3 Reasons to Believe Tiger Woods Is Wrong and PGA Tour Indeed Needs PIF “Financially”

Tiger Woods coming out in opposition to the PGA Tour-PIF merger was a shock to many! The 48-year-old has been an avid supporter of the traditional league. Furthermore, he is one of the player directors on the PGA Tour policy board. So speaking against a move Jay Monahan and Co. are trying to make can seem shocking. But the 48-year-old had his reasons.

He claimed that the SSG investment of $3 billion is more than enough to keep the Tour on its feet. So financially, he has sidelined the necessity of joining hands with the Saudis. However, Woods would like to merge with PIF only if they want to invest further to be a part of the Tour and the upcoming PGAT entity. But multiple reasons point out that Woods and the Tour do need the merger to happen!

1. Failed merger means a court case for Tiger Woods’s PGA Tour

In June 2023, the PGA Tour agreed to merge with LIV Golf, sending shockwaves through the golf community. However, the shock soon turned to confusion as tensions between the two golf bodies continued to rise. Furthermore, PIF and the PGA Tour missed their deadline of December 31.

But the PGA Tour soon clarified that they are still in talks with the Saudis for a merger. It is in the favor of Jay Monahan and Co. to continue talking and reach an agreement. The reason was – the merger came after the two golf bodies were mangled in lawsuits regarding antitrust claims.

Both leagues were targeting each other in court, and the merger meant the end of all pending litigation. But if both bodies fail to merge, the lawsuits will start back from right where they started. Compared to PIF, the PGA Tour, with any other investments, won’t be able to fight it for a long time in this case if the Saudis plan to drag lawsuits. Maybe this is the reason why Rory McIlroy is speaking in favor of the merger.

2. The PGA Tour needs PIF’s investment to survive

The Irish golfer recently clashed with Jordan Spieth when the latter spoke ill about the PIF investment. Like Tiger Woods, Spieth believes the investment from SSG is more than enough. However, that does not seem to be the case on the greens.

The PGA Tour has been asking sponsors around to help increase the purses of several events. Rumor has it that many sponsors, like Farmers Insurance, disagreed to extend their contracts with the PGA Tour because of this. With many sponsors looking to leave and Tour trying to raise purses for events, they need PIF-like billionaires with them for sustainability.

McIlroy, understanding the value of PIF, spoke out to Spieth, “They are still sitting out there with hundreds of billions of dollars, if not trillions, that they’re gonna pour it into the sport. And I know what Jordan was saying, I absolutely know what he was saying and what he was trying to say. But if I were PIF and I was hearing that coming from here, the day after doing this SSG deal, it wouldn’t have made me too happy, I guess?”

Read More: 3 Alarming Implications for LIV Golf as Tiger Woods and His Loyalist Crew Turn Their Backs on the League

For now, the PGA Tour pros have been divided into two factions: those who support the merger and those who don’t. But the Tour asking for sponsors to pour more money into the events gives another reason why they need the investment from the Saudis.

3. LIV Golf will take over Tiger Woods’s PGA Tour in money if the merger falls

As of now, the PIF has only invested in LIV Golf. But it is still offering more money to the pros from the PGA Tour. However, if the merger talks fall, it would mean the PIF would solely focus on the breakaway league. They will possibly invest more money in LIV Golf to increase the purse of every event.

Which in turn means the PGA Tour would have to increase their purses to compete with them. However, the Tour is already in muddy waters with its sponsors. This can also lead to many other sponsors leaving as well.

Keeping all these reasons in mind, Tiger Woods can’t confidently say PIF is not needed now. But maybe the Tour is cooking another solution for themselves rather than shaking hands with the Saudis.

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