“I don’t think it’s ever felt that close,” Rory McIlroy had said a few months ago about the proposed deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit. Despite optimism earlier this year, negotiations have stalled, with the two sides seemingly further apart than ever. President Trump had expressed confidence he could broker a deal in “the better part of 15 minutes,” but his intervention, including a White House meeting with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and LIV chairman Yasir al-Rumayyan, hasn’t moved the needle.

The PGA Tour proposed a new deal to absorb LIV Golf, offering the Saudis a $500 million credit on their $1.5 billion investment. The viability of supporting two competing tours remains a major hurdle. According to Michael Klein, a longtime advisor to the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), the PIF is committed to developing a “constructive relationship” with the PGA Tour. Klein believes that the PIF’s long-term vision for golf involves working with the PGA Tour, rather than competing against it. “They didn’t view team golf as competitive with the PGA and never wanted to compete with the PGA,” Klein said, adding that the PIF has made a substantial investment in golf, believing in its growth potential.

Klein acknowledged that there were some early missteps, describing them as “badly advised complexities,” but believes the PIF has worked hard to move past those and build a constructive relationship with the PGA Tour. He praised the PIF as one of the most consistent and loyal investors in the world, saying they will continue to invest heavily in golf, either through LIV Golf as a separate entity or as a partner with the PGA Tour.

The PIF’s core belief, according to Klein, is that golf media rights are fragmented and could be much larger if consolidated. They also see potential in team-format golf, like the Ryder Cup style, which is currently underutilized. With their deep pockets and long-term vision, the PIF is likely to continue investing in golf, shaping the sport’s future in significant ways, and yet Trump is sure of the merger.

Donald Trump’s take on the PGA Tour -LIV Golf Merger

Before the 2025 Masters, President Donald Trump expressed optimism about a potential merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, despite reports of a stalemate in negotiations. “Ultimately, hopefully the two tours are going to merge,” Trump said on Air Force One, adding that having them merge would be a great thing. Trump has hosted talks between PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and LIV chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan at the White House, which Monahan said has “significantly bolstered” hopes of reunifying the sport. Then, Rory McIlroy acknowledged the complexities of this situation but expressed hope that Trump’s leadership could expedite a resolution. He also suggested that Elon Musk’s involvement might further assist in breaking the deadlock.

However, negotiations have reportedly reached an impasse, with the PGA Tour rejecting requests from the Saudi Arabia-financed LIV Golf circuit, including assurances that the LIV circuit would continue and that Al-Rumayyan would be appointed co-chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises. LIV Golf player Brooks Koepka noted that while progress has been slower than expected, “they’re making progress and it seems to be going in the right direction.” Well, now we know what ‘progress’ Trump was talking about, so what are your thoughts on it? Let us know in the comment section below!