Aussie golf star Adam Scott isn’t likely to forget this week in a hurry after he met Donald Trump at the White House in Washington.
Former Masters winner Scott, 44, was joined by fellow PGA Tour player director Tiger Woods and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan for a sit down with the President.
The aim was to get President Trump – a noted LIV Golf fan – to help end professional golf’s ongoing divide.
Despite a supposed peace deal more than 18 months ago, the two sporting organisations continue to be in competition with one another on the world stage.
The Saudi-funded LIV league poached a number of PGA stars in 2022 after offering life-changing money, including Queenslander Cameron Smith, who had just won his first major at the British Open.
He didn’t come cheap, pocketing a reported $120million to jump ship.
Aussie golf star Adam Scott isn’t likely to forget this week in a hurry after he met Donald Trump at the White House in Washington
Former Masters winner Scott, 44, was joined by fellow PGA Tour player director Tiger Woods and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan for a sit down with the President
On Friday, the PGA Tour released a statement, declaring the meeting with President Trump will help ‘pave the way for the reunification of men’s professional golf’
Aussie Cameron Smith joined the LIV tour in 2022 and later declared it was one of the best decisions of his life
Smith later stated it was ‘one of the best decisions I’ve ever made’, pointing to better life balance as he now plays in less tournaments globally.
Other high profile players to defect to LIV included Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson.
The PGA then responded by blacklisting those galaxy of stars from playing in majors, with Rory McIlroy the most vocal in expressing his criticism of former rivals on the greens going rogue.
Tired of the sporting stalemate, Monahan announced a partnership with LIV Golf’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in June 2023 in a bid to unite the sport at a professional level.
And with no progress, PGA Tour commissioner Monahan this week again got on the front foot, brokering a meeting with the most powerful person in the US.
‘We know golf fans are eagerly anticipating a resolution to negotiations with the Public Investment Fund and want to thank President Trump for his interest and long-time support of the game of golf,’ a subsequent PGA Tour statement on Friday read, posted on X.
‘We asked the President to get involved for the good of the game, the good of the country, and for all the countries involved.
‘We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for reunification of men’s professional golf.’
The PGA Tour continues with the staging of the Phoenix Open this week, while LIV Golf begins its season in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
