Jordan Spieth has confirmed that negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which backs LIV Golf, are “very active.”
Speaking ahead of the John Deere Classic, Spieth, who serves on the PGA Tour policy board, offered limited details about the ongoing discussions, citing potential trouble if he divulged too much information.
Rumors have been circulating that the PGA Tour and PIF have already agreed on a commercial deal, but no official announcement has been made. This anticipated agreement could potentially unify the professional golf landscape, bringing LIV Golf players back to the PGA Tour.
When questioned about the status of these negotiations and the potential return of LIV Golf players to the PGA Tour, Spieth remained cautious.
“That’s an extremely loaded question that I could get in a lot of trouble answering,” he said. “Things of that nature take a little bit of time, but they’re very active. That’s about as far as I can go for you.”
Pressed further on whether he would prefer a swift resolution, Spieth emphasized the importance of a thorough process.
“I would like to see it done right for everyone. The timing is the timing. If anything can be done right and done sooner, that’s great. But I would rather see it done correctly and done the right way for golf going forward for the longest amount of time, regardless of how long that takes,” he explained.
Currently, all LIV Golf players who are also PGA Tour members, including Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau, remain suspended from the PGA Tour. However, this could change soon depending on the outcomes of these negotiations.
Spieth is preparing for the John Deere Classic, a tournament that holds special significance for him. He won his first PGA Tour title at this event in 2013 and again in 2015. Spieth aims to join Steve Stricker and DA Weibring as the only players to win the John Deere Classic three times.
As Spieth gears up for the tournament, he remains a 25/1 shot to win, despite not having secured a PGA Tour victory since April 2022 at the RBC Heritage.
The defending champion, Sepp Straka, won last year’s event by two shots and expressed his lack of enthusiasm for “small events” ahead of his title defense.
With the John Deere Classic underway and negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf continuing, the golf world is closely watching for any developments that could reshape the professional game.
