“Jordan Spieth Discusses Potential Meeting with Saudi Public Investment Fund”
Following his missed cut at The Players Championship late Friday, Jordan Spieth addressed a potential meeting, first reported by Golfweek, with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, possibly with the head of the PIF, Yasir Al-Rumayyan. The meeting would come as early as Monday at the site of The Players event in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
The PIF is the main funding arm for the LIV Tour, which drew stars including Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm away from the PGA Tour. Spieth said he and the fellow player directors on the Tour’s Policy Board were “strongly encouraged” to meet. The Golfweek sources indicated a lack of clarity as to whether Al-Rumayyan, governor of the PIF, would attend.
The Golfweek sources indicated a lack of clarity as to whether Al-Rumayyan, governor of the PIF, would attend. “We are being encouraged to potentially meet with them at some point, yeah,” said Spieth, who provided no additional details but expressed optimism. “I’m not sure that I can say much more other than we’re being encouraged to potentially meet with them. But at the same time we probably feel like our membership should know timing and what could happen. … We are being encouraged, obviously, which I think is probably a good thing that the entire board should if there’s going to be any potential for a negotiation.”
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said earlier this week that talking about specifics “really is not in the best interest of the PGA Tour and our membership and for PIF … . “I would just stress the fact that we’re engaged, we’re making progress.” The commissioner had a January meeting with Al-Rumayyan.
“Our negotiations are accelerating,” Monahan said, “as we spend time together.
“While we have several key issues that we still need to work through, we have a shared vision to quiet the noise and unlock golf’s worldwide potential.”
Monahan said discussions with the PIF would be the “best outcome.”
The player directors are Spieth, Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Peter Malnati, Webb Simpson and Patrick Cantlay.
