LIV Golf has had one goal ever since its inception – golf, but louder. It has tried to reach every nook and corner of the world, to ensure that golf becomes a global sport. Take the International Series that happened in January earlier – it was the first tournament hosted in India. And well, the breakaway league will not be stopping there. On the other hand, the PGA Tour has taken being the ‘American Tour’ too literally, with all the PGA Tour events hosted throughout the year only in America. This gap is a formidable one – and one that is holding up the merger.

Regardless, efforts have been made. At the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Jay Monahan addressed reporters but provided little in the way of new developments. He reiterated his belief in progress being struck, though not as quickly as some would like. Monahan confirmed that there were no upcoming meetings with the PIF and that any potential deal would not be announced during The Players Championship, where he typically delivers his State of the Tour address.  “We don’t have a next meeting scheduled, but we’re in a busy period right now,” Monahan said.

“With the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players coming up over the next couple of weeks, while conversations may still happen, there’s no formal meeting planned.” Tour Golf also shared an update on their official X account, reporting Monahan’s statement that he believes a deal between the PGA Tour and LIV could come together “sometime before 2029.” Despite the ongoing buzz and anticipation surrounding a possible merger, Monahan has remained steadfast in his ultimate goal: the reunification of the sport.

Even if the progress feels slow, Monahan maintains that things are still moving in the right direction. However, he received a lot of criticism for once again crushing the hopes of the golf fans. But looks like the PGA Tour Commissioner has a bold reason behind the delay.

NUCLR Golf recently took to their X account and reported, “PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan says he sees a future with Yasir Al-Rumayyan on the board and says his views of Saudi Arabia have evolved: “I acknowledge the criticisms you’re referring to and they’re real concerns. I’ve taken two trips to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’ve been able to better understand their culture, better understand the path their country is on. Through that experience, it’s clear that Saudi Arabia is looking to play a more progressive, more sustainable role in the global economy.”

Well, despite giving out a loud and clear reason, nothing seems to be working out for his reputation, as fans have found themselves frustrated with the long drawn out stalemate.

Golf fans are once again left furious at Jay Monahan

Earlier in February, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan spoke to reporters, sharing that his primary goal is to bring together players from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf into one unified circuit. Speaking at Torrey Pines ahead of the relocated Genesis Invitational, Monahan addressed the media just days after the tour revealed that he, along with player representative Adam Scott, had met with President Donald Trump to discuss negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Monahan described the meeting with Trump as “productive” and reiterated that the goal is to have “the game of golf operating under one tour, with all the top players competing on that single tour.” When asked whether this meant the end of LIV Golf, Monahan emphasized his focus on “the reunification of the game.” But his stance has changed in less than a month. Taking this to heart, fans made their displeasure known in no uncertain terms. While one of them said, “ONE TOUR!” and mocked him, another simply commented, “Blaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh”.

A financial deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), valued in the trillions, seems to be nearing completion, with an official confirmation expected in the coming months. Despite previous setbacks, including the unexpected framework agreement in June 2023 that failed to move forward smoothly, there’s now undeniable momentum toward finalizing a deal and delivering an imminent resolution. Yet, one user commented: “Jay is an embarrassment”, highlighting how efforts were falling short repeatedly.

The finalization of this agreement should not be mistaken for a smooth resolution. A closer look reveals that the next phase of this golf saga could be the most challenging yet. At this stage, after almost two years of investigations and deliberations, it seems likely that the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) will approve a potential $12 billion merger of these two financial giants. Despite an official announcement being expected in the first quarter of 2025, the negativity built up for over two years now is yet to subside. Taking to this, people left comments like, “What a crock of sh*te “.

One user taking a direct dig at Monahan wrote, “Trying to ice the Saudi’s out of sports was always futile, especially with how the PGA is structured financially. They tried to create barriers to entry but it’s starting to look like they just boxed themselves into a corner to please my parent’s demographic. It’s a bad situation for Jay.”

What are your thoughts about the situation? Let us know in the comments section below!