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"I would say that the answer is murky,"
15-times major champion Tiger Woods, who joined the PGA Tour
policy board in August, told reporters when asked what the
professional golf landscape would look like in a year or two.
"There's a lot of moving parts on how we're going to play.
Whether it's here on the PGA Tour or it's merging, or team golf.
There's a lot of different aspects that are being thrown out
there all at once."
After a year of acrimony, the two parties and Europe-based DP
World Tour announced in June a bombshell framework agreement to
house their commercial operations in a new entity. PIF, the main
financial backer of LIV Golf, would serve as the exclusive
investor.
The announcement, which brought an end to legal battles between
the parties but triggered antitrust concerns from U.S.
regulators, also called for a definitive agreement to be reached
by Dec. 31, although the sides can agree to extend the deadline.
The agreement with the PIF also raised concerns in Washington
from lawmakers who are mistrustful of Saudi Arabia and critical
of the country's human rights record.
"I am confident a deal will get done in some way," said Woods.
"Whether that comes December 31st or is pushed back, all sides
understand we're working together.
"There are no lawsuits. ... Everyone's working right now with no
animosity. We're trying to work to try and get a deal done for
the tour and for all parties involved."
For now, the tours will run independently, with LIV Golf holding
the majority of its 14-event 2024 season outside the United
States and the PGA Tour returning to a calendar-year schedule
for the first time since 2012.
The PGA Tour will also unveil a radical new approach during its
2024 season as five of its eight limited-field signature events
will have no cuts, a move made partly as a reaction to LIV
Golf's structure.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Ed Osmond)
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