PGA Tour Policy Board member Jordan Spieth said yesterday following the Tour's deal with Strategic Sports Group that one with PIF is "almost not even worth talking about right this second," according to Dave Shedloski of GOLF DIGEST. Spieth: “I think the positive [of a deal with PIF] would be a unification [of PGA Tour and LIV players]." But when asked specifically about a deal with PIF, he said, “I don’t think that it’s needed." Shedloski noted Spieth “assumed a seat on the board vacated late last year by Rory McIlroy.” Spieth said the idea is that “we have a strategic partner that allows the PGA Tour to go forward the way that it's operating right now without anything else” ( GOLF DIGEST, 1/31 ). Spieth said, “Obviously having some big guns behind us, some backup and the strategery that this group offers was actually something that was very important when we were looking at it.” He added, “So, to have I think it's like 200 years of sports-owning experience, the idea they can help navigate in our future how content will be consumed when our next media deals are up, stuff like that, to have these partners in perpetuity, I don't think that can be overlooked" ( SI, 1/31 ).
A NEW BOARD : PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan on his call with players yesterday said that the newly formed PGA Tour Enterprises will “now have a 13-person board, seven of whom will be players,” while “four members of the U.S. investor group will also join the board,” including Fenway Sports Group CEO John Henry and Falcons owner Arthur Blank ( N.Y. TIMES, 1/31 ). GOLF DIGEST’s Joel Beall noted that “technically” the PGA Tour “will be the controlling owner of PGA Tour Enterprises,” with Monahan serving as its CEO and SSG considered a minority partner. In the previous framework agreement, Saudi PIF Governor (and de facto head of LIV Golf) Yasir Al-Rumayyan was listed as chair of PGA Tour Enterprises, but Al-Rumayyan “was not mentioned in any of Wednesday’s releases nor in a call to PGA Tour players.” On yesterday's call with players, it was explained that four members of SSG would “serve on the Enterprises’ board for decisions, along with seven tour players, Monahan, and another director from the tour” ( GOLF DIGEST, 1/31 ).
MOVING AHEAD : GLOBAL GOLF POST’s Ron Green Jr. writes the PGA Tour-SSG deal was “about underpinning the tour’s financial viability going forward,” the deal with the Saudi Arabian PIF is “about eliminating or at least reducing the chaos created by LIV’s arrival.” Green writes the “better the tour does, the better the players will do financially, thereby creating a further incentive for the tour to focus on appealing to fans” ( GLOBAL GOLF POST, 2/1 ). In London, James Corrigan noted the mood at PGA Tour headquarters was “celebratory,” but it “was far too early to hail peace in our time.” Corrigan wrote yesterday’s deal is “not nearly the end of the civil war that has engulfed the pro fairways for the last two years.” PGA Tour member Bob MacIntyre said, “The only way to move the game forward is for PIF to be involved” ( London TELEGRAPH, 1/31 ).
LEVELING THE FIELD : GOLFWEEK’s Eamon Lynch wrote yesterday's announcement “offered a measure of clarity on what other parties are getting.” The deal “restores to the PGA Tour a little of the leverage that had seemed lost,” especially when LIV poached Jon Rahm last month. It now “has the resources to go it alone without the Saudis,” but then “that’s always been true.” Now, the Tour is “just no less dependent on the loyalty of its members” ( GOLFWEEK,1/31 ).
REMAINING ON COURSE : SI’s Bob Harig noted LIV Golf CEO & Commissioner Greg Norman sent a message to his staff yesterday addressing the PGA Tour’s deal with SSG, saying that LIV Golf is “stronger than it’s ever been.” Norman said in a memo, “Let me make one thing very clear: nothing announced by other tours or investment groups changes LIV Golf’s positive trajectory or future plans.” Norman added, “We started LIV Golf with the goal of creating something new, taking the game to a global, diverse audience and driving innovation while growing golf’s fanbase. More investment in golf is a great thing for the game and for us. It’s a positive development for our players, our fans, and for the long-term future of the game” ( SI, 1/31 ). Norman said that the league was “moving full steam ahead” into 2024 and beyond and that he has “never been more confident in the league, the people involved, and our supporters all over the world” ( GOLFWEEK, 1/31 ).
MISSING THE POINT : Golf reporter Alan Shipnuck wrote golf has “always been a niche sport.” Peak Tiger Woods “tricked a lot of folks into believing that the game had gone mainstream,” but he was a “once-in-a-century attraction.” Golf has “slowly, inexorably been returning to its traditional place on the fringe of the sports world.” That LIV “was willing to massively overpay for players does not change the natural order of things” ( FIRE PIT COLLECTIVE, 1/31 ). In N.Y., Mark Cannizzaro wrote under the header, "PGA Tour’s $3 billion windfall does absolutely nothing for golf fans." PGA Tour players are the “biggest winners,” while the golf fans who care are the “biggest losers” ( N.Y. POST, 1/31 ).
