The PGA Tour commissioner is not giving much away on the status of discussions between the two organizations.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has refused to be drawn how far along negotiations are with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) behind LIV Golf.
Ahead of this week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, to coincide with the release of the 2025 PGA Tour Schedule, Monahan faced the media, where he was asked if the release of the schedule meant “there’s not going to be anything with LIV, at least through next year or ’26 or ’27.” His response was to the question, saying: “I think that’s fair.”
While Monahan wouldn’t elaborate on exactly when, or even if, a deal would happen, he insisted the Tour is in a strong place and that discussions with the PIF, headed by governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, are ongoing.
He said: “When you think about where we were, engagement amongst our players, our partners, our fans, our investors I think is really, really high and really strong.
“There’s tremendous momentum. I think that’s reflected in the energy you see coming in the Playoffs, the ’25 schedule, and we’ve seen and continue to see a lot more innovation, and certainly the conversations with the Public Investment Fund and then an important part of the journey that we’re on this year and that we’ll continue to be on.
As mentioned previously, some players have shared their views, and we are consistently communicating with them. I find this to be a positive development.
However, I do not intend to disclose any further information or engage in public negotiations.” Monahan expressed optimism towards a positive outcome, even though the negotiations are intricate.
He emphasized the complexity of the discussions and the numerous components involved. However, with the ongoing interactions, progress, and collaboration, he maintained a hopeful perspective. “We are currently in a positive position in terms of the discussions and timelines. This is the main focus for us.”
Over 14 months have passed since the surprising news that the PGA Tour and the PIF were setting aside their disputes to negotiate a deal allowing them to both exist at the top of men’s golf.
Monahan announced that discussions were progressing quickly after the New Year deadline passed and before the Players Championship in March. Since that time, important figures such as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who serve as Player Directors on the PGA Tour Policy Board, have reportedly participated in meetings in an effort to progress towards a deal. Nevertheless, at this point in time, the situation remains uncertain as negotiations continue.