PGA Tour’s Deal With SSG Draws Different Reactions as PIF Takes Focus

After months of anticipation, PGA Tour Enterprises is a thing. But it doesn’t yet include Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). And aside from a cash infusion from Strategic Sports Group (SSG), we don’t know what changes will be coming to the tour in the near future.

The deal is obviously the talk of the town in Pebble Beach, the site of this year’s second Signature Event on the PGA Tour schedule.

Expect more to come out soon on how the portion of the $3 billion investment by SSG will be doled out to the players in equity shares. Until that point, many players remain skeptical about what the deal means.

Maverick McNealy said:

“We’re all competitive guys, and I always say that if things are allocated, guys will be upset, but if it’s something you play for and it’s performance-based, no one can be upset. It’s an eat-what-you-kill business, and we all signed up for that.”

Another player anonymously spoke with Golf Channel and clearly isn’t being as patient:

“All we want to know is, how it works? What [does] it mean for each of us? I could care less about how some players think it’s great. I want to know how it’s going to benefit me because I don’t see it.”

Ahead of #LIVGolf Mayakoba, Bryson DeChambeau offered his statements on the SSG investment into the PGA Tour, and what it might mean for the game as a whole:

“Any capital going into the game of golf is always positive” pic.twitter.com/EyuCHaBIUM

— LIV Golf Updates (@LIVGolfUpdates) January 31, 2024

Will the Saudis join in?

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said that the deal was constructed for the PIF to eventually become part of PGA Tour Enterprises. Jordan Spieth, who is on the PGA Tour Policy Board, didn’t make it sound like it would be a foregone conclusion.

“At this point, if the PIF were interested in coming in on terms that our members like and/or the economic terms are at or not beyond SSGs and they feel it would be a good idea, I think that’s where the discussions will start,” Spieth said.

Why does the PGA Tour still need a PIF deal? Jordan Spieth says they don’t.

“I think the short answer is we don’t have to, and the long answer is, the positive there is unification … but I’m not sure if or how or when it would get done.”

Doesn’t sound like a deal is close. pic.twitter.com/VXVGkAyAD9

— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) January 31, 2024

While the parties continue to negotiate, Golf Digest says all is not well behind the scenes. The publication reported that a source said the PIF was upset that the PGA Tour sought additional funding from private companies, and the deal given to Jon Rahm to join LIV Golf was done as a bargaining chip in case the PGA Tour walked away from the deal.

So it appears that this will end in one of two ways:

• The PIF will come aboard to create a unified professional golf scene.
• Talks will fall apart, and the sport will remain divided as ever.

All players and fans can do is stay tuned. But it sounds like patience continues to wear thin.

Cover Image via Sporting News