Tiger Woods leads PGA Tour's 'unity' calls as frustrations grow over LIV merger
Tiger Woods and his fellow PGA Tour Player Directors have penned a letter to their fellow players amid unrest over the American-based circuit's deal with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
The PGA Tour shocked the world of golf in June by announcing a proposed framework agreement with PIF that would see them unite with their LIV Golf rivals. It was quite the turnaround, after Tour commissioner Jay Monahan had repeatedly attempted to play down and thwart the Saudis' rise within the sport.
With negotiations ongoing, 15-time major champion Woods was appointed to the circuit's Policy Board as a Player Director, with playing members now ensuring any deal is passed via themselves after being left in the dark by the initial announcement.
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In recent months a feeling of unrest has emerged amongst players, both to do with proposed Saudi deal, and the apparent split in opportunity between the circuit's top players and the rest. Woods and his fellow directors Charley Hoffman, Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Webb Simpson and Adam Scott have issued a reassurance though.
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The lengthy letter read: " PGA Tour Members, With the 2024 season just around the corner and with so much speculation in our game, we wanted to speak to you directly. This has been a time of meaningful change for us all on the PGA Tour. It is also a time of significant opportunity.
"Since Tiger joined the Policy Board on August 1st, the Player Directors have been doing everything we can to ensure the PGA Tour is best positioned to thrive for decades to come. We have learned a lot, and we are encouraged by progress on multiple fronts.
Tiger Woods joined the Advisory Council earlier this year (Getty Images)"Each of us has a unique experience playing on the PGA Tour. The diversity of the Player Directors reflects that reality. The ebbs and flows of our performance, the challenges we face and the opportunities we seize are what make our sport so dynamic. Despite our differences, there is so much more that unites us than ever before.
"Together, we have an opportunity to deliver an outcome that best serves the interests of the membership and the PGA Tour today and for future generations." The letter went on to outline a number of key points, including an update on a the ongoing framework agreement.
Echoing a previous letter from Monahan in November, Woods and co informed their fellow players that both sides are working 'diligently' towards meeting their December 31 deadline. It was also confirmed that Player Directors had met with a 'several' investors also interested in playing a part in the Tour's new for-profit entity.
The written letter comes after it emerged that a number of unnamed PGA Tour members had formed a petition to set up a meeting with the Tour's leadership team. Their concerns centre around four points - FedEx Cup points, limited-field events, the Player Impact Programme and the Tour's leadership, policy board and player directors.
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