Adam Scott says little light shed about LIV merger in PGA Tour player meeting

When PGA Tour players first heard about the LIV merger there was significant anger, but Adam Scott says it’s now all about getting answers.

Adam Scott is happy to wait and see how the deal is worked out. Picture: Rob Carr / Getty Images North America / Getty Images via AFP

There was no yelling and no-one told anyone to “f--k off” at a PGA Tour player meeting led by Adam Scott, who said the shock and anger over the deal with LIV had subsided and he was hopeful it would turn into a good deal for the game.

When the merger with the Saudi Public Investment Fund was first revealed two weeks ago, players clashed in a meeting at the Canadian Open. Rory McIlroy, the poster boy for the PGA Tour’s fight against LIV, was caught in a fiery exchange with a fellow pro.

But Scott, the chairman of the tour’s Player Advisory Council, said the initial anger had subsided in the aftermath and the quest for answers about what the future looked like was the main subject at a meeting in Connecticut ahead of the Travellers Championship.

Scott conceded those answers had not yet presented themselves because the deal done by PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan was “complex”.

But he was hopeful once the framework was presented to players, it would be good for the game.

“I think the player meeting went well last night from where the player meeting was two weeks ago. I think some of the emotions have cooled,” Scott said.

“There are still lots of questions to be answered because we really only have this framework that was announced.

Adam Scott says there are still a lot of questions to be answered. Picture: Rob Carr/Getty Images

“So although that seems fairly simple, I think the deal sounds quite complex and this could take a long time. I think hopefully everyone is cooling down and as things go along, there is transparency to the players and those questions get answered.

“And then, you know, I think it will be evaluated whether it’s a good deal for the PGA Tour and its players and the game of golf moving forward.”

Scott said he was less angered about the deal, which was done without any player knowledge, but more surprised given the backflip by Monahan to link with the backers of Greg Norman’s breakaway LIV tour.

He also acknowledged as someone who knocked back a big-money offer to join LIV, having been told if he did he was ”never coming back” to the PGA Tour, that he’s “caught up emotionally” and wants to know what the future looks like.

“I really think it’s just maybe the same as everybody in the golf world. Just surprise that out of the blue this happened,” he said.

“I think some people may have thought it would happen in the future to kind of stabilise things so there wasn’t a constant fight in the game. Maybe it happened sooner than we thought.

Jay Monahan brokered the deal. Picture: Sam Greenwood / Getty Images North America / AFP

“I think as far as the deal goes, I’m happy to wait and see how the deal points are worked out and see whether that really suits as a whole.

“Of course I’m caught up emotionally because I stayed on the PGA Tour and it was put to us that if we left we were never coming back, and it seems there is going to be pathways back.

“You know, eventually we’ll find out if that’s the best for the game and how we feel. So I have some emotions about that, but time often plays a big part in these things so see how it advances.”

Originally published as Adam Scott says little light shed about LIV merger in PGA Tour player meeting