In a significant development for the world of professional golf, the PGA Tour has reportedly turned down a $1.5 billion investment proposal from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the financial force behind LIV Golf. Despite ongoing talks to unify professional golf’s divided landscape, the PGA Tour and PIF continue to disagree on core elements of the game’s future.
Sources indicate the PGA Tour was unwilling to meet one of PIF’s key conditions — the continued operation of LIV Golf as part of any potential merger. The Tour has maintained its preference for a single, unified professional circuit.
Should a future agreement come to fruition, PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan is expected to be offered a co-chair role on the board of PGA Tour Enterprises, the Tour’s commercial arm. However, PIF’s desire for team-based golf to remain part of the global structure has been another sticking point in the ongoing discussions.
Speaking at The Players Championship, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan acknowledged the potential for collaboration but emphasized the Tour’s commitment to preserving its identity.
“We respect Yasir’s vision and can envision working alongside him to advance the global game,” Monahan said. “There’s space to incorporate aspects of LIV into our structure, but we won’t do so at the expense of our momentum or the values that define the PGA Tour.”
This decision comes two months after Monahan, Tiger Woods, and Adam Scott met with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Al-Rumayyan in Washington. A follow-up session reportedly lasted four hours, though Trump’s presence during that meeting wasn’t confirmed.
During a recent appearance en route to a LIV Golf event in Doral, Florida, Trump weighed in, expressing hope for a future merger.
“Ultimately, I think it would be great if the two tours came together,” Trump said. “A combined tour could do a lot for the game.”
Nearly two years have passed since the PGA Tour and PIF announced a framework agreement to unite their commercial efforts under a new entity, now known as PGA Tour Enterprises. That organization already received a $1.5 billion capital infusion from the U.S.-based Strategic Sports Group — a coalition of prominent sports investors.
Meanwhile, both PGA Tour and LIV Golf players will soon compete on the same stage at Augusta National Golf Club during the Masters, one of only a few shared events on the calendar each year.
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil remains optimistic but measured.
“If coming together helps grow the game, I’m all in,” O’Neil said. “We don’t need a deal, but it could be a positive step — if our goals align. For now, I’m confident in our direction and excited for what lies ahead.”
