Negotiations Between PGA Tour And Saudi PIF May Fall Apart Due To - You Guessed It - Money
Money, money, and more money. It's the only thing that has mattered in the world of professional golf for well over a year when the PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced a framework agreement in June 2023, and now negotiations between the two sides could fall through because of, you guessed it, money.
Representatives from the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF controversially met in New York last week looking to inch closer to a deal that would end what many have said is a ‘civil war’ in golf between the Tour and LIV Golf, which the Saudis solely fund. These meetings in New York were just the latest in the long list of meetings that have already taken place, resulting in close to zero public-facing updates.
A Bloomberg report following the latest meetings shed some rare light on the situation, but it's safe to say that discussions did not go entirely to plan.
According to "people familiar with the situation" who spoke with the outlet, the biggest hold-up as of late that has slowed down negotiations centers around how to reintegrate players back onto the PGA Tour who left for LIV Golf and "ensure some financial parity."
In simpler terms, some Tour players want to see LIV players buy their way back onto the Tour, and we're not just talking about pledging their allegiance, we're talking cold-hard cash.
According to the report, Jon Rahm's reported $300 million deal with LIV is a particular sticking point with some Tour players wanting Rahm and others who signed massive contracts "to hand back money they've made from LIV."
Jon Rahm's reported $300 million deal appears to be a sticking point in negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudis. (Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)
As for what handing back money may look like, it could be in the form of fines to play in certain Tour events, giving money to charity, or agreeing to forfeit any future career winnings on the Tour.
There is a zero-percent chance the third option will happen. Players are not going to play without money up for grabs.
PGA Tour, Saudis Searching For A Middle Ground
LIV players not looking to write a check to the Tour isn't the only hold-up, however. Another issue laid out in the report centers around getting PGA Tour players to agree to a more global schedule to participate in certain LIV events. It's a we scratch your back and invest billions, and you have to scratch our back in return situation, one that potentially involves traveling the world.
READ: Rory McIlroy Sees 2026 As A Positive Timeline For PGA Tour - Saudi PIF Merger To Finally Take Place
The two sides could agree on some terms and attempt to reach an agreement on players terms at a later date, but the report also specifically notes that "talks may still fail."
In other words, a deal is not close to being finalized.
LIV players aren't going to want to pay a huge sum of money in order to play in Tour events and the Tour isn't going to want to send its players around the world to play in LIV events. Some sort of middle ground will have to be established for something to come to fruition, the problem is that it's incredibly difficult to even begin to imagine what that middle ground may look like.