Tiger Woods said a meeting with PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan last month facilitated negotiations between the PGA Tour and the PIF.
Woods, who played a key role in the negotiations as a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board, and Al-Rumayyan were the headliners of a meeting the day after the Players Championship in the Bahamas, attended by key representatives of the tour, PIF (which finances and operates LIV) and Strategic Sports Group (which has committed more than $1 billion in financing to PGA Tour Enterprises). The bands continue to seek a solution that would seek to end the division between the two tours since 2022.
“I don’t know if we’re closer, but we’re definitely going in the right direction,” Woods said Sunday after his final round at the Masters. “It was a very positive meeting and both parties came away positive.”
Woods shot a 77 in his fourth round and left the course in last place in the field, 16-over for the week. He made the cut after finishing the first two rounds at 1-over, but a record-breaking 82 on Saturday destroyed Woods. He made a birdie on Sunday (on par-5 No. 2), three bogeys and a triple-bogey (No. 5, when he blocked his tee shot so far into the woods that he had to take a lie unplayable and leave.).
Simply playing remains a considerable challenge for Woods, 48: He told his fourth-round playing partner, Neal Shipley, that he got up at 3:45 a.m. to start preparing his body for a departure at 9:35 a.m.
This is Woods’ first time playing all 72 holes since the 2022 Masters, where he finished 47th. While Woods’ original schedule had him playing once a month this season, he did not play between the Genesis Invitational in January and the Masters. The PGA Championship in Valhalla is next, May 16-19.
Woods talked about preparing to play there, the US Open at Pinehurst and the Open Championship at Royal Troon, although the level of preparation will have to be different – he said he practices very little and his Knowledge of the Augusta course allowed him to progress towards this event easier.
“I heard there are some changes at the next two sites, so I need to get there early and check them out,” Woods said.
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