25 January 2024 , 19:21
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Bryson DeChambeau believes a finalised agreement between the PGA Tour and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) is right around the corner.
Since a shock announcement last June, the PGA Tour have been in negotiations with PIF over a deal that will see their hostilities with LIV Golf come to an end. Doubt was cast over the agreement late last month, as those negotiating missed their December 31 target to sign off the deal.
The Tour did, however, announce that negotiations were continuing into 2024, and now one of LIV's biggest names in DeChambeau has claimed an agreement will finally be arranged sooner rather than later.
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"I think the deal is going to come quicker than you think," DeChambeau said per Sports Illustrated. "It might not be the next couple of weeks. Maybe a month or so. But it’s going to happen. There’s no way around it now. This is about the good of the game for the fans. The health of the game for the fans.
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"As time goes on, we’re starting to see these fans are hungry for us all to come back together. I can’t wait for that day to happen." DeChambeau himself is clearly keen on unity, after the professional game had been left torn in two thanks to the hostilities between the PGA Tour and LIV.
The agreement is expected to allow DeChambeau and co the chance to regain their Tour status, having been banned by commissioner Jay Monahan following their decision to make the Saudi switch. Monahan himself has been at the centre of the negotiations alongside PIF boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan.
Bryson DeChambeau is looking forward to golf reuniting (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)The deal also involves the DP World Tour too, who find themselves in a period of transition, with CEO Keith Pelley set to leave his role for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in April. Pelley has however delayed his departure in a bid to help to the deal peace deal get over the line prior to this year's Masters.
Speaking to reporters at last week's Dubai Desert Classic, he said: "I think we will certainly have a direction of travel by [April], yes, I do. "I think, as I said, the conversations have heated up since Ryder Cup. We expected that. I think there's a will from all parties.
"You know, when you bring in somebody like FSG, which is now SSG, with powerful players like Steve Cohen, and then I think there's a willingness with PIF, and there's certainly a willingness with us. If we can come together, then I think it's pretty exciting for the game."