Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus don't see the PGA Tour and LIV Golf reaching a deal anytime soon
The eight-time major champion, speaking after he participated in the ceremonial tee shot to officially open the 89th Masters on Thursday morning at Augusta National Golf Club, thinks things are simply too complicated right now for the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to come back together.
'I don't see a real working mechanism for the two tours to get back together,' Watson said. 'I think that's one of the reasons you haven't seen an agreement … since June two years ago.'
The PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV Golf, have been in negotiations for a partnership since Tour commissioner Jay Monahan made his surprise announcement nearly two full years ago. While there have been moments where it's felt close, especially after a pair of meetings at the White House with President Donald Trump, the two sides appear to be a long way from finalizing a deal.
The Tour reportedly turned down a $1.5 billion offer from the PIF earlier this month, too. Specifics of that offer aren't known, though the PIF reportedly wants its governor to serve as a co-chairman of the PGA Tour Enterprises' board and wants team golf to stay part of the sport, among other things.
There are 12 LIV Golf members in the field this week at the Masters, which is the fewest number of players from that circuit since it first started. More than half of them have a lifetime exemption, too. The tournament is just one of four this year where the golf world is back in one place.
One of those with a lifetime exemption is Jon Rahm, who, when asked about reunification Tuesday, said this: "As I can tell and you guys can tell, it's not happening anytime soon."
While Watson acknowledged just about everyone involved wants reunification to happen — including top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, who apparently said he was thrilled everyone was back together during the champions dinner Tuesday night — he thinks it's just too far off.
'It's really up to the powers that be to see if there's a framework in which the two tours can cooperate,' Watson said. 'I don't see that framework happening.'
LIV Golf is currently in its fourth season, and it feels a bit like the league is on the ropes. Less than 500,000 people tuned in to Fox to watch last week's tournament in South Florida, which marked the first time the league has been shown on a major American network. By comparison, the PGA Tour's Valero Texas Open drew more than 1.7 million viewers despite not having most of its stars competing.
If the two leagues are going to finally strike a deal, it doesn't seem like it's going to happen in the near future. And, at least in the eyes of Jack Nicklaus, the Tour doesn't necessarily need LIV Golf anymore.
'I think the LIV pushed the PGA Tour into doing some things that were a little premature for the PGA Tour. But the PGA Tour is doing fine,' Nicklaus said. 'I think they've changed their structure. The players now own a piece of what's going on. I think their plan of bringing along with their elevated events and their plan of bringing young players along in the other tournaments has been very successful. We're making new stars for the game.
'Would I love to see them all come together? Sure, I think we all would. But I think the PGA Tour is the tour, and that's where most of your good players are, and I think it's very healthy no matter which way it goes, but obviously we'd all like to see everybody together.'
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