PGA TOUR, LIV TAKING TALKS INTO NEW YEAR
When the PGA Tour and the upstart LIV Golf league, which is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, announced their groundbreaking deal in June for the men’s golf circuits to join forces, they left most details unanswered and set a Dec. 31 deadline to figure them out.
Now, it is clear that the two sides will need more time.
The PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, said in a memo to players Sunday evening that the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, were “working to extend” the negotiations into the new year.
The sides had been discussing signing a formal onemonth extension, which could be further prolonged, said three people familiar with the negotiations who were not authorized to discuss them.
Those negotiations continue as the PGA Tour progresses on simultaneous talks to raise additional money from Strategic Sports Group, an investment group led by Fenway Sports Group — the parent company of the Boston Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the English soccer club Liverpool.
Monahan said on Sunday that the tour and Strategic Sports Group “have made meaningful progress” in their talks and that the tour had “provided S.S.G. with the due diligence information they requested.”
Tennis
Novak Djokovic led Serbia to a 2-1 win over China at the United Cup in Perth, Australia, on Sunday.
Djokovic, playing in the western Australia city for the first time since the 2013 Hopman Cup, beat Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 6-2 and then teamed up with Olga Danilovic to clinch the decisive mixed doubles 6-4, 1-6, 10-6 against Zheng Quinwen and Zhang in the Group E match.
Earlier, former U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez led Canada to a 2-1 victory over Chile in its tournament’s opening match.
In Perth, Great Britain’s Katie Boulter stunned fifthranked Jessica Pegula of the United States in Group C, rallying from a set down to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
The Americans drew level when Taylor Fritz defeated Cameron Norrie 7-6 (5), 6-4 to force a deciding mixed doubles match.
Pegula and Fritz then combined for victory over Boulter and Neal Skupski 1-6, 7-6 (4), 10-7 that sealed the tie, 2-1, for the defending champions.
Soccer
Arsenal fell to a second straight loss with a 2-1 defeat at Fulham on Sunday, missing out on a chance to end the year atop the Premier League table.
Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal the lead after just five minutes, but the visitors were toothless after that as Raul Jimenez equalized in the first half and
Bobby De Cordova-Reid poked in the winner in the 59th.
The Gunners have won just one of their last five league games and this was perhaps the most listless performance in that stretch.
“That was the worst performance of the season,” Arteta said of Sunday’s defeat.
• Crystal Dunn is returning home to join NWSL champion NJ/NY Gotham FC, the team announced Sunday.
The 31-year-old Dunn, a 2019 World Cup winner, signed a contract with Gotham through the 2026 season. The U.S. national team star played three seasons with the Portland Thorns before entering free agency in November. Mixed martial arts
Conor McGregor announced Sunday he’s returning to the octagon for a fight against Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas.
McGregor made the announcement in a video posted to one of his social media accounts.
A UFC spokesperson did not confirm or deny the fight. The 35-year-old McGregor, who hasn’t fought in the octagon since 2021, appeared to be at a restaurant drinking a glass of wine in the video.
McGregor said the bout would be in the middleweight (185-pound) class.
Sports and courts
Former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis is reported to have been charged in connection with the death of his wife, Olympic cyclist Melissa Hoskins, who died after being struck by a vehicle.