Scottie Scheffler Says Lack Of Clarity Over PGA Tour/PIF Deal 'A Bit Worrisome'

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler admits he is concerned over the lack of detail about the proposed deal between golf's rival factions and worried at a recent high-level exit from the PGA Tour.

The PGA Tour and DP World Tour sent shockwaves through the game of golf last month by announcing a link up with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which has bankrolled LIV Golf and temped recent Major winners away like Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith.

But Scheffler insists he and fellow players are still in the dark even after two PGA Tour officials gave evidence to a Senate subcommittee in Washington DC on Tuesday, which lasted almost three hours.

"I just think that yesterday we didn't really learn a whole lot again," Scheffler reflected. "As a player on Tour, we still don't really have a lot of clarity as to what's going on and that's a bit worrisome.

"They keep saying it's a player-run organisation but we don't really have the information that we need. I watched part of yesterday and didn't learn anything.

"It's just a framework agreement right now so I don't know what that entails. We are not involved in any of the discussions. None of the players were involved in the original framework agreement."

Players Championship winner Scheffler, 27, feels the five players who sit on the PGA Tour's policy board - Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman, Webb Simpson and Peter Malnati -  should have been consulted before the original agreement was revealed.

"We are the ones that voted to put them in that position to be there and we want their voices to be heard, and that was really the only frustration with the original announcement is that none of those four or five guys were involved at all," he added.

"I love playing golf on the PGA Tour and I'm hoping that's going to exist for a long time. I felt like we were doing a good job before and then the agreement happened and now we have to navigate the whole deal.”

Scheffler admits he was concerned to see Randall Stephenson, a former AT&T executive and PGA Tour policy board member since 2012, resign from his position because he "had serious concerns” with the deal.

He said: “It was a little bit concerning that someone like him wouldn't be on board. 

“We have players reps and we have other people that are on that advisory board, and any time we lose one of those members is definitely a bit concerning. Those guys are put in position for a reason, and for anyone to leave is tough for us. We'll see what happens.”

Scheffler is in Scotland preparing for Thursday’s Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club outside Edinburgh. 

He is looking to pick up his third win of the season after dismissing criticism of his putting, which has left him ranked 112th on tour with the flat stick.

He said: "If you're hitting the ball as good as I have been in the past year, it's very difficult to make all the putts. 

"I don't really get to choose what kind of putts I have.  As my putting struggles have continued in your minds, I've got back to No. 1 in the world and I've had a bunch of top five finishes. 

“Granted, if I can make a few more putts, those would have been more wins.

“But at the end of the day I'm proud of tournaments this year and playing solid golf, and that's what I'm working on.”