Jon Rahm’s exodus to LIV Golf has sparked rumours regarding who might follow the reigning Masters champ to the Saudi-backed circuit, with one European media outlet reporting Tony Finau as a potential mover.
Monahan spoke at the New York Times DealBook Summit, covering a number of topics from the tumultuous past year that included the continued threat of losing players to LIV Golf, the tour’s surprise framework agreement with PIF in negotiations unknown to the players, and the subsequent leave of absence Monahan took to address his own mental health issues.
While vagueness was the throughline through Woods’ first public remarks since the Masters, the 15-time major winner did open the window – if only ever so slightly – into the PGA Tour’s negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
In a memo sent to players on Tuesday (first reported by Golf Channel), Monahan reiterated that his focus remains working “toward a definitive agreement with PIF and the DP World Tour as our priority”.
In an interview with FOX News, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says he “doesn’t care” about sportswashing accusations regarding his kingdom’s sports investments, which include LIV Golf and a planned partnership with the PGA Tour.
The United States Senate has issued a subpoena to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund’s US subsidiary in wake of PIF’s planned partnership with the PGA Tour.
In his opening remarks during the overnight US Congressional hearing on the planned partnership between the tour and PIF, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) said there had been a side-agreement among members of the PGA Tour and PIF negotiations that Norman would be pushed out in involvement with the new alliance.
In prepared remarks for today’s Congressional hearing on the proposed deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) will assert the new alliance shows how a “brutal, repressive regime can buy influence – indeed even take over – a cherished American institution simply to cleanse its public image”.
In the piece Price writes there remains misinformation and misunderstanding about the framework agreement, although concedes that the tour is partially at fault for the messaging.
Australian Golf Digest
