"We are making progress" - Jay Monahan gives updates about PGA Tour x PIF merger agreement as tension peaks in the policy board

PGA Tour commisionner Jay Monahan has spoken about the ongoing merger negotiations between the Tour and LIV Golf league's financial investor Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Tensions were high on the PGA Tour's policy board as Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) requested for professional Rory McIlroy to be a part of the policy board for the negotiations. McIlroy resigned from his position in 2023 amidst tensions and was asked to rejoin the board.

Jay Monahan made an announcement after the decision of Rory McIlroy not returing to the board was finalised. He said (via Golf Monthly):

"We are making progress in our negotiations with the PIF and are working as a collective - the player directors, our board and Tour management - to remain open-minded to all avenues that advance the Tour in the best interest of our players, our partners and, most importantly, our fans."

Monahan said that the negotiations are progressing since talks about the merger began last year. Since then, the PGA Tour recieved a $3 billion cash injection into the tour and Monahan believes the Tour could use an additional investment from Saudi Arabia's PIF to grow the game.

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PGA Tour on Rory McIlroy rejoining the Policy Board

PGA Tour commisioner Jay Monahan talked about Rory McIlroy's return to the PGA Tour policy board.

Rory McIlroy said at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship that his return to the PGA Tour policy board would "open up some old wounds." Earlier at the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, McIlroy said at a press conference:

"I think I can be helpful. I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months and I was hopeful that there would be. I think I could be helpful to the process. But only if people want me involved, I guess."

If Rory McIlroy were to rejoin the board, Webb Simpson would have to step down to accomodate the former. This left several PGA Tour players uneasy. According to Golf Monthly, Simpson said "they were looking for the right role" for McIlroy going forward.

Dylan Dethier spoke with Monahan regarding the PGA Tour's policy tensions. Monahan said:

"Today's news is in no way a commentary on Rory's important perspective and influence. It's simply a matter of adherence to our governance process by which a Tour player becomes a board member."

Webb Simpson will continue at the PGA Tour policy board and will serve the entirety of his term.