To say that it's been a year of turmoil around LIV Golf would be a massive understatement.
The breakaway golf tour was upended earlier this year when the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced they would pull financial backing for the tour after the end of the season. Given the extremely high prize pools most tournaments offer, as well as individual contracts for players, they have raised legitimate concerns about the future of the league.
Some players started scrambling for pathways out, while others reaffirmed their commitment to LIV. Or at least, not returning to the PGA Tour.
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Several events have been canceled, with the stop in New Orleans the first casualty, as well as the team championship event that was scheduled in Michigan. This past weekend however, the LIV Golf New York event at Trump National Bedminster went off as expected, with Joaquin Neimann winning the tournament, and Jon Rahm clinching the league's individual championship.
That wasn't the most notable thing that happened over the past weekend, however. President Donald Trump attended the final day on Sunday, receiving cheers from the crowds. More importantly though, he was reportedly seen talking with Saudi PIF head Yasir Al-Rumayyan and legendary golf star Gary Player. Per Golfweek, the three also met with some LIV players.
While LIV CEO Scott O'Neil has lined up mysterious, unnamed potential investors, it's notable that the Saudi PIF head is still around the events. This despite their decision to end financial support for LIV. After the tournament, Bryson DeChambeau addressed it, saying that Al-Rumayyan wanted to have "conversations" with President Trump.
"I think we all found out last night that he was going to be out here," DeChambeau explained in his press conference.
"I think he needed to have some conversations with the president. That was a whole 'nother' thing. I'm not going to get involved with that."
DeChambeau also said that he was glad to see Al-Rumayyan back at an event and that the PIF has done "wonders" for golf.
"But it was great to see him out here," DeChambeau continued. "I think he's done wonders for us and the global game of golf. I think there's a great place for the PIF and where they want to be moving forward.
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"Where that is, I'm not exactly sure. I have no idea. But I know that he's supported golf for a long, long time, and as this transitions over hopefully, into the new investor's hands and into the players' hands, we really have an opportunity to align a lot of the global incentives to be a force for good for the game."
DeChambeau also spoke about his conversation with Trump after the round, which was mostly complimentary about the course itself and how well players are treated at Trump-owned courses.
"I told him how tough his golf course is. I got my butt kicked this week, that's for sure," he said.
"That was really all we talked about. Whenever we go to the properties, they've been great to us. The hospitality is amazing. They treat us well. All their staff are amazing."
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Trump has always been a big supporter of professional golf, as well as the LIV Tour specifically, but it's unclear whether he was helping to mediate some type of negotiation with LIV personnel and the PIF, or whether their conversations were entirely unrelated to golf. Despite the new funding announcement, there are still plenty of major issues to address for O'Neil and prominent stars like DeChambeau. Massive guarantees for Jon Rahm and others, whether they can continue the elevated purses they've offered, the format of the tour going forward, how many players will be involved...just to name a few.
Seems like there's plenty more coming from this meeting.
