PGA Tour boss to reporters on LIV Golf talks: "I don't see that happening, no"

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan says he doesn't believe a deal with LIV Golf is imminent despite crunch talks at the White House. 

Monahan was recently rejoined by player directors Tiger Woods and Adam Scott in Washington for urgent talks with LIV's mastermind, chairman and Saudi PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan. 

In the immediate aftermath of that meeting - that also included American president Donald Trump - it was speculated that a deal to end the hostilities in elite men's professional golf was on the horizon. 

But speaking before the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Monahan appeared to indicate that no peace agreement is forthcoming. 

Asked if a deal could be announced in the next few days, Monahan told SI's Bob Harig: "I don't see that happening, no."

He added: "I think anything I've said is consistent with what should be said when you're in the middle of a complex discussion to try and unify the game.

"It doesn't speak to my confidence level, it speaks to the moment. I view that meeting as a huge step, and so I look at that very positive."

Following the meeting that was held on 20 February, the PGA Tour released a statement indicating their desires to have all the best players in the world competing against each other again on one circuit. 

Asked to elaborate on that, Monahan said: "What it means is the reunification of the game, which is what we have been and are focused on. 

"Candidly, that's what fans want. So when you talk about reunification, that's all the best players in the world competing with each other and against each other."

Monahan refused to say whether he had spoken to high-profile LIV Golf players about returning to the PGA Tour. 

Former Masters champion Fred Couples recently claimed that one LIV recruit, Brooks Koepka, is keen on playing on the PGA Tour again. 

LIV also boasts Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson on their roster. 

"We're doing everything we can to reunify the game," Monahan added. 

He claimed 70 per cent of PGA Tour fans 'want the game to be reunified' whilst the remainder 'want to see investment' in their existing product. 

Monahan continued: "So that's the core foundation to why we're spending the amount of time trying to accomplish that and at that same time responding to fans and doing everything we can to strengthen fan engagement, strengthen our schedule.

"I do think that when reunification happens, that will be one of the man positive guidelines."

Meanwhile, England's Laurie Canter will become the first former LIV Golf pro to compete in an official PGA Tour event since the golf wars began. 

Canter has qualified for the 2025 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass after he finished second at the South African Open over the weekend. 

The top 50 players in the OWGR as of 3 March qualify for the PGA Tour's flagship event in Ponte Vedra Beach. 

Canter, 35, was hit with a one-year ban from the PGA Tour despite never holding membership with the North American circuit. 

Asked to comment on the significance of Canter's achievement, Monahan said: "I think Laurie will have an opportunity to answer that question for you next week about exactly what it means to him.

"I think that's most important. But listen, in terms of the DP World Tour, he won in Bahrain, he had a great performance last week, he's earned his way into the Players Championship, we're excited to have him next week at TPC Sawgrass, and excited that he's a member of the DP World Tour."