Xander Schauffele’s Thoughts on PGA-PIF Deal Are Mixed: ‘What Does Loyalty Mean These Days?’

Going into U.S. Open week, we’re bound to hear the thoughts on the new agreement among the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) from the world’s top golfers. Since it’s a major, we’ll also be getting comments from players on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, which is bankrolled by the PIF.

Prior to the week in Los Angeles, Xander Schauffele—the world’s No. 6 golfer—spoke with the Sunday Times of London about last week’s wild news.

Schauffele says:

“Yeah, I guess [betrayal] would be the charged word. Irony comes to mind as well. From the messages I’ve had, everybody is taking it a bit personally, which is fair, to an extent. I was definitely left in the dark, like most guys, which is frustrating from the transparency side. I thought we were making some headway in that department, but obviously not, because there wasn’t a whole lot of trust in the first place.”

Xander Schauffele admits PGA Tour have ‘betrayed’ its stars with controversial LIV mergerhttps://t.co/zvKX0FRAyj pic.twitter.com/Cob8v9IgeF

— Mirror Sport (@MirrorSport) June 10, 2023

The deal was famously kept secret from nearly everyone in the game, causing plenty of shock around the sport when the news was sent out last Tuesday morning.

Schauffele was one of the many who met with people from LIV Golf last year but decided to stay on the PGA Tour.

Schauffele told the Times:

“What does loyalty mean these days? I don’t quite know. From a long-term perspective, more money being dumped into the game again is a good thing. The product was always going to be better with the [LIV] golfers we know, the major winners, all included.”

Among those we’re looking forward to hearing from on both sides are Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson, who are both set to speak to the media in LA before the U.S. Open begins.

Giving the people what they want.

Cheers to the unofficial start of #USOpen week! pic.twitter.com/r3zLWG0Ou7

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 11, 2023

Cover Image Via Forbes