PGA Tour’s Monahan is confident on deal over LIV Golf, uncertain about Maui tournament

ATLANTA: PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan expressed the same level of confidence Tuesday that he did last year at the season-ending Tour Championship. The difference was the topic.

A year ago, Monahan unveiled a bold new model for the PGA Tour aimed at fending off the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League.

Now it’s about getting a deal done with the Saudis.

“As I sit here today, I am confident that we will reach an agreement that achieves a positive outcome for the PGA Tour and our fans — I see it and I’m certain of it,” Monahan said at East Lake Golf Club, where 30 players compete for the FedEx Cup and its $18 million bonus.

“And I see it because when you look at the performance of our players, you look at the commitment of our players ... I feel like we’re in the strongest position to be able to succeed and successfully conclude these negotiations in a way that protects the legacy of the PGA Tour on a long-term basis.”

He had far more details a year ago when he announced a schedule in which the top players would compete against each other as many as 17 times for $20 million purses. That’s the bones of the schedule going into next year.

The PGA Tour announced a framework agreement with Saudi Arabia’s national wealth fund and the European tour on June 6 to create a for-profit company called “PGA Tour Enterprises” in which the Public Investment Fund would be a minority investor.

Its governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, would be CEO of the company and have a seat on the PGA Tour board, though Monahan said the PGA Tour had safeguards to call the shots.

They have until Dec. 31 to finalize the agreement, though the sides can agree to extend the deadline. As for what this means for the future of LIV Golf or what penalties LIV players