PGA Tour commish Jay Monahan and LIV Golf’s Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s PIF, were grouped together in the opening round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland on Thursday.
The pairing by the DP World, basically an unofficial subsidiary of the PGA Tour, is evidence that the war between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf may be coming to an end.
Since the June 2023 announcement of a “framework agreement,” the PGA Tour and PIF have continued to work on a reported initial $2 billion investment from the Saudis into the coffers of the newly established PGA Tour Enterprises.
Monahan was paired with Billy Horschel, of the PGA Tour, while Al-Rumayyan played alongside South African Dean Burmester, who plays for the Stinger GC of LIV Golf.
It was reported that the two sides met in New York, Sept. 11-12. The Saudi’s PIF has financed the LIV Golf League since its inception in 2022.
“I don’t think they are going to have any conversation on the golf course about the deal,” said Horschel, the recent winner of the BMW PGA. “I do believe that there’s been goodwill on both sides to try to make a deal happen over the last 18 months, since the agreement. It may not move as quickly as people want.
“There’s a lot of complicated things to figure out, and there’s a lot of things behind the scenes that the public just doesn’t understand that they can’t comment on.”
Rory McIlroy, who lost to Horschel at Wentworth in a playoff, is also playing in the tournament alongside father Gerry. The Northern Irishman this week told the BBC that the pairing of Monahan and Al-Rumayyan was a “great thing and a good sign.”
“You know, there’s no better place than the home of golf to get everyone together and talking,” McIlroy said. “It’s a great thing and a good sign that Jay and Yasir are both here and playing together. It is a step in the right direction. Time will tell if things go in the direction I and a lot of people want them to.
“We all understand it is not easy and, you know, change for the most part in golf is resisted because it is such a traditional sport. But at this point, change is needed to drive the game forward, and hopefully we can get to that point.”
McIlroy will be paired with Monahan on Friday and with Al-Rumayyan on Saturday.
