There was a glimmer of optimism thanks to Tiger Woods that the top golfers in the world would get to meet each other more frequently than four times a year.
The 15-time major winner expressed his satisfaction with the course of talks between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which finances LIV Golf, prior to the Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Woods affirmed, “I can tell you we’re making progress.” We’re not going to engage in external negotiations, so I can’t tell you anything more than that.
Everything needs to be kept confidential and at a high level, yet things are changing and evolving. Every day, it continues to change. We exchange thoughts and correspondence via texts, emails, and chains with each other.
The two parties are keeping things close to the vest following the botched implementation of a “framework agreement” at the RBC Canadian Open last summer. Players were taken aback by the shocking revelation on June 6 and it created an animosity that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is still working to overcome.
According to Woods, “there’s a good interchange of ideas and thoughts about how the game could look like going forward.” “All that needs to be done legally is put together. The U.S. Department of Justice is in charge of oversight, so it goes without saying that they are looking into it as well and making sure we don’t act unlawfully.
In addition to the legal aspect, there is the money issue, which is where the whole mess started. More than ever, the business side of golf is involved with the tour’s transition from a non-profit to a for-profit structure that welcomes investors and offers players equity.
ensuring that everyone participating, including the participants, gains something from this. Their goal is financial gain as well. According to Woods, they wish to make that comeback.