No Deal In Sight As PGA Tour Reportedly Rejects $1.5 billion Saudi PIF Offer Due To LIV Golf Demands

There doesn't seem to be any end in sight in the continued split in golf, with the PGA Tour now reportedly rejecting the conditions the Saudi PIF attatched to a $1.5 billion investment offer.

The Guardian's Ewan Murray has the scoop that the $1.5bn investment would come with two conditions - assurances that LIV Golf would remain as it is and that Yasir Al-Rumayyan would become co-chairman of the new PGA Tour Enterprises company.

Both of those conditions were reportedly rejected by Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour - leaving the sport still as divided as ever as we approach The Masters and the start of the Major season in golf.

Although reunification and the best players in the world competing more often is still being spoken about as the major aim for both sides, it seems there are still huge sticking points.

PGA Tour Enterprises was the new commercial venture set up almost two years ago when Monahan and Al-Rumayyan shook hands on a propsed deal, but we're still waiting for any signs of fleshing out that framework agreement.

A $1.5bn investment from Strategic Sports Group has led to the PGA Tour not feeling any urgency to do a deal, and both sides feel an agreement is more of a want than a necessity.

The mechanism for players returning from LIV Golf to play on the PGA Tour is a huge sticking point for players remaining on the tour, but it seems the future of LIV Golf and executive appointments are also causing a stalemate.

Monahan has hinted at the PGA Tour absorbing LIV Golf in some way, but it seems Al-Rumayyan wants the 14-event team tour to remain in that current state - which would obviously cause problems in scheduling for all the top players to play more often.

Players like Jordan Spieth have spoken about not needing a deal, while Rory McIlroy has hinted at a stubborness on the PIF side with his "takes two to tango" comments.

And new LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil has said that also from his side of things a deal would be nice but it not a must - and he would only want to see it under certain conditions.

Those presumably would include LIV Golf remaining as it is and moving forward - not being reduced somewhat or absorbed by the PGA Tour.

“If the deal can help grow the game of golf I’ll jump in with two feet,” said O’Neil ahead of LIV Golf Miami. “Do we have to do a deal? No. It would be nice to do a deal, so long as we’re all focused on the same things.

“So do we have to do a deal or need a deal, whatever word you use, leave that to somebody smarter than me. I will say I love what we’re doing, I love our prospects. I love the growth in three months. I know what’s coming in the next three months. And I love where we are.”

The upshot is that both sides seemingly desire a deal, but neither is willing to budge from their position or water down their standing - so the impasse seems set to continue.