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R&A CEO Martin Slumbers weighed in on the PGA Tour-PIF framework conversation on Wednesday. Commenting on the deal that’ll see the American circuit merge under an umbrella with LIV Golf and the DP World Tour, the official said that it is ‘not a party’ in it and it is ‘not his deal.’
Slumbers’ comment comes amid rising conversation over the deal. Speaking a day ahead of The Open Championship, the fourth and final major of the PGA Tour’s 2023 season, the R&A chief said that he’s “very pleased” that the parties involved are “sitting there and figuring it out.” He sounded optimistic about the deal despite avoiding a straight opinion of it.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday about the PGA Tour-PIF framework, Martin Slumbers said, as quoted by the Golf Channel:
“It’s not my deal. I’m not a party. I’m not at the table. But I’m very pleased that they are sitting there and figuring it out, because long-term that’s good for the sport which we all want to either work in or enjoy.”
Martin Slumbers is 'pleased' with the LIV-PGA Tour-DP World Tour merger
It is pertinent to note that Slumbers had earlier revealed that he was “pleased” with the LIV Golf - PGA Tour - DP World Tour merger. Earlier in June, the R&A, which governs the sport of golf in most of the world outside the United States and Mexico, released a statement welcoming the collaborative move. Slumbers, who has been head of the R&A since 2015, noted that his organization was ‘looking forward to working with the new entity’ formed by the merger.
The full statement from the R&A read, as quoted by Golfweek:
“We are pleased that an agreement has been reached which will help men’s professional golf move forward in a collaborative, constructive and innovative fashion. We care deeply about golf’s future and are committed to ensuring that the sport continues to thrive for many years to come.
"This agreement represents a huge step toward achieving that goal for golf and we look forward to working with the new entity for the benefit of the sport globally.”
While the R&A seemed happy with the PGA Tour-PIF framework, it didn’t reveal if it had been aware of the merger ahead of Tuesday’s statement. It is noteworthy that the announcement was surprising for many players as well as officials across the world.
