The PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) are at an impasse in their talks to reunify men’s professional golf, with the PIF’s $1.5 billion investment offer rejected due to its requirement that the LIV Golf League remain intact. The PGA Tour wants a single premier circuit, while the PIF insists on two. Despite recent meetings and proposed deals, the sides seem no closer to a resolution.

Amidst this uncertainty, LIV Golf superstar Jon Rahm is focused on the present moment as he prepares for the 89th Masters. When asked about the lack of a solution to bring top players together more often, Rahm was straightforward: “It’s not happening anytime soon.” He’s prioritizing the Masters, believing that the tournament and other majors are special in their own right, and nothing can make them more significant than they already are.

“I think all of our concerns should be on this week, and things outside of that we can let ourselves think about outside this week,” Jon Rahm said at the latest Masters press conference. This mindset allows him to stay focused on the task at hand, without getting distracted by external factors.

For Rahm, the Masters is a unique event that stands on its own merit. “I don’t think you need to do anything to make the Masters any more special than it already is,” he said. He believes that majors have always been special, and when you’re competing in one, it doesn’t feel any different from previous years. “Majors have always been aside from every event in the world, and when you come to one of those, it doesn’t feel any different to what it was before or anything like that,” Rahm added.

When asked about the possibility of a PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger, Rahm was candid: “It’s not happening anytime soon.” He’s not losing sleep over it, especially with a major tournament on the horizon. Rahm’s pragmatic approach is to focus on the present moment, rather than worrying about the future. “I mean, I think we all would like to see that,” he said, referring to a potential merger. “But as far as I can tell and you guys can tell, it’s not happening anytime soon.”

But Rahm isn’t the only one who thinks this way, other golfers from the PGA Tour also share the same sentiment.

Rory McIlroy weighs in on PGA Tour-LIV golf merger

Rory McIlroy believes the PGA Tour doesn’t need a deal with LIV Golf to thrive. Speaking at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, McIlroy expressed his thoughts on the ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF). While a deal might be welcome for the narrative of golf, with all the best players together again, McIlroy thinks the PGA Tour’s momentum is strong, with good TV ratings and the addition of TGL (Tiger Woods’s tech-infused golf league) being a positive development. “I think the narrative around golf would welcome a deal in terms of just having all the best players together again,” McIlroy said. “But I don’t think the PGA Tour needs a deal, I think the momentum is pretty strong.”

Brooks Koepka, a high-profile LIV Golf player, has expressed a desire to return to the PGA Tour, but a deal would be necessary for him to make a comeback. Koepka has maintained his distance from negotiations, stating, “Everyone asks that question man,” and “If I was in the room I would give my opinion, but I am not in the room.” Since joining LIV Golf in 2022, Koepka has had success, winning six times, including five wins on the LIV scoreboard and a PGA Championship victory in 2023. The potential return of Koepka to the PGA Tour would be a significant development, but for now, McIlroy is focused on the tour’s current success. What are your thoughts on the current stage of the merger? Let us know in the comment section below!