Ahead of PGA Tour and Saudis Meeting, McIlroy Says LIV Did a ‘Disservice’ to PIF

Shortly after a thrilling conclusion to The Players Championship on Sunday, the focus was back on off-the-course issues when it was announced that player-members of the PGA Tour policy board were planning to meet with Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) governor Yassir Al-Rumayyan on Monday.

The PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s PIF will meet today at the Albany Resort in the Bahamas, per @BobHarig.

• Rooms start at $3,000
• Investors include Tiger Woods & Justin Timberlake

Private jets used by Tiger Woods, John Henry, the PGA Tour, and Saudi’s PIF have already landed. pic.twitter.com/nmYbAgaUQ1

— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) March 18, 2024

The meeting is to try and spur along talks to try and finalize last June’s framework agreement between the two sides — along with the DP World Tour — as negotiations are far past the self-imposed deadline of Dec. 31, 2023. 

Former policy board member Rory McIlroy, who resigned from his post last summer, said that this meeting should’ve taken place a while ago. 

Rory McIlroy says the meeting between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund should have taken place months ago and admits he’s glad conversations are happening. 💬⛳ pic.twitter.com/LnB6cE7ujW

— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) March 18, 2024

McIlroy said:

“I think [a deal] should have happened months ago, so I am glad that it’s happening. Hopefully that progresses conversations and gets us closer to a solution….I have spent time with Yasir and his — the people that have represented him in LIV, I think, have done him a disservice, so [LIV Golf CEO Greg] Norman and those guys. I actually think there’s a really big disconnect between PIF and LIV. I think you got PIF over here and LIV are sort of over here doing their own thing. So the closer that we can get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalize that investment, I think that will be a really good thing.”

While board member Patrick Cantlay says the sides aren’t close to a deal, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan did say last week that negotiations were “accelerating.” The PGA Tour is looking for additional funding from PIF for PGA Tour Enterprises, which was created earlier this year and is being bankrolled by Strategic Sports Group.

Cover Image via PGA Tour