Report: Stroppy LIV Golf pro casts doubt on PGA Tour deal

A LIV Golf pro has cast doubt on how the game can be brought back together. 

The PGA Tour entered into a 'framework agreement' with the financiers of LIV 18 months ago.  

There have been few updates since, but over the last few months there have been whispers that - at least financially - the two entities are closer to a financial agreement. 

It has been alleged that the PIF are happy to take a six per cent stake in PGA Tour Enterprises in return for an investment of $1.5bn. 

That figure matches the sum the Strategic Sports Group invested in early 2024. 

"By my understanding, by your understanding, by most people who cover the game, it seems to me they're at least on the doorstep of the final financial terms of what a deal would look like, between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia," Golf Channel reporter Rex Hoggard told their podcast this week.  

"It's taken a year and a half plus to get here, but my understanding is we're somewhere close.

"Now that being said, I was told all along that the financial version part of this deal was going to be the easier part, so that's not very encouraging. 

"We won't have whatever the finished product's going to look like in 2025. 

"They won't sit down at some point this year and thrash out how exactly the tour and how the players are going to come back together. 

"But there will be – and I hate to use this term because we've worn it out – some sort of framework for how to go forward."

One LIV player does not believe unity can ever happen, though. 

Hoggard added: "I will say this, I was texting just last week before the new year with a player from LIV Golf who was not in a very good mood at all. 

"And I sort of texted them what I just said to you, and this player's response was, 'I don't know how we get there'. 

"That is difficult for everyone to wrap their mind around right now."

LIV Golf will begin its fourth season next month in Riyadh. 

The breakaway tour are yet to announce any high-profile signings for he forthcoming campaign. 

Greg Norman has confirmed that he will be leaving his role as commissioner and his replacement has not yet been named. 

Last month, Tiger Woods expressed frustration at the pace of the negotiations between the PGA Tour and PIF. 

That being said, it's clear that there is still one big stumbling block: the U.S. goverment. 

"Even if we had gotten a deal done by now, it’s still in the DOJ's hands," Woods said.  

"But we wish we would have had something more concrete and further along than we are right now."

He added: "This has been a very difficult time in the game of golf. I think that a lot of it has been distractions on the beauty of the game of golf and obviously we're trying to unify that and give the fans the best experience we know we can give them."

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