Tiger Woods’ Golf Game Taking Backseat to PGA Tour-LIV Negotiation Drama

For decades now, what Tiger Woods has done on the golf course overshadowed virtually everything else that occurred on the PGA Tour.

Now, Woods’ own game is overshadowed by the elephant in the room that’s slowly suffocating the men’s professional golf world.

Woods is one of the key members of the team negotiating to finalize the “framework agreement” that has been in place between what is now PGA Tour Enterprises and the entity bankrolling LIV Golf for nearly a year now.

And with negotiations moving at what appears to be a snail’s pace, according to now former PGA Tour policy board member Jimmy Dunne, Woods is facing questions about the talks whenever he shows up in front of cameras and microphones.

🐯 @TigerWoods arrives on the range ✌️#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/0eootnPZFD

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 15, 2024

It was no different on Tuesday at Valhalla, where Woods fielded plenty of questions but delivered no concrete answers:

“It’s about what LIV is doing, what we’re doing, players coming back, players leaving — the fans just want to see us play together. How do we get there is to be determined.”

Everyone seems to acknowledge that there is a problem, but no one has been able to get to the solution. 

Max Homa talked about it earlier this week:

 “I don’t like where it’s going. It’s got to be exhausting to be a casual golf fan at this point in time. I don’t know why you would want to hear about the business side of this game.”

At issue, at least with Woods, appears to be how much he wants the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) involved with the PGA Tour. Woods was asked if he was personally open to investment from the Saudis, but he didn’t answer. The reporter asked again if he was:

“I’m personally involved in the process.”

Tiger Woods still believes he has what it takes to win. ⛳ pic.twitter.com/GjBe5DYmTh

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 14, 2024

And with the topic of golf’s future pushed off for another day, expect more of the same next month at Pinehurst and at Royal Troon in July.

Cover Image via USA Today