Webb Simpson gives big update on PGA Tour and PIF’s Friday’s NYC meeting - “I think we all want similar things”

The PGA Tour’s Transaction Committee and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia had their first-ever in-person meeting on June 7, Friday. Just days after the NYC meeting, Webb Simpson has now given a positive update on the negotiations.

For the unversed, PIF, which backs LIV Golf, met with the committee featuring Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy to discuss the future of the deal. This happened exactly a year after the Framework Agreement was first announced. While Simpson was not part of the Transaction Committee, hinted at a positive future for golf.

The PGA Tour policy board member noted that there is ‘positive momentum’ and both sides are ‘engaged’ in the process. He noted that the stakeholders seem to agree that their coming together is better for the game.

Replying to a media query about the Friday meeting in his pre-event press conference at Pinehurst, Webb Simpson said (at 8:00):

“The only update that I really have is basically what you just said, that Friday (meeting) went really well. I think there's positive momentum going right now. I think both sides seem to not only be engaged but want to continue to be engaged as much as possible. That feels good.

It feels good that we're finally at a place where I think we all want similar things. We all recognize that the game of golf is healthier when we're moving in this direction.”

It is pertinent to note that Simpson had earlier admitted it would be “very dangerous” for the PGA Tour to not complete a deal with the PIF.

Speaking in March, the 38-year-old player stated that a continued fight between the circuit and LIV Golf will affect the “good of the game.” He said that the “game is divided” and confessed to missing playing together with LIV players.

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Rory McIlroy positive about the PGA Tour-PIF meeting

Webb Simpson’s positive comments come just days after Rory McIlroy described the PGA Tour-PIF meeting as a success. The Northern Irishman, who attended the meeting via video conferencing amid the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield, noted that the discussion was “very productive.”

Speaking about Friday’s NYC meeting, McIlroy said on Saturday, as quoted by Sports Illustrated:

“Very productive, very constructive, very collaborative. I think those are probably three words I would use to describe it. Yeah, it was really good. Definitely things are heading in the right direction. A lot of progress was made. I can't really say much more than that, but it was really positive.”

It is pertinent to note that McIlroy has been on the receiving end of harsh criticism for his role in the PGA Tour-PIF deal. The ace golfer had previously attacked LIV Golf and its players, making him the face of PGA’s fight against the breakaway tour. However, he later adopted a new role in the PGA Enterprises’ negotiation with the Saudis.