PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — As a player director and member of the PGA Tour Policy Board, Tiger Woods “absolutely needs to be involved” in a meeting scheduled for Monday with the head of the Private Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, Rory McIlroy said.
It appears that is going to be the case.
If not, Yasir Al-Ramayyan, the governor of the PIF, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, who is also the CEO of new PGA Tour Enterprises, and several other player directors are going to a lot of trouble to be in the Bahamas.
A source told Sports Illustrated that the meeting which board member Patrick Cantlay confirmed Sunday would be taking place is going to happen in Nassau, Bahamas. Or, more specifically, the Albany Resort where Woods often parks his yacht and hosts his annual fundraising golf tournament.
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Golfweek reported on Friday that a meeting would take place soon between the backer of LIV Golf and that the six player directors on the PGA Tour board were “strongly encouraged” to attend.
McIlroy said Sunday that such a meeting should have taken place “months ago.”
Some members of the Strategic Sports Group, which recently committed some $1.5 billion to PGA Tour Enterprises in the form of private equity, are also expected to end.
Cantlay, who withdrew from this week’s Valspar Championship, described the meeting as more of a meet and greet. Webb Simpson has said previously that he felt it was time to meet the people behind LIV Golf and get an idea of what they are looking to do.
“Well, I’ve gotta hear out what they have to say, and I will always do my best to represent the entire membership whenever I am in a meeting in that capacity,” Cantlay said after his final round at the Players Championship. “I think more information is always better.”
Cantlay indicated he was in more of a listen mode. Simpson, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational recently, said he felt at this point it was “very dangerous” to not make a deal with the PIF.
“I think we’re in a position where we want to do the right deal,” he said. “We don’t want to just do a deal because we’re afraid that the LIV tour might recruit more players. That’s certainly a fear. But I think it’s obvious. The writing is on the wall. We’re not in a position where we need to do a deal for money. We need to do a deal for the good of the game. And for the health of the PGA Tour long term. That’s my hope.”
Simpson added: “I don’t know what they (LIV and the PIF) want. I don’t know what the players playing for LIV want. I think they’re very happy where they are. I think they’re very happy with the decisions they’ve made. But I’ve heard from enough people who have grown a little distasteful with the current state of golf. Not pointing blame at LIV or PGA Tour or anyone.
“When you come to big tournaments like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, you want to know the guy who won beat most or all of the best players. Right now the PGA Tour still has more great players, but LIV has great players as well. I just think for the health of the game and longevity and for what fans are used to seeing ...”
