Tiger Woods has company in player negotiations with the Saudi-backers of LIV Golf
Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott are joining Tiger Woods on the subcommittee directly involved in negotiating with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf, an addition to what the PGA Tour previously disclosed even though McIlroy says he’s been involved in discussions.
McIlroy said Thursday at the Wells Fargo Championship that while he is not on the PGA Tour Enterprises board, “I’m in some way involved in that transaction committee.”
It was yet another twist in the players’ involvement on the board. McIlroy resigned in November, and the other player directors voted to replace him with Jordan Spieth. Then, Webb Simpson said he would resign his seat but only if McIlroy would replace him.
McIlroy was willing, but he said there was “a subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason.”
The PGA Tour sent out a release Thursday night confirming Joe Gorder, the chairman and CEO of Texas-based Valero, would be the inaugural chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises. It also listed McIlroy and Scott on the transactional subcommittee — along with Woods, Gorder, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, John W. Henry of Fenway Sports Group and Joe Ogilvie, the director liaison.
McIlroy said he was on a call with the group Sunday that last 1 1/2 hours as it went over a 150-page document on a future model, among other things.
“I’m not on the board, but I’m in some way involved in that transaction committee,” McIlroy said. “I don’t have a vote so I don’t have I guess a meaningful say in what happens in the future, but at least I feel like I can be helpful on that committee.
“And that was sort of a compromise for I guess not getting a board seat.”
A person directly involved with the PGA Tour Enterprises board was surprised Thursday to hear Woods was the only player involved because the person thought McIlroy and Scott were supposed to be part of the subcommittee. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because board matters are to be kept private.
Simpson suggested as much Wednesday when he spoke of player directors supporting McIlroy being involved based on his ideas and experience.
“I just think his views are important, and the other guys feel the same,” Simpson said. “We kind of had to figure out, ‘OK, where is his place? How can we hour our role as board members … but also bring in a guy at least to voice his ideas and just see how he can help us.”
Monahan had said McIlroy not returning to the board was “in no way a commentary on Rory’s important perspective and influence.” He said it was more sticking to the process of how a player becomes a board member.
Scott joined the PGA Tour in January. Other players on the board are Woods, Spieth, Simpson, Patrick Cantlay and Peter Malnati, with Ogilvie — a former player — as a liaison director.
The PGA Tour already has Strategic Sports Group as a minority investor, and is working on a similar deal with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
