The prospect of LIV Golf players returning to play on the PGA Tour has become very real in the past weeks after Jay Monahan, Adam Scott, Tiger Woods and Public Investment Fund chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan met with President Donald Trump at the White House.
Many, including four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, believe Trump’s involvement will finally see professional golf reunite. The President is a well-known lover of the game and has previously claimed he will be able to quickly end the protracted talks. What’s more, it’s believed the Department of Justice–under a Trump administration—is more likely to greenlight the deal.
After Scott and Monahan’s meeting with Trump speculation emerged about LIV Golf players soon returning to the PGA Tour, and Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard even claimed LIV stars could feature at the 2025 Players Championship.
Peter Malnati discusses LIV Golf merger
In the back drop of the ongoing talks between the PIF and PGA Tour, the Cognizant Classic takes place at PGA National. At a time when significant news is emerging at the top of the game, many of golf’s big names are taking time off away from the spotlight.
As a result, several players at the Mexico Open were quizzed on PIF issues and it’s a similar story at this week’s Cognizant Classic.
Two-time PGA Tour winner Peter Malnati spoke to Sports Illustrated about the protracted negotiations and admitted he has a pretty good idea of what’s to come.
“I think where we are right now that’s encouraging is we do have some pretty good idea of what it might look like to reintegrate some of those (LIV) players,” Malnati said. “The guys who won majors, etc. It’s not specific, but to reintegrate LIV players into the PGA Tour.
“I think if nothing else, the optimism around this has really expedited the process of what constitutes a unified men’s professional golf and what it would look like. And how does the DP World Tour fit into this? That is important, too. I think we’ve answered some of those questions. And (the PGA Tour staff) have done a tremendous job of putting a plan together.”
Concern emerges after White House talks
There is some concern that the recent positivity surrounding White House meeting has been blown out of proportion.
It’s believed Al-Rumayyan is doubling down on his desire to make team golf more widespread, a move which would not be welcomed by pretty much all players on the PGA Tour. Those who stayed loyal clearly respect the traditional values of the game and believe golf is an individual sport which provides individual accolades.
Writing for Golfweek, broadcaster Eamon Lynch deliverd a concerning update on what he’d heard from sources about the White House meetings.
“Rumblings from informed sources suggest that Thursday’s meeting at the White House didn’t go as well as Tour executives had hoped, which suggests that PIF governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, remains determined to keep shovelling cash into the furnace of his own pridefulness,” he wrote.
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