Adam Scott gives insight into PGA Tour meeting about Saudi merger

The dust is beginning to settle on the bombshell news that golf’s warring factions are about to join forces – but there’s still just as many questions as there are answers.

Adam Scott, the former Masters champion who remained loyal to PGA Tour, has confirmed that the temperature in the locker room has cooled a fortnight on from the announcement that his circuit has struck a “framework agreement” with the Saudi Arabian backers of the LIV Golf series.

Scott is a key member on the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council and attended a meeting addressing the so-called merger with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Tuesday in Connecticut ahead of the Travelers Championship.

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“I think the player meeting went well last night from where the player meeting was two weeks ago,” the Australian explained in his Wednesday press conference.

“I think some of the emotions have cooled. There are still lots of questions to be answers because we really only have this framework that was announced.

“So although that seems fairly simple, I think the deal sounds quite complex and this could take a long time. I think hopefully everyone is cooling down and as things go along, there is transparency to the players and those questions get answered.

“And then, you know, I think it will be evaluated whether it’s a good deal for the PGA Tour and its players and the game of golf moving forward.”

He added: “Things are calmed down and things were more calm in the meeting yesterday. Guys still have tons of questions. Hopefully they’re answered in time.”

The truce that will see effectively see Saudi Arabia control the sport at the highest level has been brought back into focus following last week’s US Open, where Scott missed the cut.

And a huge bone of contention to emerge from the top-secret deal is that LIV golfers will have the option to re-apply for membership with the PGA Tour or DP World Tour at the conclusion of the 2023 season.

There has been concern about the looming reintroduction of LIV players on the main circuit, especially while PGA Tour loyalists missed out on lucrative signing fees to join the controversial series.

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Scott has admitted he has been “caught up emotionally” in the maelstrom, but is still taking stock after the news that came completely “out of the blue.”

“I think as far as the deal goes, I’m happy to wait and see how the deal points are worked out and see whether that really suits as a whole,” he said.

“Of course I have some emotional – I’m caught up emotionally because I stayed on the PGA Tour and this looks – and it was put to us that if we left we were never coming back, and it seems there is going to be pathways back.

“You know, eventually we’ll find out if that’s the best for the game and how we feel. So I have some emotions about that, but kind of time often plays a big part in these things so see how it advances.

“You can’t help but feel left in the dark even though I don’t expect to run the PGA Tour and them to run everything by me. It was just sooner than maybe anybody thought.”

Scott continued: “I think some people may have thought it would happen in the future to kind of stabilise things so there wasn’t a constant fight in the game.

“Maybe it happened sooner than we thought. I think every one is still working to get over the surprise and the fact that there was no indication that this was even close to happening.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.