Jon Rahm says he doesn’t want to get his hopes up a deal can be agreed between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s backers.
LIV commissioner Jay Monahan and his counterpart from the breakaway circuit, Yasir Al-Rumayyan have teed off in this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The first day, It was the world 462 ranked golfer, Darren Fichardt who grabbed the one day one lead with a superb 11-under 61 at Kingsbarns.
But all the focus was on Monahan and the PIF governor when they both hit the greens at Carnoustie for 18 holes.
It is the first time the duo has been photographed together since the framework agreement was announced in June.
It is an unfathomable scenario given what has transpired over the last three years in men’s professional golf.
Since June, there has been widespread speculation over where the parties are at in the negotiations.
The PGA Tour golfers who sit on the policy board first met Al-Rumayyan in the Bahamas after the 2024 Players Championship in March.
Tiger Woods reportedly played 18 holes with the powerful Saudi businessman.
PGA Tour player liaison Joe Ogilvie said that first introduction was ‘perfect’ and since then several meetings have been held in New York to thrash out the terms.
But there are still some reports several high-profile PGA Tour players such as Woods, Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth are unwilling to compromise.
If that is the case, one theory put forward is that the DP World Tour could abandon its strategic alliance with the PGA and create a global tour with LIV to rival the North American circuit.
One person who desperately wants a resolution is Rahm.
Rahm told reporters on Thursday: “I won’t let myself believe anything until it is actually true. I hope so.
“But having commissioner Monahan here, Guy Kinnings as well and having His Excellency here and, by the looks of it, all spending some time together should be something that makes us all feel hopeful for the future.
“But, at this point, I don’t want to create an expectation and then not meet it. But I’m hopeful.”
Rahm’s Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy also played in the same group as Al-Rumayyan.
He said it was possible to have unity before the end of the year.
Asked about his round with the golf chief, McIlroy said: I remember that we didn’t discuss the events that occur in the game.
We discussed Newcastle United. We discuss some of the other things which Yasir has.
“It was all very cordial. Other than that I of course did not get to pay much attention on what was going on in the front of the group ahead, though of course we all know each other.
I guess we’ve been doing this dance for a couple of years now.
I do not think there anything we can derive from today. They are also aping golfers which is what we are here for, playing golf.
“Who knows? I keep saying time will tell. And there is really only so many ways one can answer the same questions.