The PGA Tour has arrange a taskforce to discover “potential pathways again to the PGA Tour for LIV gamers”, however there stays no readability on the Saudi-backed tour‘s future after Jay Monahan’s return to work.
However in New York, LIV boss Greg Norman placed on his salesman’s hat and spoke to potential sponsors, promoting the imaginative and prescient of his tour for the approaching years.
Monahan, the PGA Tour Commissioner who helped dealer the cope with LIV backers the Saudi Public Funding Fund that delivered to an finish golf’s two-year warfare, returned to work on July 17 after being pressured to step away after the settlement was introduced to cope with a well being situation.
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In a memo despatched to anxious PGA Tour gamers wanting an replace on what the deal means for the sport’s future, Monahan introduced, amongst many issues, {that a} participant profit program could be established if it reached a ultimate cope with the PIF that “can be financially important”.
He additionally confirmed the institution of the taskforce to evaluate the potential for gamers who joined LIV golf, together with Australian star Cameron Smith, to rejoin the PGA Tour ought to they “want to reapply sooner or later”.
The taskforce may even take a look at potential self-discipline for LIV searching for to return to the PGA Tour.
There stays ongoing angst from gamers in direction of Monahan, who saved them in the dead of night whereas he was negotiating with the PIF, in addition to questions over whether or not LIV will survive in to 2024 and past.
As a part of the brand new deal, which is but to be formalised in its entirety, Monahan would have the ultimate say on whether or not LIV continued in its 14-event format or in any respect.
As he ready for his title defence at The Open earlier this month, Smith, a two-time LIV occasion winner, stated he had “no thought” what was occurring with the tour.
“I’m out of these conversations,” he stated.
Norman has been largely silent because the deal between the PGA Tour and the PIF was introduced after he, too, was frozen out of negotiations.
It was additionally revealed there have been calls through the negotiations for the Australian legend to be faraway from his place.
However Smith threw his assist behind Norman and stated he was one administrator taking care of the gamers’ pursuits.
“I believe I’ve type of change into a little bit of a good friend of Greg’s, I suppose, the final eight or 9 months,” Smith stated at Royal Liverpool.
“Personally, I believe he’s doing an incredible job for our tour. He’s looking for our greatest pursuits. That’s all you may ask of a man that’s working the present. I’d like to see him carry on.”
Norman was on stage in New York this week spruiking the way forward for LIV to potential sponsors, having instructed his staff when the deal was first introduced that LIV was “not going anyplace”.