PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan gave credit to former U.S. President Donald Trump for playing a big role in getting the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to actually talk and make progress on their long-running dispute.
Apparently, Trump held a meeting at the White House last month with reps from both tours, trying to help smooth things over and bring them together after four years of drama between the U.S.-based PGA and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
“The talks are real, they’re substantial, and they’re being driven at the top levels of both organisations,” Monahan said at the Players Championship on Tuesday.
“Those talks have been significantly bolstered by President Trump’s willingness to serve as a facilitator. President Trump is a lifelong golf fan. He believes strongly in the game’s power and potential, and he has been exceedingly generous with his time and influence to help bring a deal together.
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“He wants to see the game reunified. We want to see the game reunified. His involvement has made the prospect of reunification very real.”
LIV Golf, which has already hosted several events at Trump’s courses, has pulled in some of golf’s biggest names since it launched, creating a massive rift in the sport. Right now, PGA and LIV players don’t compete against each other outside of the majors and last year’s Paris Olympics.
The golf world was totally caught off guard when the PGA and LIV announced a shocking merger back in 2023, but nothing’s been finalized yet, leaving everyone stuck in limbo.
And honestly, players are over it.
Justin Thomas, a two-time major champ, summed up how tired everyone is of the situation:
“This is like the third time I’ve played this tournament while this has been going on in some way, shape or form,” Thomas said ahead of the Players Championship in Florida.
“There’s just so many of us, really on both sides, both us on tour and I think the LIV players, that we don’t really know what’s going on and we’re just playing golf and hoping for the best.”
Adam Scott, former world number one and the chairman of the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council, said everyone wants the same outcome but admitted that the two sides have such different priorities that a solution might not even be possible.
“The tour’s being very careful and respectful of everyone and wanting to give everyone … the product that they want,” Scott said.
“But we’re starting from two different sides of this, so I think it’s hard to find the balance that’s acceptable for everybody. And it also may not be ultimately possible.”
So, while things seem to be moving, the big question remains—can the PGA and LIV actually figure this out? Or is golf just gonna stay divided forever?
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