PGA Tour, Saudi PIF Talked Tiger, Rory Owning LIV Golf Teams, Norman Ouster, More
Christian Petersen/Getty Shots
Sooner than the PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced they had been merging, the two occasions had been engaged in talks about what a single golf organization would survey cherish that incorporated a proposal for Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy to contain LIV Golf groups.
Per paperwork from the U.S. Senate Everlasting Subcommittee on Investigations obtained by ESPN’s Designate Schlabach and Tisha Thompson, the proposal changed into as soon as made for the interval of an April meeting led by non-public equity firm PCP Capital Companions, which changed into as soon as advising LIV, as portion of a “shuffle explain presentation” a few ability prolonged-timeframe agreement between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia Public Funding Fund.
As portion of the proposal, Woods and McIlroy would contain owned LIV groups and participated in a minimal of 10 LIV Golf occasions.
The paperwork moreover revealed PGA Tour officials wished Greg Norman out as CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf as portion of negotiations between the occasions a few merger.
As portion of the presentation from PCP Capital Companions, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi Public Funding Fund, would were named director of the World Golf Federation and received a membership to Augusta Nationwide Golf Club and the Royal and Extinct Golf Club.
Sean Zak @Sean_Zak
In a “Greater of Both Worlds” presentation given to PGA Tour leaders, it changed into as soon as proposed that:
-Tiger and Rory would each contain LIV groups.
-They’d each play in 10 LIV occasions.
-Yasir Al-Rumayyan would obtain an R&A membership AND Augusta Nationwide membership pic.twitter.com/Cqk3B8By5k
The presentation changed into as soon as made by PCP Capital Companions to PGA Tour Protection Board chairman Ed Herlihy and board member Jimmy Dunne.
Schlabach and Thompson important Woods’ agent declined to commentary, and McIlroy’s agent did not straight answer to a requirement for commentary.
Woods and McIlroy had been each very outspoken in opposition to LIV Golf forward of the merger changed into as soon as announced.
Talking to journalists for the interval of the first spherical of the Hero World Anxiousness in December, Woods defined the significance of prime players on the PGA Tour coming together to enhance the strength of the circuit:
“There had been less taking part in alternatives when I came out on tour, less access than there’s now. We must encourage doing that, we desire to encourage celebrating and defend enforcing that there are prime players and acknowledge their capability to play around the sector, to showcase their abilities. And essentially the most primary location to play is the PGA Tour. That is the set the total prime players carry out play. And we all as players must compete in opposition to one one other and beat one one more’s brains in. That is the fun portion about it. We appropriate must carry out that collectively together more in most cases. How we carry out that is the dilemma of all of it.”
McIlroy acknowledged he hates LIV and hopes it goes away within the wake of the merger announcement nonetheless acknowledged “at the tip of the day, money talks, and likewise it’s likely you’ll well slightly contain them (the Saudi PIF) as a partner.”
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced on June 6 an agreement to originate a single company, which moreover involves the DP World Tour.
The US Justice Department is investigating the agreement, with Senator Richard Blumenthal citing issues “referring to the Saudi executive’s role in influencing this effort and the dangers posed by a foreign executive entity assuming defend watch over over a cherished American establishment.”
Dunne and PGA Tour Chief Running Officer Ron Trace are testifying forward of the Senate Fatherland Security Committee’s Everlasting Subcommittee on Investigations on Tuesday.
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman and Al-Rumayyan don’t seem like taking portion within the hearing attributable to scheduling conflicts.
