Paul Casey has claimed there is “no incentive” among players for both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to complete a peace deal, as negotiations between the two sides continue.
Casey became one of a number of big names to leave the PGA Tour to make the mega-money move to LIV in the summer of 2022. Since then the Englishman has enjoyed some success on the breakaway circuit, winning the Team Championship with the Crushers in 2023, before almost winning his maiden individual title in Hong Kong this month.
Casey won three times during his time on the PGA Tour, and reached as high as No. 3 in the world rankings, but is no longer able to compete on the American-based circuit due to his LIV loyalties.
The former Ryder Cupper and his fellow LIV stars could well be set to be offered a path back to the PGA Tour, with the two rival sides currently negotiating an agreement that will reunite the world of golf. The discussions have gone on for some time though, after an initial framework agreement was announced last June.
A target of December 31 had been set to finalise the deal, but three months on from the deadline, negotiations are still ongoing. Casey believes that despite all of the noise going on off the course, there is a lack of motivation among players to get an agreement over the line.
“There is compensation involved, so it goes back to there being no incentive to do that,” he told the Are You Not Entertained? podcast. “I’m in a very different position, I have enough and love playing the golf with guys like Bryson and Joaquin Niemann, but no, there is no incentive for the others.
Paul Casey joined LIV Golf in 2022
“If you look at the membership, there’s an awful lot of guys just struggling, trying to keep their tour cards on various tours, guys who are just not interested in the politics and then guys at the top who make a difference, but they have to be motivated. Currently, there’s no motivation for that change.”
On Monday negotiations continued between the PGA Tour and Public investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), with the two sides meeting in the Bahamas at the Albany Resort, with Tiger Woods in attendance. According to numerous reports, Woods played golf with PIF chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan as part of the meet-up.
Discussing Woods’ involvement, fellow Player Director Webb Simpson told Sports Illustrated: “Outside of our meeting he’s been super engaged along the way. He’s a great leader and I really think he’s taken the position of our leader and we rely on him a lot…
“Ultimately, I want us all to play together more than just the majors,” he added. “It doesn’t have to be just the PGA Tour. That’s why we all love sports. Best teams in the Super Bowl. Best teams in NBA Finals. I do think it’s a while until we get there. I didn’t walk away with a much clearer understanding of what the future holds. But I definitely walked away thinking I’m glad we did that.”
