Woods says PGA Tour-LIV Golf negotiations in a 'very positive place'
Sports
LIV Golf, which features no-cut, 54-hole events, held its inaugural event in June 2022
(Reuters) - Tiger Woods said on Sunday that talks toward a deal that would resolve the fissure in golf between the US-based PGA Tour and Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf are moving in the right direction.
Woods added that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and Player Director Adam Scott had a productive meeting with US President Donald Trump this month, where they asked him to get involved in talks with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
"I think we're in a very positive place right now," Woods said during the CBS Sports broadcast of the Genesis Open in San Diego.
"We had a meeting with the president. Unfortunately I had some other circumstances that came up but Jay and Adam, they did great during the meeting and we have a subsequent meeting coming up," he said.
"I think things are going to heal quickly. We're going to get this game going in the right direction. It has been headed in the wrong direction for a number of years.
"The fans want all the top players playing together and we're going to make that happen."
LIV Golf, which features no-cut, 54-hole events, held its inaugural event in June 2022, and through mega-money contracts and lucrative purses has since lured a number of golf's biggest names, including major champions Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.
After a year of acrimony, the PGA Tour, PIF and Europe-based DP World Tour announced a framework agreement in June 2023 to house their commercial operations in a new entity and set Dec. 31 of that year as a deadline to reach a definitive agreement.
That announcement brought an end to legal battles between the parties but raised concerns in Washington from lawmakers who are mistrustful of Saudi Arabia and critical of the country's human rights record.
The sides extended the deadline and as talks with the PIF dragged on, outside investor interest in the PGA Tour heated up by way of Strategic Sports Group, an investment group headlined by Fenway Sports Group.
LIV Golf has played at courses owned by Trump since its inception and will do so again in 2025 with its April 4-6 event scheduled to be held at Trump National Doral in Miami.
PLAY IN TGL MATCH
Woods is expected to return to action on Tuesday for a TGL match in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., marking his first appearance since his mother's death on Feb. 4, TGL announced via X on Saturday.
The 15-time PGA major champion is set to play for his Jupiter Links Golf Club as they face New York Golf Club at SoFi Center on Tuesday night.
Woods had initially announced his intention to play in this week's Genesis Invitational in San Diego despite his mother's death, but bowed out on Monday, saying on X, "I planned to tee it up this week, but I'm just not ready. I did my best to prepare, knowing it's what my Mom would have wanted, but I'm still processing her loss."
Woods' mother, Kultida, was in attendance at her son's last TGL match, when Jupiter Links GC came up with a 4-3 overtime victory over co-owner Rory McIlroy's Boston Commons Golf on Jan. 27. Woods gave his mom a quick message before the match.
"Hey Mom," Woods said. "Not gonna suck tonight, OK?"
Woods, 49, has competed in his TGL but has not competed in an official PGA Tour event since The Open Championship in July. He played in the exhibition PNC Championship last December with his son, Charlie.
