBA Finals teams.
It will take some time for us to arrive, in my opinion. My perception of the future was not significantly improved by the experience. On the other hand, I did think that was a good thing that we did. We’re glad he met us. I’m glad our meeting was fairly cordial. Nothing about it was tense. A good day despite being long.
