Tom Watson doubts PGA Tour-LIV Golf deal will happen soon - ESPN

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Eight-time major championship winner Tom Watson doesn't believe the PGA Tour and LIV Golf will be able to reunify men's professional golf anytime soon.

Watson, who won the Masters in 1977 and 1981, said there are too many obstacles for the PGA Tour to reach a deal with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which has financed the rival LIV Golf League since its inception in 2022.

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the PIF signed a framework agreement to form an alliance in June 2023, but the sides have been unable to hammer out a deal — even after a recent four-hour meeting at the White House.

Last week, sources confirmed to ESPN that the PGA Tour has rejected the PIF's most recent offer to invest $1.5 billion into PGA Tour Enterprises, the tour's for-profit entity, which came with the caveat that the LIV Golf League would remain intact.

«They made their choice to play their own tour, and that's where they are right now,» Watson said Thursday during a news conference at Augusta National Golf Club, after he hit the ceremonial opening tee shots with past champions Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. «I don't see a real working mechanism for the two tours to get back together. I think that's one of the reasons you haven't seen an agreement since June two years ago.»

Twelve LIV Golf players, including seven past champions, are competing in this week's Masters. But golfers from the competing sides rarely play together outside of the four major championships.

«The one thing I do know is that Scottie Scheffler in his speech at the past champions dinner on Tuesday night said, 'I'm glad we're all together again,'» Watson said. «So the players would like to get together. But it's really up to the powers that be to see if