Adam Scott says merging PGA Tour and LIV models remains a hurdle after meeting with US President Donald Trump

Adam Scott’s visit to the White House to meet with US President Donald Trump was eye-opening but may not help solve the biggest problem in golf’s war.

Figuring out how the PGA Tour and LIV can co-exist remains the biggest “hang-up” in reunification according to Adam Scott, who has now twice met with US President Donald Trump in a bid to bring the game back together.

Scott has become a key player in talks between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV, and billions of dollars in investment in the game is riding on the negotiations that have progressed sharply with Trump’s involvement without a breakthrough.

Scott, who said he remained matres with the Australians who took multimillion-dollar offers to join LIV and they were happy with their calls, conceded that a reunion “may not be ultimately possible” unless a balance is found.

Adam Scott says striking a balance between LIV and the PGA Tour may not be possible. Picture: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

The PIF has spent upwards of $3bn on LIV and it remains important to them, but ongoing operation in its current form could mean that the PGA Tour still misses out on regular appearances from the likes of Jon Rahm, Bryson de Chambeau and Brooks Koepka.

That remains the ultimate goal, for the best players playing together more often than the four majors, and Scott confirmed how hard it could be to get to that point.

“I think the biggest hang-up is in how we see the highest level of competitive golf going forward,” Scott said at TPC Sawgrass ahead of this week’s Players Championship, regarded as the fifth major buy featuring no LIV players.

“The product of LIV and the product of the PGA Tour work in very different ways, so I think the challenge is figuring out how that can come together and be really reunification, which is kind of what everyone is shooting for.

“I mean, the Tour’s being very careful and respectful of everyone and wanting to give everyone, the golf fans and the media and the players, the product that they want.

“But we’re starting from two different sides of this, so I think it’s hard to find the balance that’s acceptable for everybody. And it also may not be ultimately possible.”

Tiger Woods has spoken with US President Donald Trump about bringing the game back together. Picture: Win McNamee/Getty Images

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said there was room to “integrate” aspects of LIV into his tour and remained bullish on the progression of talks despite the apparent stumbling blocks.

“When you’re in the midst of complex negotiations, particularly when you may be near a breakthrough, there are ebbs and flows in the discussion,” he said

“We’re doing everything that we can to bring the two sides together.”

But Scott said there needed to be more movement and there was an “urgency” to get things done.

“I feel like there’s more of a feeling like no matter what happens with these conversations and negotiations going forward, the Tour has to move forward as well. It can’t just kind of stay in limbo,” he said.

“I think there’s an urgency for a result, no matter what. I think that would be in everyone’s best interest, to be honest, whether you’re the PIF or a player anywhere or the PGA Tour. I think it just doesn’t need to linger.”

Scott was at the back of the room when Trump spoke alongside Woods. Picture: Jim Watson / AFP

But while Trump has become involved, the reality of where the future of golf sat on his priority list was clear to Scott when he visited the White House in February.

“It was obvious to me very quickly when they were setting up for the Israeli delegation right after our meeting and putting like the Israeli flag and the US flag and getting that room ready that our conversation was pretty low in the importance of what was happening that day,” he said with a laugh.

“And really, the President had far more important things to focus on, and I encouraged him to go and do that well for everyone’s sake after our meeting.”

Originally published as Adam Scott says merging PGA Tour and LIV models remains a hurdle after meeting with US President Donald Trump