Don’t get your hopes high on the merger. Not just yet. The PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, revealed that the final agreement is still not around the corner. The PGA Tour Policy Board and the PGA Tour Enterprises, the new for-profit entity formed after SSG’s investment, held a joint meeting on June 18. 

Per the memo shared with the players, Jay Monahan acknowledged that the members of the Transaction committee, which includes Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Adam Scott from the players’ side, and the PIF officials met in New York two weeks back. However, Monahan reiterated that while both sides agreed on moving things faster, a definite agreement will need quite a few more such meetings.

The memo reads, “During that meeting, we reached consensus on several items, but both parties recognize there is still work to do to reach a final agreement. Our talks are ongoing with the goal of developing a shared vision for the future of professional golf that is pro-competitive and provide players with the best global opportunities.“

Monahan didn’t offer the specifics, reiterating that negotiations of this scale and scope can’t be conducted in full view of the public. However, the LIV Golfers’ inclusion in future PGA Tour events remains a hot topic for debate. Rory McIlroy would prefer the PGA Tour to accept them without any repercussions. However, there appears to be some pushback from the board on the matter. Moreover, when the two entities come together, what the joint events will look like is anyone’s guess. 

Moreover, a delay in the merger will mean the game will continue to go in separate directions. The PGA Tour has made certain modifications to next year’s schedule, which almost certainly pushes unification to 2026. That means players like Jon Rahm have to sit out of many PGA Tour events they would have liked to play. A merger problem delay might also mean the USGA and R&A decide to wait before creating a major pathway for LIV Golfers. And, there are reasons to believe that the merger agreement is likely to take a few more years. 

Why the PGA Tour-PIF merger might take more time than expected

While both the PIF and PGA Tour have shown a willingness, that has come essentially a year after the framework announcement. No doubt the rollout was a disaster, but even after that, updates were sparse. Apparently, the first in-person meeting between Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor, and Monahan came about in December.

Previously, the ex-CEO of DP World Tour, Keith Pelley, hoped that some form of agreement could be reached before the Masters. An announcement was expected at THE PLAYERS. However, it’s likely turned out to be a Gordian’s knot. Guy Kinnings, the current European Tour CEO, acknowledged it might take 2026 to see the game unified. 

Let’s also not forget, that the merger, above all, needs the Senate’s approval. The Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) committee has issued subpoenas to PIF officials, which they refused to abide by. Most recently, the committee questioned officials from Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey & Company, M. Klein & Company, and Teneo on their business association with PIF. 

Previously, PIF filed cases in Saudi court against the four to stop releasing sensitive information. The committee, however, termed it as a preventive measure to hamper the investigations. A lot of hurdles await both parties as they navigate a labyrinthine framework agreement.