Jordan Spieth ‘could get in a lot of trouble’ as LIV Golf question puts him on the spot
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf remain in discussions over a potential agreement, and Jordan Spieth has given his thoughts on the progress being made
Jordan Spieth has admitted he could ‘get in trouble’ by discussing the delicate negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF). The PGA Tour is currently locked in talks with their Saudi counterparts, aiming to broker a deal that would quell the ongoing feud with LIV Golf. Spieth, who serves as a player director on the PGA Tour’s policy board, finds himself embroiled in these high-stakes discussions.
While Spieth’s immediate attention is on his performance at the John Deere Classic, with the prestigious Open Championship at Royal Troon looming, the media’s focus remains fixated on the potential ‘merger’. During his pre-tournament press conference, the former Masters winner was probed about the likelihood of a truce that would welcome back LIV players to the Tour.
Yet, Spieth cautiously avoided delving too deep into the matter. “That’s an extremely loaded question that I could get in a lot of trouble answering,” he admitted. “I’ll just say things of that nature take a little bit of time, but they’re very active. That’s about as far as I can go for you.
Spieth was then pressed on whether he would like to see an agreement finalized sooner rather than later, adding: “I would like to see it done right for everyone. So the timing is the timing. “Obviously if anything can be done right and done sooner, that’s great. But I would rather see it done correctly and done the right way for golf going forward for the longest amount of time, regardless how long that takes to get there, yeah.”
Despite hopes for a swift resolution, the professional golf landscape remains divided. A year after the initial framework agreement was announced, no final deal has been struck.
Reports from Fire Pit Collective’s Alan Shipnuck suggested progress following meetings in New York last June, with a ‘draft agreement’ allegedly in place.
However, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has communicated to players that more effort is required to bridge the divide. “Both parties recognize that there is still work to do to reach a final agreement,” Monahan said in a recent memo. “Our talks are ongoing with the goal of developing a shared vision for the future of professional golf that is pro competitive and provides players with the best global opportunities.”
