-
Mark Schlabach
Augusta, Ga.-Osvin times the winner of the main championship Tom Watson They do not believe that the PGA Tour and Liv Golf will soon be able to reunite the male professional golf.
Watson, who won the Masters in 1977 and 1981, said there were too many obstacles for PGA to reach an agreement with Saudi Arabia, which has financed the Liv League Fund since its foundation in 2022.
The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF signed a framework agreement to create an alliance in June 2023, but the parties were unable to cancel the agreement after a recent four-hour meeting in the White House.
Last week, the sources confirmed ESPN that the PGA Tour refused to invest $ 1.5 billion in the PGA Tour Enterprises, the profit entity of the tour that came up with the observation that Liv Golf League would remain unaffected.
“They decided to play their own tour, and they’re there right now,” Watson said on Thursday during a press conference in Augusta National Golf Club after hitting the opening tee with past champions Jack nicklaus and Gary Player. “I don’t see a real working mechanism for both tours to join. I think this is one of the reasons why you haven’t seen the agreement since June two years ago.”
Twelve LIV golf players compete this week, including seven past champions. But golfers from competing parties rarely play together outside the four main championships.
“One thing I know is that Scottie Scheffler In his speech at the last dinner, Champions said on Tuesday evening, “I’m glad we’re all together again,” Watson said. “So the players would like to join. But it’s really on the powers to find out if there is a frame where both tours can work together.”
Sources said ESPN that PIF wants his governor Yasir al-Mrumayyan to serve as co-chairman of the board of PGA Tour Enterprises. The Saudes also want a team golf to be an integral part of the future ecosystem of sport.
The PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan suspended golfer who competed in Liv Golf Tournaments without being released against a conflict event.
“I don’t see the framework that is happening,” Watson said. “Maybe they are smarter people than me, but a key element of PGA – the only thing that is required from you is to get a permission to play in a competitive tournament, contrary to the rule of the event.
Nicklaus, a six -time winner of the green jacket, said Liv Golf had forced the PGA a tour “Doing some things that were a little premature”. After Liv Golf pointed several best players, including past main champions Bryson Brazambeau, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka And another PGA Tour responded by introducing eight signatures with $ 20 million wallets and reduced the number of full -time golfers.
PGA Tour also distributed its members of the initial PGA Tour Grants in the PGA Tour Grants worth $ 930 million after receiving an investment of $ 1.5 billion from the strategic sports group, the consortium of the billionaire professional sports team and others.
“A PGA tour is doing well,” Nicklaus said. “I think they have changed their structure. The players now own a piece of what is going on.
“I would like to see how everyone will come together? Sure, I think we all. But I think the PGA tour is a tour, and there are most of your good players, and I think it’s very healthy no matter how it goes, but of course we would all like to see everyone together.”
