A PGA Tour spokesman confirmed the Trump-Monahan session, the Post reported. “President-Elect Trump has always been a champion of the game of golf and commissioner Monahan was honoured to accept his invitation to play at Trump International,” the spokesman told the paper in a statement.
“The President-Elect and the Commissioner share a love for the game and the Commissioner enjoyed their time together,” he added.
President-elect Donald Trump gestures to the crowd during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Photo / Getty Images
Trump courses have hosted five LIV events since the Saudi-backed series began. PGA events had been staged at other courses Trump owns.
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Negotiators for the PGA Tour include 15-time major winner Tiger Woods.
Trump said earlier this month he could help broker a deal between the two sides, saying on a podcast: “I would say it would take me the better part of 15 minutes to get that deal done.”
“I’m really going to work on other things, to be honest with you. I think we have much bigger problems than that. But I do think we should have one tour and they should have the best players in that tour.”
Rory McIlroy, who won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Sunday, told reporters Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who sat to the other side of Trump in New York, could help sort out a deal.
“He might be able to,” McIlroy said. “He’s got Elon Musk, who I think is the smartest man in the world, beside him. We might be able to do something if we can get Musk involved, too.
“Obviously, Trump has a great relationship with Saudi Arabia. He’s got a great relationship with golf. He’s a lover of golf. So, maybe. Who knows? But I think as the president of the United States again, he’s probably got bigger things to focus on than golf.”
Among issues with a PGA-LIV deal are US Justice Department concerns over Saudi investments and anti-trust regulations.
LIV and the PGA Tour have already announced plans for the 2025 season.
