President Donald Trump’s first major deal in his second term could be in the world of golf — a sport he’s long played and invested in.
On Tuesday, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and player director Adam Scott met with the president to discuss the stalled talks with rival LIV Golf, the Saudi Arabian-backed tour that has split the world of professional golf.
PGA Tour-LIV Golf Merger at a Standstill
Since June 2023, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, which is owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), have been engaged in negotiations over a potential merger or partnership.
Those talks have long surpassed their December 2023 deadline for a final agreement — a delay that’s partly due to a Department of Justice antitrust review.
The outlines of the deal could involve a $1.5 billion investment by the PIF in a new commercial venture formed by the PGA Tour and the Strategic Sports Group — a consortium that includes New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, Boston Red Sox owner Fenway Sports Group, and former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry.
Since its launch in 2021, LIV Golf has aggressively poached top talent from the PGA Tour, including Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm.
Diplomacy, Trump-Style
In a statement released on Wednesday, the PGA Tour’s Monahan and Scott, along with player director Tiger Woods said,
“We asked the President to get involved for the good of the game, the good of the country, and for all the countries involved. We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for reunification of men’s professional golf.”
Importantly, during the meeting with Monahan and Scott, Trump also spoke on the telephone with Yasir al-Rumayyan, the chairman of the PIF and a close aide to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS.
What exactly is being asked of Trump is unclear, but the optics may not be favorable to the parties involved.
As Eamon Lynch of Golfweek explains, the perception that Trump is being asked to intervene in the antitrust review “will leave many people convinced that the process has been corrupted, even if it hasn’t.”
Business, Trump-Style
Trump’s growing ties with Saudi Arabia will also invite scrutiny. Over the years, billions of dollars from the kingdom have flowed into Trump World.
The president’s Trump National Golf Clubs in New Jersey, Florida, and Virginia have hosted many LIV Golf events since its founding.
But that’s small potatoes compared to more recent transactions between the petro-state and America’s ruling family.
Since 2021, Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has received more than $2 billion in investment from the PIF — along with over $112 million in fees, according to The New York Times.
Trump’s son, Eric, who oversees the Trump Organization and the president’s blind trust, visited Saudi Arabia in December, where he announced plans for two new Trump Towers in the country.
For his part, Trump has not shied away from publicly embracing Saudi Arabia’s de-facto ruler and his principal agent.
After his 2024 election win, Trump was joined by al-Rumayyan at a UFC event at Madison Square Garden, alongside Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and others. The gathering was not only celebratory, but also a preview of the new order in Washington — with Johnson, who is second in the line of succession, arguably the least powerful political figure of the group.
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