The framework surrounding the proposed deal that will see the PGA Tour and LIV Golf work under one entity was revealed on Monday, and since a meeting took place, Tour players
THE PGA Tour told his players they would have a say in the logistics behind his draft agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF)following a meeting with several players including Rory McIlroy.
Following the agreement between the PGA Tour and the PIF, which will see it work in unison with LIVGolf and the DP World Tour, Further details of the agreement were published by various media outlets on Monday.. In the document, there was an explanation of how LIV players would be reinstated into the PGA Tour and DP World Tour after being suspended and sanctioned.
Additionally, information on how LIV Golf will finally gain recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking was presented, as well as what the future of the Breakaway Tour will look like in the future. Following the shock announcement on June 6, a number of Tour players were left frustrated with the PGA Tour after playing members were not informed of the U.S.-based tour’s plans to work with Saudis.
Chairman of the Player Advisory Council Adam Scott claimed he was ‘left in the dark’, while Xander Schauffele called for more “transparency” from officials at last week’s Travelers Championship. At the event in Connecticut, a players’ meeting regarding the proposed merger took place.
One week after another was called, which included player managers McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson. Details have now emerged from the new meeting, with the PGA Tour releasing a statement after saying it was committed to giving players their approval on the final framework.
The Tour has confirmed it will use input from its playing members as negotiations continue. A statement said: “The signing of the framework agreement has brought an end to costly litigation. Management, with input from our player managers, has now entered a new phase of negotiations to determine whether the tour can achieve a definitive agreement that is in the best interest of our players, fans, sponsors, partners and the game as a whole.
“If future negotiations result in a proposed agreement, it will require the approval of the tour’s political council, which includes the player directors. In the meantime, we are all committed to the guarantees of the framework agreement which guarantee that the PGA Tour will direct and maintain control of this potential new business entity.
The framework was put in place after a review of the agreement between the PGA Tour and PIF was requested by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Senator Richard Blumenthal will chair the committee and invite Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, LIV CEO Greg Norman and PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan must appear in court.
“Today, I formally invite the Commissioner of the PGA Tour, the CEO of LIV Golf, and the Governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund to testify before my Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations,” the senator tweeted. “We need to get to the bottom of the planned deal between the PGA and LIV Golf, financed by Saudi Arabia.”
