Negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf backers the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) are progressing, Tiger Woods said on Tuesday, but with much work still ahead that could keep him from taking on the job of U.S. Ryder Cup captain.
A director on the PGA Tour policy board that is trying to hammer out an agreement with the PIF, Woods has had a very full plate while preparing for this week’s PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club.
The 48-year-old, who also sits on the PGA Tour Enterprises board, has had to juggle several new business ventures along with the possibility of leading the U.S. against Europe when they host the Ryder Cup next year at Bethpage Black.
Negotiations appear to be reaching a crucial moment with Jimmy Dunne, one of the key architects of the initial framework agreement between the PGA Tour and PIF, announcing on Monday he was stepping away from the policy board citing no meaningful progress was being made towards a deal.
Las week it was reported that one of the golf’s leading voices Rory McIlroy had his return to the policy board blocked by a small group of players, including business partner Woods, who dismissed the idea of any friction as nothing more than a difference of opinion.
“I don’t like where it’s going,” said world number nine Max Homa. “It’s got to be exhausting to be a casual golf fan at this point in time.
“So, yeah, it is troubling I hope at some point soon we can just get back to entertaining people and playing golf and seeing who shoots the lowest score and not talking about our Player Advisory Council.
