Are the Tours banking on Tiger Woods to secure the peace deal with LIV?

29/12/2023 10:58

It seems as though Tiger Woods has been placed in the position of being the man who finally brings the professional tours and LIV golf together even as the deadline for the proposed equity deal to be wrapped up is rapidly approaching.

Woods has publicly oscillated in his official views of the process although it is unclear when he has been candid and when he has been diplomatic.

He offered a negative outlook on the process in November, while also voicing his disapproval for the PGA Tour dragging its heels on governance changes.

"I’m pleased to add the process and frustrated in some of the slowness and governance change that we want to happen.

“December 31 is coming up quickly. There is a timetable there that we would like to implement some of these changes that haven’t taken place. All the parties are talking and aggressively trying to get a deal done. We’re trying to make sure the process is better. Implementation of governance.

“Getting the deal done, but getting it done the right way. We have multiple options, we would like a deal done December 31. All parties understand that. There are other options out there.

“As long as a player has input and has faster decisions, as long as the board recognises that. That’s one of the key things the player directors have focused on. The entire board has been accepting of that."

At the beginning of December Woods became more optimistic as sports investment group SSG expressed interest in taking on an equity stake as well.

“As of right now, (December 31) is our time frame and our deadline. That hasn’t changed,” Woods said after the PNC Championship.

“We’re trying to get a deal done with all of the different entities that we have going on here.

“SSG has come into the mix now,” Woods added.

“They obviously have a lot of equity and a lot of name investors that have the same alignment that we have, and we are all heading in the right direction.”

Woods has been unequivocal on the matter of him being able to return to championship form and fitness.

“If I’m able to practise and do the things I know I can do, and prepare, I know I can still do it,” Woods said.

“I can still hit the golf ball. It’s just a matter of prepping and get enough reps in and get enough work in and being right physically, and the endurance capability of it.

“I haven’t had the leg good enough where I’ve been able to compete and play a lot of rounds.

“I can still hit the golf ball. I can still chip. I can still putt.

“Granted it’s also putting it all together for 72 holes. That’s the challenging part of it.”

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