Tiger Woods hints at PGA Tour return for LIV Golf stars

Tiger Woods has hinted that LIV golfers could make a return to the PGA Tour following the intervention of President Donald Trump.

Woods is optimistic the men’s professional game will “heal quickly” with the involvement of Trump after almost three years of division between the US circuit and the breakaway league.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Adam Scott, a player director, met with Trump at the White House earlier this month as part of efforts to strike a deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls the LIV tour.

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“I think we’re in a very positive place right now,” said Wood, speaking on CBS during the final round coverage of the Genesis Invitational.

“We had a meeting with the President. Unfortunately, I had some other circumstances that came up, but Jay and Adam, they did great during the meeting and we have another subsequent meeting coming up.”

“I think that things are going to heal quickly. We’re going to get this game going in the right direction. It’s been heading in the wrong direction for a number of years. The fans want all the top players playing together and we’re going to make that happen.”

Asked by Jim Nantz if that reunification could come “this year” or “very soon this year”, Woods replied with a smile: “Yes and yes.”

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It has long been thought that Trump’s return to the Oval Office could expedite a deal between the elite game’s warring factions.

Trump has ties with Saudi Arabia and has influence over the US Department of Justice – which has been scrutinising the deal over anti-competition concerns.

Earlier in the week week at Torrey Pines, Rory McIlroy revealed he recently played golf with Trump and claimed his influence could be key given his apparent access to PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“The President can do a lot of things,” McIlroy said. “He also has direct access to Yasir’s boss. Not many people have that. Not many people can say, I want you to get this deal done and by the way, I’m speaking to your boss, I’m going to tell him the same thing.

“He can be influential. He loves the game of golf; I saw it when I was playing with Sheik Hamdan of Abu Dhabi the day when he got elected in November and I don’t think people appreciate how much respect that he has in the Middle East.

“So, I think whenever he says something they listen, and I think that’s a big thing.”

Meanwhile, the “other circumstances” that caused Woods to miss the White House meeting was the death of his mother, Kultida, which was announced on February 4.

Woods had planned on playing at the Genesis, but later withdrew and said he was “just not ready” after his mother’s passing.

“It has been a tough process to go through, but I’ve had amazing family support,” Woods added. “All the players have reached out that were playing here this week. The amount of texts and the emails and nice messages of support I got has really helped and has really meant a lot to me.

“She was my rock, you know? She meant everything to me. Losing her has been a very hard and difficult process to go through.”

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.