MIAMI – Tiger Woods and five other players on the PGA Tour policy board are being pushed to meet Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan on March 18, according to multiple reports on March 15.

Golfweek and The Golf Channel reported the six players on the tour policy board, which must approve any final deal on the PGA-PIF merger framework unveiled last June, were being encouraged to meet Al-Rumayyan at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – site of this week’s Players Championship.

Joining Woods among those on the board are fellow Americans Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth, Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson plus Australian Adam Scott.

Golfweek called the gathering an “icebreaker” in a bid to speed up the talks, which have extended beyond an original December deadline, to unite the PGA and the financial backers of the upstart LIV Golf League.

“We’re being encouraged to potentially meet with them but, at the same time, we probably feel like our membership should know (the) timing and what could happen and just, in general, maybe it’s just a meet,” three-time Major winner Spieth said after missing the cut at the Players event on March 15.

“We’re being encouraged, obviously, which I think is probably a good thing that the entire board should if there’s going to be any potential for a negotiation.”

The six players are also on the board of directors for the new PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit arm formed in a merger with the US team sport owners of Strategic Sports Group (SSG), which invested US$1.5 billion (S$2 billion) in the new venture.

That Enterprises board reportedly is set to meet at Ponte Vedra Beach on March 19.

“If the PIF thinks it’s beneficial, we meet and I think it’s a good thing to do,” Scott told Sports Illustrated. “As far as getting on with business, let’s get on with business.

“I’m curious to see how it all pans out, just like everyone in the game,” he told Golfweek.

“I’m as curious as I was to meet any of the (Enterprises) investor groups last year, just to put a face to a name and hopefully see that everyone is going into this with the right intent.”

The Saudi PIF, which could become an investor into PGA Tour Enterprises, has pumped billions of dollars into supporting LIV Golf, whose rich money deals and lighter schedule have enticed several big names from the PGA to play on the breakaway tour, including reigning US Masters champion Jon Rahm and 2023 PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka.

Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, said meeting Al-Rumayyan would be logical as players decide whether or not to accept financing from the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world or reject it and likely keep the sport’s top talent divided.

“Ultimately, the players vote going into whether a deal will happen or not, just like it was with SSG last year,” he said.

“And with the seriousness of what we’re voting on, I think it’s important that we’ve all met and no matter what anyone’s feelings are, I think when you’re voting on these things, you can’t be completely blind and need to have all the knowledge and input possible to make the best decisions.”

Meanwhile, Asian Tour boss Cho Minn Thant admitted on March 16 that golf is in “a bit of turmoil”, but the circuit’s decision to partner upstart LIV had “worked out well” for players.

“Politically speaking, we’re still in, I guess the best word to describe it is, a bit of turmoil,” the Asian Tour’s commissioner and CEO said. “There’s no denying that there’s still the divide between the PGA Tour and LIV.”

He was speaking on the sidelines of the International Series Macau, one of 10 enhanced US$2 million Asian Tour events benefiting from a US$300 million infusion of LIV cash over 10 years.

The winner of the series – American Andy Ogletree triumphed in 2023 – gains an automatic place on the LIV circuit.

“We firmly believe that our decision to partner with LIV has worked out well for us,” said Cho.

Unlike LIV, the Asian Tour receives world-ranking points, meaning 19 LIV players are in Macau trying to earn points towards places at the 2024 Olympics and the Majors. American John Catlin, who is not one of them, on March 16 carded the first sub-60 round in Asian Tour history, his 11-under 59 giving him a two-shot lead on 192 after three days. AFP