PGA Tour has ‘constructive’ meeting with Trump and LIV’s Al-Rumayyan over unification

WASHINGTON: The PGA Tour said on Thursday it had a “constructive working session” at the White House with President Donald Trump and LIV Golf Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan on efforts to resolve the schism that exists between the two professional golf bodies.

At the meeting with Trump and Al-Rumayyan, who is also the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund that owns LIV Golf, were Tiger Woods and Adam Scott — both player directors on the PGA Tour’s policy board — and Commissioner Jay Monahan.

“We share a passion for the game and the importance of reunification,” Monahan, Woods and Scott said in a PGA Tour statement.

“Most importantly, we all want the best players in the world playing together more often and are committed to doing all we can to deliver that outcome for our fans.”

The PGA Tour also said it is committed to moving as quickly as possible and will share additional details later.

After the meeting, Woods, Monahan and Scott joined Trump for a Black History Month event but no significant details of the earlier golf meeting were revealed at the event.

“I’ve always tried to swing just like Adam. It never worked out that way,” said Trump, adding he “had some interesting discussions,” with the golfers.

Trump, an avid golfer who owns a string of golf resorts, has become more deeply involved in trying to end the years-long divide in golf and met at the White House with Monahan and 2013 Masters champion Scott just over two weeks ago.

The PGA Tour said on Feb. 6 that after a meeting with Trump it was closer to reaching a deal with the PIF, the Saudi backers of LIV Golf.

The US-based circuit had said Monahan and Scott met with Trump on Feb. 4 and asked him to get involved in their talks with the PIF.

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