Adam Scott Balances Player Frustrations and PGA-LIV Deal Hopes as Negotiations Continue
More than 18 months after the shock announcement of a merger framework between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, the two sides are still trying to finalize the complex details of what could reshape professional golf. Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion and a respected veteran on the PGA Tour, finds himself at the heart of these tense discussions.
Scott, now serving as chairman of the Player Advisory Council (PAC) and a player director on the PGA Tour’s policy board, admits that while progress is being made, he understands that not every player will be satisfied with the eventual outcome.
“I wouldn’t blame any member if they felt frustrated or disappointed when reunification happens,” Scott said during the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles last weekend. “There’s a lot of emotion attached to this, and I get that. Some guys turned down life-changing money to stay on this tour. Others left and might be coming back. You can’t expect everyone to feel great about it.”
The merger, which involves the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), the financial backer of LIV Golf, could lead to the return of high-profile players like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau to PGA Tour events. However, how those returns are handled remains a contentious issue. Many PGA players who stayed loyal to the tour believe they deserve compensation for rejecting lucrative LIV offers. Others worry about losing their tour cards if returning LIV players reclaim spots in elite tournaments.
Scott acknowledges these concerns but stresses that the player directors, including himself and Tiger Woods, are working with the best interests of the entire membership in mind. “These decisions have been incredibly tough,” Scott said. “We know we can’t make everyone happy, but we’re trying to create a future that benefits all players.”
One of the major developments in this ongoing process was the PGA Tour’s agreement with Strategic Sports Group (SSG), a consortium of investors that secured a minority stake in the newly formed PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit arm of the tour. This deal injected much-needed capital into the PGA Tour and is seen as a safeguard in case talks with LIV break down.
Scott admitted that adapting to his new off-course responsibilities has been challenging. “It took me a couple of months to get my head around everything,” he said. “Right after I joined the board, we were voting on bringing in SSG as a shareholder. These are big decisions with serious consequences.”
The merger discussions have involved influential figures, including a recent meeting between PGA officials and former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has hosted LIV events at his golf properties. Scott and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan attended the meeting. Tiger Woods, also a player director, was expected to join but had a personal matter arise.
“We met with the President,” Woods confirmed during the Genesis Invitational broadcast. “Jay and Adam handled it well. We’ll have another meeting soon. I believe we can get things back on track. Fans want to see the best players together. That’s our goal.”
Scott emphasized that resolving the situation is not solely in the PGA Tour’s hands. The DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) and other international stakeholders also play critical roles in shaping the future of professional golf.
“There are more voices involved than just the PGA Tour and LIV,” Scott said. “It’s not easy. If it were simple, we’d have solved it already.”
While many players still harbor resentment toward those who defected to LIV, the tone is shifting. Rory McIlroy, once LIV’s most vocal critic, has softened his stance. “We’ve all benefited from this, whether we left or stayed,” McIlroy said last week. “We’re playing for $20 million purses now. That wouldn’t have happened without LIV. We need to move forward together.”
As the PGA Tour and LIV Golf inch toward what could be a defining agreement, Scott’s message is clear: emotions are understandable, but unity is the ultimate goal. The future of professional golf hinges on getting this right—no matter how difficult the process may be.
