Tiger Woods had a very good reason to pass on the Ryder Cup opportunity. The former World No. 1 clarified his Ryder Cup stance in an official statement. The 15-time major champion is juggling a lot of things, especially with the ongoing merger negotiations. It’s a time crunch that prevented him from taking the job. But the 48-year-old didn’t rule out a return in the future.

Tiger Woods wrote, “With my new responsibilities to the [PGA] Tour and time commitments involved I felt I would not be able to commit the time to Team USA and the players required as a captain. That does not mean I wouldn’t want to captain a team in the future. If/when I feel it is the right time, I will put my hat in the ring for this committee to decide.”

Woods is one of the six-player directors involved in shaping the future of the PGA Tour. Moreover, the 15-time major champion is also part of the Transaction Committee, overseeing the day-to-day progress. Earlier, Rory McIlroy, a g member of the same group, revealed they connect with PIF officials two-three times every week.

On top of that, Woods is at a crucial juncture in his career. Post his ankle surgery the veteran has only competed in three majors and the Hero World Challenge; he pulled out of the Genesis Invitational due to influenza.

The former world no.1 is in a transition phase where he is figuring out how to adapt to his physical restrictions. His ankle doesn’t move the way it used to, which results in more weight on his lower back. That, in turn, prolongs his post-tournament recovery period.

Nevertheless, Woods’s willingness to take up the Ryder Cup captaincy later, hints that he is looking for a more favorable opportunity. Perhaps in 2027, when Ryder Cup travels to Adare Manor. Oddly enough, not everyone wants to see him as captain even then.

Why fans don’t want Tiger Woods to captain Team USA

Tiger Woods has represented the Stars and Stripes eight times in his career, winning only once, in 1999. Woods played 37 matches, where he won 13 times, lost 21 matches, and halved 3. Woods’s last Ryder Cup appearance came in 2018. A section of netizens don’t believe Tiger Woods would add much value to the team. One user wrote, “We don’t want him.”

Notably, the 48-year-old captained Team USA to a 2019 Presidents Cup triumph. In fact, Tiger Woods, kicked into the motion the famed Patrick Cantlay – Xander Schauffele pairing. Still, not everyone is convinced of his leadership skills.

One of them tweeted, “Tiger as captain, easy win for Europe. Outside of playing everything Tiger does turns to s***.” Some of them point to the delayed negotiations as an indication of Woods’s inefficiency as a leader. “They began ‘negotiating’ the Framework agreement in late 2022…. Now, those continued negotiations impacts (sic) an event occurring in late 2025…. Wow.”

Others believe Woods wanted to stay above the politics of LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. They assume the 82-time PGA Tour winner wanted to play safe. By the next Ryder Cup in 2027, the LIV-PGA Tour divide is likely to be a thing of the past. “In other words he wants 2 wait till LIV & pga merge then captain a winning team w/o all the politics,” one user tweeted.

Interestingly, some also grabbed the opportunity to blast Sun Day Red, Woods’s new apparel line. Previously, ‘sold-out’ Sun Day Red products were selling at double and triple the price at third-party e-commerce platforms like eBay. One user mocked, “I am laser-focused on selling overpriced polos with a shi**y logo and building a new tennis bubble for our simulator league. And playing 3 tournaments per year. One man can only do so much.”

While Tiger Woods was the favorite pick among veteran golfers, the fans don’t share that sentiment. Interestingly, Keegan Bradley, the new Ryder Cup captain, said the former world no.1 could get involved in any way he wanted. Bradley is willing to take advice from the 48-year-old.

The majors are indeed like a huge festival in the golf world. During these times, fans not only get to see the exceptional preparations and the intense competition of their favorite golfers but also get to see their fun side through the pre-tournament interviews. One such instance took place before the fourth major of female golf in France.

On Tuesday, Pauline Roussin was interviewed by the team of the Amundi Evian Championship. The team asked her many questions about different aspects of her game, and well, she didn’t disappoint with her answers! One thing that became clear after the interview is that Roussin is extremely funny! She did struggle to answer a few tricky questions, including two legends of the sport, but she also pulled out a joke on herself.

The official Instagram account of the Amundi Evian Championship posted the video featuring the French golfer. To begin with, she was asked about her best score over eighteen holes. She answered that her best score was 9-under, and she shot it at Golf d’Hossegor, in France. Hossegor is an 18-hole course in the middle of a pine and cork oak forest.

However, given the complexity of the name, she ended up being confused about it and trying a couple of pronunciations. She then laughingly accepted defeat and said, “I don’t know how to say it. I’m going to get killed!” This was not just the end of her struggles. She joked her way about choosing a hole-in-one given the condition that a car is given as a reward. Then, hilariously, she said that if it’s par 3, then in a row she will be able to win two cars. Well, she is smart and funny!

Then came the question that would fluster anyone. The team asked her to choose between Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam. Well, is this not a question every golfer would struggle with? As per what Roussin stated, it’s hard to choose because one is ‘The Goat’ on the female side and the other is ‘The Goat’ on the male side. So, both. I can’t choose.” Where’s the lie? Right?

Tiger Woods, although not in the best shape right now, has won a total of 82 events on the PGA Tour, including 15 majors. From his 80-under par in the first Masters as a pro to a 12-shot margin of victory over Tom Kite, the runner-up, he has been dominating male golf since 1997. As for Annika Sorenstam, she won over ninety victories worldwide, which included 72 LPGA and 10 major championships. Needless to say, both are GOATs.

When asked about how she manages to keep calm and enter the game to hit through the rounds, Roussin stated that she has her own set of routines that she follows so that she does not otherwise get furious. All the more so, because the French golfer is known for expressing both her anger and happiness exceptionally well on the course. She said, “So to manage my emotions before the competition, I have routines. And otherwise, on the course, well it’s mostly going to be routines too, but a lot of visualization, breathing, simple and concrete things.”

Pauline Roussin is all pumped up to try and get a victory at the Amundi Evian Championship and become the second French golfer after Celine Boutier won it last year. She has been one of the oldest players to play on the same course. As a result, she knows the course inside out! Winning in that course is undoubtedly going to be a significant turn in her professional career.

What is Pauline Roussin’s favorite memory from the Evian Resort?

Not many golfers are aware of the intricacies and hidden treasures of the Evian Resort Golf Club as much as Pauline Roussin. She has been competing there ever since she was a kid. She started when she was 8 and played for five years till she was 12. She came back to the course for the Jabra Ladies Open in 2017 and 2019. She made her debut at the Amundi Evian Championship as a professional in 2021.

When asked about her favorite memory of the course, it was not a part of the game that she played. Rather, it was a fun part that the course had to offer. With all excitement, Roussin said, “Ever since I was little and started competing here, it’s been the candy pyramids and chocolate fountains at the Haribo (Amundi Evian) kid’s Cup.”

Absolutely appalling! That’s what some people might be thinking. After all, Tiger Woods has denied Team USA captaincy for the 2025 Ryder Cup. Yes, that is certainly a reality now. You could think about it either way, given how the golfer has fared so far this season. While the 82-time PGA Tour winner struggled to make cuts in this season’s last two majors, there is one name that comes to mind when the spot of Captaincy is at stake. It is Phil Mickelson. But before we jump to establish that as a conclusion, let us explore why Mickelson deserves the spot over one of the most famous golfers of all time.

Tiger Woods had been part of eight Ryder Cups ever since 1997 until the year before he won his last major, the 2019 Master’s Tournament. In this long Ryder Cup career, Woods had won only once in 1999. He has always been a playing team member and has never been on the captaincy throne before, obviously! The golfer has a reputation for his career-long achievements, but his captaincy skills can be contested by Mickelson’s experience in the event.

Phil Mickelson won three times out of his 12 Ryder Cup participations. If you had not known this, Mickelson has the highest number of Ryder Cup participants among all the US golfers. He has set an 18-22-7 record in the event. But there’s more.

The 2025 Ryder Cup is going to be held at Bethpage Black and Winged Foot. Indeed, it is the same course where Woods famously won his 2002 US Open title, being the only golfer who scored under par. Iconic. Indeed, Mickelson has never been in that limelight to date. After this, one might question, then, how Mickelson is a better pick than Woods for the 2025 Cup at the infamous golf course. The answer lies in every close miss Mickelson had at Bethpage.

Not once, but three times did Mickelson have to settle for a runner-up position in the US Open held at Bethpage. In 2002, Mickelson scored even par and was three strokes behind Tiger Woods. Four years later, the 6-time major winner again climbed up the ladder to get tied for the runner-up position at Bethpage. This time, he was only one stroke behind Australian golfer Geoff Ogilvy. His last tied T2 came in 2009 at Bethpage when Lucas Glover won against Mickelson with a 2-stroke lead.

Even though Mickelson is not a winner there, he is the only golfer to reach so high up multiple times. It can thus be easily concluded that his grasp is over the golf course where the next Ryder Cup is going to be held. But there remains yet another reason that you must look into.

Much like their Ryder Cup careers, Mickelson and Woods share a similar difference in their Presidents Cup histories. A thriving Woods has played in only nine events. And apart from one tie and one loss in 1998, his team has won all the other times he has been part of it. This includes his very last event, where he was assigned as a playing captain in 2019.

Phil Mickelson was never offered to lead the team. The 54-year-old golfer who won his last major at the age of 51 has the experience of being in the tournament 12 times. And again, apart from the same loss and tie in 1998 and 2003, respectively, Mickelson has 10 wins in his bag. The golfer, however, has not been able to show his proficiency as a skipper.

However, if one wishes to look at his LIV Golf captaincy record, he will not disappoint. Before Norman announced the affirmed home courses for each LIV team, Mickelson talked about the necessity for the team’s improvement. The HyFlyers GC captain could attest to how his plan of improvement was efficient and will only come with the individual improvement of newer and weaker players, showing the kind of leader he aspires to be.

His passion for team spirit was also revealed when he said, “For the team, I think long-term it would be helpful if everybody lives together, practices together, and travels together. Would be logistically a lot easier rather than be all throughout.” He also believes that winning is a team effort, “To succeed, like, when they say it takes a team, it really takes a lot of people to help you.”

Confirming the rumors, the USGA announced that Tiger Woods won’t helm the USA squad next year. Instead, Keegan Bradley will steer the USA ship at Bethpage Black on Sept. 26–28, 2025. Picking Bradley was both a shocker and a polarizing choice.

Some believed Woods should’ve grabbed the opportunity, while others feel Bradley’s passion is exactly what Team USA needs. Interestingly, between the two, none has a spectacular Ryder Cup record.

Tiger Woods has 13 wins in his biennial outings. However, the veteran has also conceded 21 losses and three halved matches. The 48-year-old has teed off in eight Ryder Cups in his career. However, only once was he on the winning team, in 1999. Woods dubbed the ‘Battle of Brookline’ as ‘one of the coolest moments’ in his career.

Notably, Tiger Woods had the experience of captaining a USA team in the global arena. The 48-year-old led the team to victory in the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia.

Bradley, on the other hand, has no such experience. The 38-year-old has been part of two Ryder Cup teams. First in 2012, in the Miracle in Medinah, and then in 2014 at Gleneagles. Europe retained the cup both times, however.

Bradley famously vowed not to open his return bag from the 2012 Ryder Cup until he won another. Since 2014, that opportunity has eluded the former PGA Championship winner. He was a Ryder Cup hopeful last year but received a negative call from Zach Johnson as Full Swing cameras followed him.

While accepting next year’s call of duty, Bradley said, “The Ryder Cup is unlike any other competition in our sport. And this edition will undoubtedly be particularly special given the rich history and enthusiastic spectators at this iconic course.”

Woods, on the other hand, was reluctant to take up the job. It was a lucrative offer, given the stature associated with the Ryder Cup. Furthermore, the word was that the job was his to take. Only a nod would’ve secured the place. But Woods shook his head.

Why Tiger Woods rejected the Ryder Cup captaincy

Generally, Ryder Cup captains are picked from the players who are just outside their glory days. That’s not the case for Bradley, like it wasn’t the case for Arnold Palmer in 1963. However, the general belief is that accepting a Ryder Cup captaincy often draws a curtain on top-tier professional golf.

One reason is, of course, that, as a captain, the responsibilities are multifold. From selecting players to building a team, it’s a tough task. Given the current state of golf, it also means throwing yourself headlong into needless controversy. Woods might have wanted to avoid that, given his active role in negotiations with the PIF.

TGL has been subjected to many controversies even before its commencement. It has gone through long delays and more importantly harsh accusations by being compared to LIV Golf. The reputation that Tiger Woods’s TGL is receiving is not quite desired. However, TMRW Sports has taken yet another shocking decision that has called for the whole community’s immediate attention.

Woods and Rory McIlroy-backed league TTMRW Sports has joined hands with the investment firm, Dynasty Equity Partners. According to Bloomberg, they have valued the brand a whopping $500 million despite witnessing the uncertainty that fans have regarding it before its debut. They have further hinted at the possibility of women’s inclusion in the upcoming golf league. They said, “A push into women’s golf is among options being considered, people with knowledge of the matter said.” So, the investment received will not be used to make any improvements in TGL but to venture into the other aspects of the game.

Following this, the co-founder of Dynasty Equity Partners, K. Don Cornwell announced, “Our goal has always been to partner with world-class management teams in sports that have a big following.” Moreover, he has also added their vision towards expanding the fandom. He thus declared, “TMRW is taking intellectual property and applying it in such a way that’s going to not only get existing fans excited, but bring new fans under the tent. And, since accessibility and bringing diversity into sport is among our priorities, it’s a great fit.” 

As of now, the TGL has six teams signed up which is already creating distinct team visuals and identity. Moreover, TMRW Sports is also possibly looking forward to having potential sports-betting partners. But all of their plans are heavily tinged with some general skepticism. Let us explore the popular uncertainties that might block a smooth acceptance of the league among fans.

Why is the fandom concerned over the TGL?

TGL was founded back in August 2022, however, the league’s debut has been delayed by a year because of its roof getting collapsed. This worried fans immensely as they speculated that there must have been some other troubles as well that were not enabling the tech-forward team golf league to kick start. However, Tiger Woods had different opinions. He said, “I think we can take advantage of the time delay,” Woods further reflected, “I think that we can do it right, and I think all the parties that are involved really feel that this is going to be the best thing for it.”

However, there is a bigger concern that has been gnawing the fans. It is TGL’s uniqueness that hints at a similarity with LIV Golf, as in the team format! Unlike the traditional golf tournaments, TGL will be hosted on weeknights as it is in conjunction with the PGA Tour. According to Golf Digest, “Each player will hit just a dozen shots per match, and with only three players from each club, it certainly opens the door to the possibility that the marquee names aren’t always guaranteed to play. The result is a format that can come off as contrived, and as the litany of past golf exhibitions have proved, there is little appetite for contrived matches.”

It was the first playoff hole at the Travelers Championship. Scottie Scheffler was circling his ball 11 feet from the hole on the 18th green for a birdie. However, he failed to card the same but instead, he guided the ball for a par, clinching another victory of the season. Little did the pro know that he would be equaling one of Tiger Woods’s records with that par-putt all the while being close to breaking the 48-year-old’s record.

A tweet was shared by the official X handle of the PGA Tour mentioning how Scheffler managed to join the “elite company.” The post pointed out how he is the first player since Woods to emerge victorious a total of six times in a single season, the latter of whom had done it last in 2009.

Scheffler kicked off his wins with a victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational which saw him scoring a 15-under. He followed it with a triumph at the PLAYERS Championship, The Masters, RBC Heritage, The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, and the recently ended Travelers Championship. By doing so, he joined the likes of Woods and Nick Price in winning six times during a season, the latter of whom did it back in 1994.

Scheffler would surely be looking to best the 82-time PGA Tour champ in the future with three more wins this season. The latter had also garnered 7 triumphs in a single year in 2007 just like Tom Watson did back in 1980. Moreover, he also procured 8 victories a year back in 1999 and 2006 while topping the table with the most number of victories in a season alongside Vijay Singh at 9. Woods had done so in 2000 as opposed to Singh, who raked in the wins four years later, in 2004. The fans, meanwhile, were very amused by the 2024 Masters champ after being compared to the legend of the game.

The current No. 1 also boasts a points average of more than 16 (16.2879 before the Travelers win) with a total of 815.28559 points (after the Travelers win). This makes the two-time major champ the only pro after Tiger Woods to achieve the same after OWGR adopted the two-year rolling system in 1996. A fan consequently commented, “He’s the best player since Tiger.”

Nelly Korda has been doing a similar thing as Scheffler while he was dominating the PGA Tour. The 25-year-old, despite a sub-par start at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, emerged triumphant six times. Out of the same, she won five of them consecutively helping her clinch the top spot on the Rolex Ranking. A follower couldn’t help but point out the same as they responded, “First male player. Nelly Korda did it this year.”

The PGA Tour has finished a total of 28 events on its 2024 calendar including three major championships. The men’s circuit has 12 more tournaments remaining counting the upcoming Open Championship, and the FedEx playoffs, the latter of which is set to take place in August. Scheffler, during the post-round presser, also divulged his plans for the future as he said, “I’m playing The Open, the Olympics, and then the last three playoff events, and then I think I should be on the Presidents Cup team, and after that, I’ll take a break.” With such a packed schedule in tow, a couple of his fans came forward to mention the same, “He’s not done,” and “With two full months to go.”

The PIF officials met with the PGA Tour’s Transaction Subcommittee which included the likes of Rory McIlroy, Woods, and Adam Scott, on June 7. The talks did not succeed in closing the framework agreement. The PGA Tour, as a result, sent a memo to its members reiterating the need for more time to make the merger a reality. A fan, meanwhile, alluded to the same while commenting, “Sadly his competition isn’t the same. Records mean nothing until the PGA and LIV work something out.”

The community can only wait and watch as the 2024 Masters champ hopes to overcome the wall that is Tiger Woods this season.

Greg Norman is constantly thinking. Sometimes it’s about innovations like “Flight Deck“ to enrich the fan experience, and other times it involves collaborations with major companies. This time, surprisingly, it’s a bit of both. With his recent move, Norman is hoping to attract a large crowd and garner significant viewership.

The PGA Tour has been struggling with viewership for some time now. In 2024 the tour witnessed a 20% decline in overall viewership. It might be because of divided fans or because of varying interests across different tournaments. Interestingly, there have been no reports of declining viewership for the Saudi-backed league. Nonetheless, Norman came up with a plan to prevent potential declines in the future. LIV Golf Las Vegas witnessed a significant success and since then, things have been looking good for the league.

At LIV Golf Adelaide, it was even better with a 94000+ crowd. Witnessing this, Norman has decided to take another huge step toward attracting fans. Recently, @_54Golf shared a post on X captioning “LIV Golf & Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans coming together this February?” The post further indicated, “Confirmed reports that Greg Norman was in the Crescent City scouting golf courses to host a LIV event while the Super Bowl is in town. ” 

The post also highlighted quotes from Troy Tutt, who said, “We saw a lot of success being in Vegas and we’d be silly not to heavily consider.” The event took place from February 8–10 this year at the Las Vegas Country Club. LIV Golf Las Vegas drew a huge crowd, thanks to fans who were in the city to watch the Super Bowl on the 11th. The final day of the tournament saw a large number of spectators, many wearing 49ers or Chiefs gear. Notably, it was also the first Super Bowl held in Las Vegas, which might have added to the excitement.

If the LIV Golf event aligns with Super Bowl LIX, Norman could draw a bigger crowd and more viewers. As per the reports, it will likely happen. Also, it’s anticipated that LA Governor Jeff Landry will attend LIV Nashville as Greg Norman’s guest this weekend. Talking about making a bold move, this isn’t the first time Greg Norman has done something like this.

Greg Norman’s partnership with Maserati

Recently, the PGA Tour announced ISCO Industries as the new title sponsor of its event in Kentucky, which was formerly known as the Barbasol Championship. ISCO Industries specializes in piping solutions and boasts nearly $500 million in revenue. Previously, the event was sponsored by the shaving brand Barbasol, but their contract with the Tour expired in 2023, and they opted not to renew it. Meanwhile, Greg Norman also made a significant announcement.

As per reports from Sports Business Journal, LIV is partnering with Maserati, a luxury car brand valued at approximately $65.55 billion, and will be featured at three upcoming LIV tournaments. Maserati will serve as the official automotive partner for the league, including events in Nashville and Chicago in mid-September. LIV Golf is constantly making moves to improve its conditions.

One year has come and gone, yet golf is nowhere near unification. The PGA Tour and LIV Golf continue to walk separate paths. But the need for a unified game isn’t lost on anyone. Neither Rory McIlroy nor Bryson DeChambeau, and certainly not golf fans. Nevertheless, a lot has happened since the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and PIF agreed to align their business interests for the betterment of players and fans. Here is a rundown of the key events from the last year.

June 6: A seed was sown by Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan appeared on morning television to announce that both parties have called for a ceasefire. Monahan revealed that PIF and the PGA Tour will merge their business interests for a unified future of the game. They put forward a proposal for a new for-profit entity that will include the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour.

The rollout caught everyone off guard. Until June 5, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf were engaged in a civil war. The legal battle has caused a deep rupture in the world of professional golf. Rory McIlroy, then one of the most vocal critics of the PIF-funded side, admitted feeling like a ‘sacrificial lamb’.

While it ended all the courtroom battles, PGA Tour players lashed out at Monahan for keeping it under wraps for so long. In a board meeting a few days later, Monahan was called a hypocrite by a player. There were calls for resignation, which grew louder over the next few months. But the seven weeks of negotiation were done in absolute secrecy. Even Greg Norman wasn’t aware until June 6.

June 13: Jay Monahan takes a sabbatical

Jay Monahan announced through the PGA Tour memo that he was dealing with a medical problem that necessitated a break from day-to-day work as the Tour commissioner. Ron Price and Tyler Dennis took charge in his absence. Monahan later revealed he was bogged down by all the talks and public criticism and suffered a nervous breakdown. Monahan returned a month later.

July 9: The first resignation hits the PGA Tour

Former AT&T chairman and long-time board member Randall Stephenson resigned from the PGA Tour Policy Board shortly after the June 6 agreement. In a letter to the PGA Tour, the veteran cited serious concerns regarding the PGA Tour’s deals with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

Stephenson, apparently, wanted to shoot off his resignation letter on June 13, a week after the announcement. However, he waited a month because of Monahan’s sudden sabbatical. The eventual resignation came just a few days before the Senate hearing.

July 11, the eventful senate hearing that revealed many hidden details

The Senate Homeland Security Committee’s investigations subcommittee grilled Ron Price, PGA Tour’s operating chief at that point, and Jimmy Dunne, the architect of the deal and a board member, on the possible problems arising out of the deal.

While PIF’s outsized influence on the future of the PGA Tour raised larger concerns, the Senate hearing was more significant as some key details were divulged. For starters, PIF officials proposed a team for Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. The PGA Tour denied that.

Contrarily, the PGA Tour officials sought Greg Norman’s ouster as the LIV Golf CEO. That request, however, wasn’t met from their side. Notably, PIF officials didn’t appear before the Senate. Norman later termed all that ‘white noise,’ claiming he has full support for Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

Both Price and Dunne emphasized that a deal with PIF would benefit the PGA Tour the most as they would have a say on how PIF invests in golf, which they hoped would be more constructive in the future.

August 1: Tiger Woods joins the PGA Tour Policy Board

In a momentous decision, Tiger Woods, for the first time in his two-decade-long career, accepted an invitation to join the PGA Tour Policy Board. After many players voiced concern that players’ demands were being ignored, the tour also appointed Colin Neville as the adviser to the players on the board.

For the first time in the board’s existence, the player directors outnumbered the existing members of the board. The move also included an amendment to the governing documents that made it mandatory to inform the players about any major decisions to be taken by the PGA Tour.

December 7: Jon Rahm makes a huge LIV Golf leap of faith

Jon Rahm, who, during the 2023 Open Championship, stood by Jay Monahan, joined LIV Golf in December. The Spaniard was absent from the greens since the Ryder Cup, and the speculations were high. On December 7, Rahm appeared on television donning a LIV Letterman jacket.

Rahm cited the opportunity to spend more time with family as the reason for joining LIV. On the PGA Tour, the two-time major champion said, “I’m forever grateful to the PGA Tour and the platform they allowed me to be on. I have nothing bad to say about them. They allowed me the opportunity to play in some great events and allowed me to make a mark.”

Rahm’s exit was significant because this was LIV’s first signing since the merger agreement. It was widely believed until then that Greg Norman would stop hunting for new players until an agreement was reached.

Quite to the contrary, PGA Tour-bound Adrian Meronk, Tyrell Hatton, who teed up on the PGA Tour in 2024, and Lucas Herbert joined the bandwagon a month later. Jon Rahm was swiftly banned from the PGA Tour.

December 12: The PGA Tour receives a letter calling for more clarity on the merger.

21 PGA Tour players shot off a letter criticizing the lack of transparency in the negotiations with PIF. The disgruntled players, including former Masters champion Danny Willett, former board member James Hahn, and the late Grayson Murray, demanded “a meeting with independent directors on the policy board to understand the process that has been followed and will be followed going forward.”

The letter via New York-based law firm Susman Godfrey came in the wake of the PGA Tour’s negotiations with multiple potential investors and a few weeks after Rory McIlroy’s departure from the board. The players wanted ‘full transparency’ about the conversations with their future capital partners.

December 31: The deadline passes not with a bang but with a whimper

When Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan sat elbow-to-elbow on June 6, they also announced that they were expected to reach an agreement by December 31. Six months was always going to be a tough ask, and the slow-paced progress indicated they couldn’t meet the deadline.

Late into New Year’s Eve, the PGA Tour released an update. In a memo sent to players, Jay Monahan said the negotiations are moving forward. The memo also revealed that the Tour and Strategic Sports Group are in the final stages of negotiations.

January 31: Strategic Sports Group arrives on the scene

Exactly a month after the initial deadline, the PGA Tour received a promising $3 billion. But there was no sight of PIF. Rather, Strategic Sports Group, a conglomerate of U.S. sports team owners, invested $1.5 billion initially, with the other half coming later. A significant chunk of the $1.5 billion has been vested in current players.

With the SSG’s involvement, they also formed PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit entity that was mentioned in the initial framework agreement. But instead of Al-Rumayyan, Jay Monahan was named as the CEO of the new group.

The investment from SSG buoyed the hopes of players and board members. It also found a positive response from both Greg Norman and Yasir Al-Rumayyan. SSG also became an important part of the negotiation in the future.

March 18: Yasir Al-Rumayyan meets the PGA Tour Player Directors

The PGA Tour’s player directors met with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan for the first time in March. The rendezvous was scheduled at Tiger Woods’s resort in Albany, Bahamas. There was a lot of anticipation, but for the PGA Tour pros, it was more about putting a face to a name.

The player directors revealed that the talks have been constructive. Both parties shared their concerns and their vision for the future. Jay Monahan, in the official memo, informed players of the situation but didn’t reveal anything beyond the fact the fact that both parties are engaged. Notably, John Henry represented the Fenway Sports Group in the meeting.

June 7: the second in-person meeting between the players and PIF officials

A year after the merger announcement, the PGA Tour and PIF showed real interest. The PGA Tour now has a specific Transaction Committee, with Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, and Rory McIlroy as members, that overlooks the day-to-day activity of the merger. The members met PIF officials in New York on June 7.

The in-person meeting was more about the future of golf, Rory McIlroy said. The Tour, in its recently released memo, once again reiterated that the merger would take more time. Notably, the PGA Tour and PIF officials also exchanged term sheets only a few days before the meeting.

That’s the latest update from the PGA Tour as of now. The board has gone through some changes. Jordan Spieth has rejoined the board in Rory McIlroy’s place. Jimmy Dunne, the architect of the framework agreement, has resigned from the board. The tour and PIF, however, appear willing to put all the differences aside.