GOLF'S MERGER DEAL DRAGS ON DUE TO MONEY

PGA Tour players reportedly want Rahm and others to return money made from LIV

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Talks between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf have dragged on for over a year since their shock deal announcement, with one detail still problematic: Getting players to agree on who gets to keep their millions.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) started LIV as a rival to the PGA, luring a number of big-name players and sparking a mammoth feud before the sides agreed to a deal in June 2023.

Since then, they have been working on the terms of investment by Saudi Arabia into PGA Tour Enterprises mercial entity valued at about US$12 billion (S$15.52 billion).

PIF representatives met PGA Tour officials in New York last week, and an agreement over the financial details inched closer, according to people familiar with the situation.

In the months leading up to the latest discussions, talks had reportedly failed about how to reintegrate players who ditched the PGA Tour to play for LIV Golf and ensure some financial parity.

A deal is not a certainty, and talks may still fail, the people said.

A particular sticking point is Jon Rahm's reported US$300 million LIV contract, struck in late 2023, the people said, asking not to be named discussing private information.