The future of LIV Golf beyond 2023 will be determined by January 1 next year, with PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan declaring there is “an intensity” and urgency to work out whether the breakaway circuit will remain part of the game.
But Monahan, who will have the final say as part of a new framework agreement with LIV backers the Saudi Public Investment Fund, refused to give any indication which way he was leaning amid questioning at the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Monahan also gave a “nonanswer” when asked about the potential for LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour as soon as 2024, with pathways for their return being explored as part of ongoing discussions.
Several LIV players, including Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia, have declared they have no interest in coming back, but the ongoing presence of the Saudi-backed tour could determine their future for them.
“These are the kind of topics and discussions that we’re having right now with PIF,” Monahan said regarding players returning.
“So to be able to project what’s going to happen, I don’t have an answer today and when we complete our discussions, we’ll have an answer for that question. So that’s a nonanswer, but that’s my position.”
LIV Golf officials, including chief executive and commissioner Greg Norman, remain adamant their tour has a future in the new world landscape and continue to hunt sponsors and TV broadcasters for 2024 and beyond.
When asked specifically if LIV existed in “two, three, five years time”, Monahan said he couldn’t make that determination.
“I think there are a lot of questions that are specific questions that are going to come of what is in the framework agreement and elements of what we‘re talking about,” he said.
“I’m not going to talk publicly about them until we’ve completed those discussions and I can answer that question specifically and directly.”
Amid player frustration at the lack of available information, Monahan is comfortable with the situation.
“I think the way that we’re dealing with that is that we’re following our governance. And we have six player directors that are on our board,” he said.
“We’re talking about the process that we have, the transparency that we’re going to be providing, as would always be the case, with our player directors and letting them know that this is standard.
“Like, any time you talk to a leader of any other organisation, once you get to this position, it‘s pretty standard that, you know, there isn’t a lot that you’re going to be able to share. But we continue to reinforce the fact that the framework agreement ultimately is the path that we’re on and when we’re able to share more information, we will.”
Monahan said he was confident the new framework would be finalised by January 1.
“We’re probably right where I would expect that we would be,” he said.
“But there’s an intensity and there’s an urgency and there’s a lot of work, good work, that’s being done.”
