Jordan Spieth has confirmed that the PGA Tour’s player directors are close to meeting with the president of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund to try to resolve the impasse that continues to severely impact elite golf.
The PGA Tour and PIF-funded LIV Golf remain on different paths. This week’s Players Championship, the PGA Tour’s flagship event, will be held without high-profile LIV converts such as Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith. Earlier this week, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monaghan claimed that negotiations between the organization and the PIF are “accelerating” to reunite the fractured sport.
Now it has been revealed that Spieth and his fellow directors may have an audience with Yasir al-Rumayyan in the coming days. PIF governors have never previously mentioned PGA Tour players.
“We’ve been encouraged that we might meet with them at some point, yes,” Spieth said. “There is nothing more I can say other than that there is a possibility of meeting them.
“But at the same time, I probably feel that the members should know the timing and what’s going to happen. There’s not much I can say about that, but obviously we’re encouraged and that’s probably a good thing. I think that if there is a possibility of negotiation, the entire board should do so.”
Spieth was speaking after missing the cut against Sawgrass. The Texans ignored Thursday’s rule farrago that also involved Rory McIlroy. Spieth and Viktor Hovland appear to have doubts about whether McIlroy made the correct drop on the 16th hole of the first round.
“I thought we ended up in a good spot,” Spieth said. “I just walked there because I thought he dropped it, but then he was wondering where he dropped it. I was trying to be able to play there. I fit where he chose.
“I know for me and Rory, we had probably a dozen conversations like that in our group yesterday. Victor was having the conversation and I was just like, ‘Hey, just make sure everything’s okay. I was like, “Let’s do this,” so I just walked over. I had no intention of getting involved in it, and maybe I shouldn’t have gotten involved, but at an impasse it seemed like they probably were. So I thought maybe I could help. ”
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McIlroy shot a busy 73 on Friday, but made just seven pars. McIlroy made double bogey on the 14th hole. He will start the third day in eighth place behind Windham Clark, who shot a 65 for the second year in a row for a total of 14 under. Matt Fitzpatrick is minus-9 after shooting a 69.
