AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods said negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund are headed in the right direction.
Following his final-round 5-over 77 at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, Woods was asked about meeting Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the head of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, at his residence in the Bahamas on March 18.
“I don’t know if we’re closer, but certainly we’re headed in the right direction,” he said. “That was a very positive meeting, and I think both sides came away from the meeting feeling positive.”
It was on June 6 that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and Al-Rumayyan stunned the world with news that they had signed off on a framework agreement to stop litigation and create a for-profit business together. But the deadline to make a deal by the end of the year was extended and progress has been slow as the Tour focused on drafting new governance policies and forged a relationship with the private equity group SSG, who made an initial investment in PGA Tour Enterprises of at least $1.5 billion.
Woods and Al-Rumayyan played golf on the Albany course near Nassau where Woods hosts the Hero World Challenge.
The meeting included all six player directors. In addition to Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, Webb Simpson and Jordan Spieth were also there, along with board liaison Joe Ogilvie.